ISC 2013 English Literature

Suggested Questions
MACBETH Shakespeare
Question 1

DUNCAN
O valiant cousin! worthy gentleman!
Captain
As whence the sun 'gins his reflection
Shipwrecking storms and direful thunders break,
So from that spring whence comfort seem'd to come
Discomfort swells. Mark, king of Scotland, mark:
No sooner justice had with valour arm'd
Compell'd these skipping kerns to trust their heels,
But the Norweyan lord surveying vantage,
With furbish'd arms and new supplies of men
Began a fresh assault.

i) Whom does Duncan address as O valiant cousin? In what sense the addressee is said to be a
worthy gentleman?
ii) Why has the Captain come to Duncan? What did he do in favour of Malcolm?
iii) How, according to the Captain, did Macbeth and Banquo show their courage on the battlement
to treat a fresh assault?
iv) Why, according to the Captain, Macbeth deserves the name brave Macbeth?
v) Who exits and who enters the scene? Where did the entrant come from? What did he report to
Duncan?
vi) Give the meaning of:
Discomfort swells; Skipping kerns; furbishd arms

Question 2

Banquo: Good sir, why do you start and seem to fear
Things that do sound so fair?Ith name of truth
Are ye fantastical, or that indeed
Which outwardly ye show? My noble partner
You greet with present grace and great prediction
Of noble having and of royal hope
That he seems rapt withal. To me you speak not
If you can look into the seeds of time
And say which grains will grow and which will not
Speak then to me, who neither beg nor fear
Your favours nor your hate.
i) Where is Banquo? Who is referred to as noble partner?
ii) Who has started? What has this person just been told?
iii) Explain the lines:
Ith name of truth
Are ye fantastical, or that indeed
Which outwardly ye show?
iv) To what does Banquo refer to as present grace, noble having and royal hope?
v) What is Banquo told by the creatures? What does his attitude tell you about him?
vi) Give the meaning of the following words in the context of the passage:
fantastical; rapt; favours

Question 3

BANQUO
That trusted home
Might yet enkindle you unto the crown,
Besides the thane of Cawdor. But 'tis strange:
And oftentimes, to win us to our harm,
The instruments of darkness tell us truths,
Win us with honest trifles, to betray's
In deepest consequence.
Cousins, a word, I pray you.
MACBETH
[Aside] Two truths are told,
As happy prologues to the swelling act
Of the imperial theme.--I thank you, gentlemen.

i) What does Banquo mean by That trusted home? How it enkindled Macbeth into the crown?
ii) Whom did Macbeth address as imperfect speakers previously in this scene? Why?
iii) What does Banquo say in his speech about the nature of the witches?
iv) What are the two truths already told? Why are they prologues to the swelling act of the
Imperial theme?
v) Who are the gentlemen thanked by Macbeth? Why?
vi) What harm does the conferring of the title, thane of Cawdor on Macbeth bring to Duncan?

Question 4

DUNCAN
Welcome hither:
I have begun to plant thee, and will labour
To make thee full of growing. Noble Banquo,
That hast no less deserved, nor must be known
No less to have done so, let me enfold thee
And hold thee to my heart.
BANQUO
There if I grow,
The harvest is your own.
i) Whom does Duncan welcome? Why?
ii) What was said by the person about the duties of the subordinates to the king?
iii) What does Duncan say to Macbeth and Banquo to reward them for their services?
iv) What does Banquo want to mean by saying
There if I grow,
The harvest is your own.
v) What administrative step does Duncan take, which goes against Macbeths interest?
vi) How does Macbeth react to such step taken by Macbeth?

Question 5

MACBETH
If it were done when 'tis done, then 'twere well
It were done quickly: if the assassination
Could trammel up the consequence, and catch
With his surcease success; that but this blow
Might be the be-all and the end-all here,
But here, upon this bank and shoal of time,
We'd jump the life to come. But in these cases
We still have judgment here; that we but teach
Bloody instructions, which, being taught, return
To plague the inventor: this even-handed justice
Commends the ingredients of our poison'd chalice
To our own lips.

i) Whose assassination Macbeth is talking of? Whom he is speaking this to?
ii) Under what conditions Macbeth says We'd jump the life to come?
iii) What kind of judgement here, on the earth, Macbeth is likely to suffer from?
iv) Why does Macbeth think that his own sense of morality does not permit this assassination?
v) What is apprehended by Macbeth, following the assassination of the person concerned?
vi) What, according to Macbeth, induces him to go against his sense of morality? What traits of
Macbeths character are revealed here?

Question 6

Macbeth: If we should fail?
Lady Macbeth: We fail?
But screw your courage to the sticking place
And well not fail. When Duncan is asleep
Whereto the rather shall his days hard journey
Soundly invite him, his two chamberlains
Will I with wine and wassail so convince
That memory, the warder of the brain,
Shall be a fume, and the receipt of reason
A limbeck only. When in swinish sleep
Their drenched natures lies as in a death
What cannot you and I perform upon
Thun guarded Duncan? what not put upon
His spongy officers, who shall bear the guilt
Of our great quell?

i) Where are Macbeth and Lady Macbeth? What is taking place there?
ii) Which decision does Macbeth convey to his wife? How does she react to this decision?
iii) Explain the lines:
But screw your courage to the sticking place
And well not fail
iv) Which plan does Lady Macbeth now proceed to reveal to her husband?
v) How does Macbeth compliment her after listening to her plan? Does her plan ultimately succeed?
vi) Give the meaning of the following words in the context of the passage:
wassail; limbeck; drenched

Question 6A

MACBETH
There's comfort yet; they are assailable;
Then be thou jocund: ere the bat hath flown
His cloister'd flight, ere to black Hecate's summons
The shard-borne beetle with his drowsy hums
Hath rung night's yawning peal, there shall be done
A deed of dreadful note.
LADY MACBETH
What's to be done?
i) Who are assailable according to Macbeth? Why their assailability appears to be yet
comfortable for Macbeth?
ii) What does Macbeth mean by A deed of dreadful note? When it will be done? Why is it
dreadful?
iii) What has Macbeth planned to do such dreadful deed? How far was he successful in executing
such dreadful deed?
iv) What did Macbeth say in reply to Lady Macbeths question in the extract?
v) Why does Macbeth want keep Lady Macbeth away from the knowledge of the dreadful deed?


Question 7

MACBETH
Blood hath been shed ere now, i' the olden time,
Ere human statute purged the gentle weal;
Ay, and since too, murders have been perform'd
Too terrible for the ear: the times have been,
That, when the brains were out, the man would die,
And there an end; but now they rise again,
With twenty mortal murders on their crowns,
And push us from our stools: this is more strange
Than such a murder is

i) Where is Macbeth now? Whom he is talking to? Later, whom does the speaker say not to amaze
at him? What reason does the speaker give in this connection?
ii) What does the speaker say about bloodshed and murderers in the extract?
iii) What have the murderers performed? Who instructed them to perform? What, according to
the speaker is the general consequence of murder?
iv) What, according to the speaker is the general consequence of murder? What, according to the
speaker, is stranger than the murder itself?
v) How does Lady Macbeth manage the situation? What is her present state of mind?
vi) What is Macbeths present state of mind?


Question 8

MACBETH: Who can be wise, amazed, temperate and furious,
Loyal and neutral, in a moment? No man:
The expedition my violent love
Outrun the pauser, reason. Here lay Duncan,
His silver skin laced with his golden blood;
And his gash'd stabs look'd like a breach in nature
For ruin's wasteful entrance: there, the murderers,
Steep'd in the colours of their trade, their daggers
Unmannerly breech'd with gore: who could refrain,
That had a heart to love, and in that heart
Courage to make 's love known?

i) Where is Macbeth now? Why the murder of Duncan makes Macbeth say:
Who can be wise, amazed, temperate and furious,
Loyal and neutral, in a moment?
ii) How does Macbeth react to the news?
iii) What is the reaction of Malcolm and Donalbain to the news?
iv) Who mentioned about Gorgon just before the given extract? Why?
v) What makes this scene interesting on the stage while enacting the play?

Question 9

MACBETH
Fail not our feast.
BANQUO
My lord, I will not.
MACBETH
We hear, our bloody cousins are bestow'd
In England and in Ireland, not confessing
Their cruel parricide, filling their hearers
With strange invention: but of that to-morrow,
When therewithal we shall have cause of state
Craving us jointly. Hie you to horse: adieu,
Till you return at night. Goes Fleance with you?

i) Why was the feast held for? Why is Banquo being asked not to fail attending the feast?
ii) Who are Macbeths bloody cousins? Why have they gone to England and Ireland?
iii) Who is Fleance? Why does Macbeth ask Banquo whether Fleance goes with him?
iv) Give the meaning of:
Their cruel parricide, filling their hearers
With strange invention
v) What grudge Macbeth has been nursing against Banquo?
vi) How is the theme of appearance and reality shown in this extract?

Question 10

First Murderer
You made it known to us.
MACBETH
I did so, and went further, which is now
Our point of second meeting. Do you find
Your patience so predominant in your nature
That you can let this go? Are you so gospell'd
To pray for this good man and for his issue,
Whose heavy hand hath bow'd you to the grave
And beggar'd yours for ever?
First Murderer
We are men, my liege.

i) What had Macbeth made known to the murderers?
ii) How does Macbeth incite the murderers against Banquo?
iii) What does the First Murderer mean by We are men, my liege?
iv) What did Macbeth say to convince the murderers that all men are not the same?
v) What did the First and Second Murderer say to assure Macbeth that they were desperate?
vi) What did Macbeth say to the murderers about the cause of hiring them to do the act of
murder?

Question 11

MACBETH: We have scotch'd the snake, not kill'd it:
She'll close and be herself, whilst our poor malice
Remains in danger of her former tooth.
But let the frame of things disjoint, both the
worlds suffer,
Ere we will eat our meal in fear and sleep
In the affliction of these terrible dreams
That shake us nightly: better be with the dead,hb
Whom we, to gain our peace, have sent to peace,
Than on the torture of the mind to lie
In restless ecstasy. Duncan is in his grave;
After life's fitful fever he sleeps well

i) Who is the snake referred to herein the extract? In what way is the snake scorched and not
killed?
ii) Why does Macbeth think that the snake should be killed?
iii) What does Macbeth mean by
But let the frame of things disjoint, both the
worlds suffer,
iv) According to Macbeth, how is Duncan sent to peace? Why is this state said to be peaceful?
v) Later, what does Macbeth advice Lady Macbeth to do to suppress their original intention?
vi) Describe the character of Macbeth in the scene.

Question 12

MACBETH
Blood hath been shed ere now, i' the olden time,
Ere human statute purged the gentle weal;
Ay, and since too, murders have been perform'd
Too terrible for the ear: the times have been,
That, when the brains were out, the man would die,
And there an end; but now they rise again,
With twenty mortal murders on their crowns,
And push us from our stools: this is more strange
Than such a murder is

vii) Where is Macbeth now? Whom he is talking to? Later, whom does the speaker say not to
amaze at him? What reason does the speaker give in this connection?
viii) What does the speaker say about bloodshed and murderers in the extract?
ix) What have the murderers performed? Who instructed them to perform? What, according to
the speaker is the general consequence of murder?
x) What, according to the speaker is the general consequence of murder? What, according to the
speaker, is stranger than the murder itself?
xi) How does Lady Macbeth manage the situation? What is her present state of mind?
xii) What is Macbeths present state of mind?

Question 13

MACBETH
Bring me no more reports; let them fly all:
Till Birnam wood remove to Dunsinane,
I cannot taint with fear. What's the boy Malcolm?
Was he not born of woman? The spirits that know
All mortal consequences have pronounced me thus:
'Fear not, Macbeth; no man that's born of woman
Shall e'er have power upon thee.' Then fly,
false thanes,
And mingle with the English epicures:
The mind I sway by and the heart I bear
Shall never sag with doubt nor shake with fear

i) Where is Macbeth at this point of time? Whom is he saying Bring me no more reports? Why?
ii) Why does Macbeth think that he cannot be afraid of Malcom and any fear as well?
iii) Who are called as false thanes? Why are they called so? Who are the English epicures?
iv) Who enters the scene? What news did the person bring? How did Macbeth react, addressing
the person who entered?
v) What has made Macbeth to speak in this manner?
vi) Later, in this scene, what does Macbeth say repenting over the things he gets instead of the
things he expects to enjoy in old age?


Question 14

MACBETH
Take thy face hence. [Exit Servant]
Seyton!--I am sick at heart,
When I behold--Seyton, I say!--This push
Will cheer me ever, or disseat me now.
I have lived long enough: my way of life
Is fall'n into the sear, the yellow leaf;
And that which should accompany old age,
As honour, love, obedience, troops of friends,
I must not look to have; but, in their stead,
Curses, not loud but deep, mouth-honour, breath,
Which the poor heart would fain deny, and dare not. Seyton!

i) Whom does Macbeth ask to take his face away? What did the person say making Macbeth speak
in this manner?
ii) What Does Macbeth behold? What makes him behold this? What does Macbeth expect to take
place in his old age?
iii) What is the present situation that Macbeth faces in reality?
iv) What report does Seyton give to Macbeth immediately after this extract? How does Macbeth
react to such report? What does he order Seyton to do?
v) What does Macbeth ask the doctor just after ordering Seyton? What does Macbeth say reacting
to the Doctors reply?
vi) Describe Macbeths sentiment for Lady Macbeth at this point.


Question 15

MALCOLM
'Tis his main hope:
For where there is advantage to be given,
Both more and less have given him the revolt,
And none serve with him but constrained things
Whose hearts are absent too.
MACDUFF
Let our just censures
Attend the true event, and put we on
Industrious soldiership.

i) What role is Malcolm playing now? What does he want the soldiers to do?
ii) In what mood are Malcolm and Macduff in this scene? What report did Siward give to Malcolm
about Macbeth just before this extract?
iii) What is the advantage Malcolm is speaking of? What is Macduffs opinion about such
advantage?
iv) How does this scene remind you about the cautions given by the First and Third Apparitions?
v) What does Siward say just after this extract about the fate of the war?
vi) Give the meaning of the following expressions taken from the extract:
censures; constrained things; censures; industrious soldiership

Question 16

MACBETH
I have almost forgot the taste of fears;
The time has been, my senses would have cool'd
To hear a night-shriek; and my fell of hair
Would at a dismal treatise rouse and stir
As life were in't: I have supp'd full with horrors;
Direness, familiar to my slaughterous thoughts
Cannot once start me.
Re-enter SEYTON
Wherefore was that cry?

i) What was said to Macbeth just before this speech in the extract?
ii) What sort of fears Macbeth is referring to here in the extract?
iii) How would Macbeth taste fear in the past? What does he want to signify of mind, saying I
have almost forgot the taste of fears.
iv) What are the things mentioned in the extract, contributing to bring change in his taste of fear?
v) What does Seyton report? What did Macbeth say reacting philosophically to such report?

Question 17

MACBETH
If thou speak'st false,
Upon the next tree shalt thou hang alive,
Till famine cling thee: if thy speech be sooth,
I care not if thou dost for me as much.
I pull in resolution, and begin
To doubt the equivocation of the fiend
That lies like truth: 'Fear not, till Birnam wood
Do come to Dunsinane:' and now a wood
Comes toward Dunsinane. Arm, arm, and out!
If this which he avouches does appear,
There is nor flying hence nor tarrying here.
I gin to be aweary of the sun,
And wish the estate o' the world were now undone.
Ring the alarum-bell! Blow, wind! come, wrack!
At least we'll die with harness on our back.

i) Who is referred to as thou? What did he report?
ii) What will Macbeth do in case he finds this report as false? What makes Macbeth say this?
iii) Why does Macbeth say that he will not mind in case the report is true? Why?
iv) What makes Macbeth doubt the equivocation of the fiend? What do the words Arm, arm, and
out! show about Macbeth?
v) What does Macbeth mean by I gin to be aweary of the sun?
vi) What does Macbeth wish at the end of the scene? What feelings do you have for Macbeth at
this juncture?

Question 18

MACDUFF Then yield thee, coward,
And live to be the show and gaze o' the time:
We'll have thee, as our rarer monsters are,
Painted on a pole, and underwrit,
'Here may you see the tyrant.'
MACBETH I will not yield,
To kiss the ground before young Malcolm's feet,
And to be baited with the rabble's curse.
Though Birnam wood be come to Dunsinane,
And thou opposed, being of no woman born,
Yet I will try the last. Before my body
I throw my warlike shield. Lay on, Macduff,
And damn'd be him that first cries, 'Hold, enough!'

i) Where are Macbeth and Macduff now? In what mood are they now/?
ii) Why does Macduff consider Macbeth as coward?
iii) What does Macduff want to do with a coward like Macbeth? What does Macbeth say against
it?
iv) What is meant by damn'd be him that first cries, 'Hold, enough!? Why does Macbeth say this
at this juncture?
v) Compare the courage of Macbeth as Thane of Glemis and as the King of Scotland. - See more at:
http://aidtoed.blogspot.in/2013/02/isc-2013-english-literature-macbeth.html#sthash.bIRHi5hn.dpuf