1a. What apparitions do the witches show Macbeth and what do they tell him? What does Macbeth plan to do to Macduff?
2a. Why is Lady Macduff upset with her husband in scene 2? What does she say to her son regarding her husband?
3a. What falsehoods does Malcolm tell to Macduff in scene 3?
4a. How does the condition of England under Edward, as described in this act, compare to Scotland under Macbeth?
5a. Evaluate whether Macbeth has become more and more inured, or used to, doing evil. Use evidence from the play to support your opinion.
1b. Given the apparitions and the explanations given by them, why does Macbeth decide upon this course of action?
2b. Why might Shakespeare have inserted an interchange between Lady Macduff and her son before their murder? How does having such an interchange affect the feelings of the audience about the outcome of scene 2?
3b. Why does Malcolm mislead Macduff in scene 3? What does he accomplish by doing so?
4b. Why, do you suppose, did Shakespeare introduce material about England into the play? How does it further the plot? How does it relate to the theme of "natural order"?
5b. Over the centuries, Macbeth has developed a reputation for being cursed. Veterans of the theater recount a series of mishaps and disasters, from scenery crashes and flat performances, to the death of the manager of the Old Vic Theatre in London and Laurence Olivier's twisted ankle on opening night in 1955. Superstitious actors refer to it as "The Scottish Play" rather than say its name. How would you account for these strange occurrences?
Paradox. Which statements made by the apparitions in scene 1 are paradoxes?
Personification. In scene 3, lines 39–41, what is personified? What human characteristics are attributed to this thing?
1. Create a wanted poster for Macbeth, including information about what crimes he has committed, why he should be arrested, where he can be found, and what reward is being offered. Use your imagination and descriptions from the play to make a sketch of him. As an alternative, create a wanted poster that Macbeth might have posted for Malcolm or Donalbain, including information about their alleged crimes and suspected whereabouts.
2. Imagine you are Malcolm. Write a letter to your brother in Ireland telling him about your plans to return to Scotland, how you have been received in England, and what you learned from your encounter with Macduff.
3. Write a dramatic scene in which Macbeth tells Lady Macbeth about the apparitions and about his plans to kill Macduff's family. Make sure your characterization of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth fits with their portrayals so far in the play.
Achieving Parallelism. Rewrite the following sentences, using parallel structure.
1. The apparitions reveal an armed head, a child who is bloody, a crowned child, and eight kings.
2. Macduff left his family and had gone to England.
3. Rosse tells Lady Macduff that her husband is gone, and then he left Fife.
4. Did Malcolm break his oath or coveted the possessions of another?
5. King Edward is raising 10,000 soldiers and was prepared to aid Malcolm.
Selecting Special Effects. Describe special effects you would use in filming the witches' scene in act 4. Before you begin, you may wish to research special effects techniques, including claymation, animatronics, and 3-D computer graphics to understand what options are available to you.
Research Findings:
Sources Used:
Researching Elizabethan Superstitions. Research superstitions in Elizabethan England, such as belief in witches.
