Practice 100+ Macbeth MCQs with answers covering plot, characters, themes, quotes, and literary devices from Shakespeare’s tragedy for exams and quizzes.
Multiple Choice Questions: Macbeth Act III
- At the beginning of Act III, what does Banquo suspect about Macbeth’s rise to power?
A) That it was entirely by fate.
B) That Macbeth “play’dst most foully for’t.”
C) That it was due to his own weakness.
D) That the Witches’ prophecies were false. Answer: B) That Macbeth “play’dst most foully for’t.” - What personal hope does Banquo express based on the Witches’ prophecies?
A) That he will become king.
B) That Macbeth’s line will continue.
C) That he “should be the root and father / Of many kings.”
D) That he will receive great wealth. Answer: C) That he “should be the root and father / Of many kings.” - What event do Macbeth and Lady Macbeth announce they are holding that evening?
A) A council meeting
B) A solemn supper/feast
C) A public address
D) A hunting expedition Answer: B) A solemn supper/feast - What reason does Macbeth give for wanting Banquo’s “good advice” to be taken “to-morrow”?
A) He wants to flatter Banquo.
B) He plans to ride with Banquo that afternoon.
C) He has already made his decision.
D) He fears Banquo’s wisdom.
Answer: B) He plans to ride with Banquo that afternoon.
- Macbeth asks Banquo, “Goes Fleance with you?” What does this question reveal about Macbeth’s ulterior motive?
A) He cares about Fleance’s safety.
B) He is concerned for Banquo’s family.
C) He wants to confirm Fleance’s presence for his murder plot.
D) He wants Fleance to attend the feast. Answer: C) He wants to confirm Fleance’s presence for his murder plot. - After Banquo exits, Macbeth sends everyone away except for one attendant. What does he mean by “To be thus is nothing; / But to be safely thus”?
A) Being king is meaningless without security.
B) He enjoys being alone.
C) He feels safe as king.
D) Being king is a small matter. Answer: A) Being king is meaningless without security. - What is Macbeth’s primary fear regarding Banquo?
A) Banquo’s popularity.
B) Banquo’s “royalty of nature” and wisdom that guides his valor.
C) Banquo’s military strength.
D) Banquo’s cunning. Answer: B) Banquo’s “royalty of nature” and wisdom that guides his valor. - Macbeth compares Banquo’s superiority to his own “Genius” being “rebuked” by whom?
A) Caesar rebuking Mark Antony.
B) Duncan rebuking Malcolm.
C) The Witches rebuking Hecate.
D) Lady Macbeth rebuking him. Answer: A) Caesar rebuking Mark Antony. - Macbeth laments that he has placed a “fruitless crown” upon his head and a “barren sceptre” in his grip. This refers to the Witches’ prophecy that:
A) His reign will be short.
B) He will have no heirs to the throne.
C) He will not enjoy his power.
D) He will not be a good king. Answer: B) He will have no heirs to the throne. - What does Macbeth mean by saying he has “filed my mind” and “Put rancours in the vessel of my peace” for Banquo’s issue?
A) He has organized his thoughts for their benefit.
B) He has polluted his mind and destroyed his peace for their sake.
C) He has made peace with their existence.
D) He has forgotten about them. Answer: B) He has polluted his mind and destroyed his peace for their sake. - What is the “common enemy of man” to whom Macbeth has given his “eternal jewel”?
A) Banquo
B) Fleance
C) The devil (Satan)
D) His own ambition Answer: C) The devil (Satan) - Macbeth manipulates the Murderers by convincing them that their past misfortunes were caused by whom?
A) Himself (Macbeth).
B) The Witches.
C) Banquo.
D) King Duncan. Answer: C) Banquo. - What metaphor does Macbeth use to categorize men, comparing them to different types of dogs?
A) To highlight their loyalty.
B) To distinguish between their inherent qualities and abilities, fitting them for specific tasks.
C) To show that all men are wild.
D) To mock their animalistic nature. Answer: B) To distinguish between their inherent qualities and abilities, fitting them for specific tasks. - What motivates the Second Murderer to accept Macbeth’s proposal?
A) His desire for wealth.
B) He is “reckless what / I do to spite the world” due to past “vile blows and buffets.”
C) His loyalty to Macbeth.
D) His hatred for Fleance. Answer: B) He is “reckless what / I do to spite the world” due to past “vile blows and buffets.” - Macbeth states he cannot kill Banquo “With barefaced power” because of what reason?
A) He fears Duncan’s ghost.
B) He needs to maintain the loyalty of “certain friends that are both his and mine.”
C) Lady Macbeth would disapprove.
D) He is physically unable to do it himself. Answer: B) He needs to maintain the loyalty of “certain friends that are both his and mine.” - What is the “perfect spy o’ the time” Macbeth mentions to the Murderers?
A) A specific person watching Banquo.
B) The exact moment to strike.
C) A secret agent.
D) A map of the park. Answer: B) The exact moment to strike. - Besides Banquo, whom does Macbeth instruct the Murderers to kill?
A) Ross
B) Lennox
C) Fleance
D) Macduff Answer: C) Fleance - Lady Macbeth’s soliloquy at the beginning of Scene II, “Nought’s had, all’s spent, / Where our desire is got without content,” expresses her feeling of:
A) Triumph.
B) Emptiness and dissatisfaction despite achieving the crown.
C) Relief.
D) Confidence. Answer: B) Emptiness and dissatisfaction despite achieving the crown. - What does Lady Macbeth advise Macbeth to do about his “sorriest fancies” and “terrible dreams”?
A) Embrace them.
B) Ignore them, as “what’s done is done.”
C) Seek professional help.
D) Confess his sins. Answer: B) Ignore them, as “what’s done is done.” - Macbeth says, “We have scotch’d the snake, not kill’d it.” What does the “snake” represent in this metaphor?
A) Duncan.
B) Their remaining enemies, particularly Banquo and Fleance, and the ongoing threat to their reign.
C) Lady Macbeth.
D) Their ambition. Answer: B) Their remaining enemies, particularly Banquo and Fleance, and the ongoing threat to their reign. - How does Macbeth describe Duncan’s current state after death?
A) Suffering in hell.
B) Troubled by wicked dreams.
C) In his grave, sleeping “well” after “life’s fitful fever.”
D) Roaming as a ghost. Answer: C) In his grave, sleeping “well” after “life’s fitful fever.” - What does Lady Macbeth suggest Macbeth do to “sleek o’er your rugged looks” and “Be bright and jovial among your guests”?
A) Put on a disguise.
B) Maintain a false, welcoming appearance to hide their true feelings.
C) Drink heavily.
D) Practice smiling in a mirror. Answer: B) Maintain a false, welcoming appearance to hide their true feelings. - Macbeth admits his mind is “full of scorpions.” This vivid imagery describes his:
A) Physical pain.
B) Inner turmoil, torment, and agitation.
C) Desire for revenge.
D) Love for Lady Macbeth. Answer: B) Inner turmoil, torment, and agitation. - When Lady Macbeth says of Banquo and Fleance, “But in them nature’s copy’s not eterne,” she means their lives:
A) Are written in a book.
B) Are not immortal.
C) Are a perfect copy of nature.
D) Are a secret. Answer: B) Are not immortal. - What “deed of dreadful note” does Macbeth allude to without directly telling Lady Macbeth?
A) The murder of Macduff.
B) The assassination of Banquo and Fleance.
C) Another meeting with the Witches.
D) His abdication from the throne. Answer: B) The assassination of Banquo and Fleance. - What does Macbeth ask “seeling night” to do in Scene II?
A) Bring comfort and peace.
B) “Scarf up the tender eye of pitiful day” and conceal his actions.
C) Guide his steps.
D) Reveal his enemies. Answer: B) “Scarf up the tender eye of pitiful day” and conceal his actions. - The line “Light thickens; and the crow / Makes wing to the rooky wood” signifies the approach of:
A) Morning.
B) Dusk/nightfall.
C) A storm.
D) A battle. Answer: B) Dusk/nightfall. - In Scene III, what does Banquo notice about the weather just before he is attacked?
A) It is sunny.
B) “It will be rain to-night.”
C) It is unusually warm.
D) It is foggy. Answer: B) “It will be rain to-night.” - What are Banquo’s dying words to Fleance?
A) “Curse Macbeth!”
B) “Run for your life!”
C) “Fly, good Fleance, fly, fly, fly! / Thou mayst revenge.”
D) “Tell them I died bravely.” Answer: C) “Fly, good Fleance, fly, fly, fly! / Thou mayst revenge.” - What is the “Best half of our affair” that the Murderers have lost?
A) The element of surprise.
B) The escape of Fleance.
C) The murder of Banquo.
D) Their payment. Answer: B) The escape of Fleance. - At the banquet, what seating arrangement does Macbeth initially propose?
A) He will sit at the head of the table.
B) He will “mingle with society, / And play the humble host.”
C) He will sit next to Lady Macbeth.
D) He will stand the entire time. Answer: B) He will “mingle with society, / And play the humble host.” - When the First Murderer appears at the door with blood on his face, what is Macbeth’s first reaction?
A) He is horrified.
B) He asks, “Is he dispatch’d?”
C) He tells him to clean himself.
D) He dismisses him. Answer: B) He asks, “Is he dispatch’d?” - Macbeth tells the Murderer, “‘Tis better thee without than he within.” What does this mean?
A) It’s better for the blood to be on the Murderer’s face than for Banquo to be inside the castle.
B) It’s better for the Murderer to stay outside.
C) It’s better for Macbeth to be without the Murderer.
D) It’s better that no one saw him. Answer: A) It’s better for the blood to be on the Murderer’s face than for Banquo to be inside the castle. - Upon hearing Fleance escaped, Macbeth exclaims, “Then comes my fit again.” What “fit” is he referring to?
A) A seizure.
B) A renewed sense of anxiety, doubt, and fear.
C) A burst of anger.
D) A sudden illness. Answer: B) A renewed sense of anxiety, doubt, and fear. - Macbeth describes Banquo as the “grown serpent” and Fleance as the “worm that’s fled.” What does this metaphor imply about Fleance?
A) He is harmless.
B) He is a small threat now but will grow to be a venomous danger later.
C) He is insignificant.
D) He is easy to kill. Answer: B) He is a small threat now but will grow to be a venomous danger later. - Lady Macbeth reminds Macbeth that “the feast is sold / That is not often vouch’d… / ‘Tis given with welcome.” What is she trying to teach him about hosting?
A) That he needs to make more money from the feast.
B) That a feast isn’t truly given unless the guests feel genuinely welcome and entertained.
C) That he should sell all his feasts.
D) That food is the most important part of a feast. Answer: B) That a feast isn’t truly given unless the guests feel genuinely welcome and entertained. - What unexpected guest appears at the banquet, sitting in Macbeth’s place?
A) The ghost of Duncan.
B) The ghost of Banquo.
C) An unknown lord.
D) Fleance. Answer: B) The ghost of Banquo. - How does Lady Macbeth explain Macbeth’s strange behavior to the Lords?
A) She says he is ill from battle wounds.
B) She claims it is a “fit” or “infirmity” he has had since youth and will pass.
C) She blames it on excessive drinking.
D) She says he is just being dramatic. Answer: B) She claims it is a “fit” or “infirmity” he has had since youth and will pass. - What does Lady Macbeth challenge Macbeth about when he sees the ghost?
A) His courage.
B) His sanity, suggesting it’s “the very painting of your fear” like the “air-drawn dagger.”
C) His loyalty.
D) His leadership. Answer: B) His sanity, suggesting it’s “the very painting of your fear” like the “air-drawn dagger.” - Macbeth exclaims, “If charnel-houses and our graves must send / Those that we bury back, our monuments / Shall be the maws of kites.” What does this mean?
A) Graves are not secure.
B) If the dead cannot stay buried, then their only resting place will be the stomachs of predatory birds.
C) Kites are building nests in cemeteries.
D) He wants his monument to be grand. Answer: B) If the dead cannot stay buried, then their only resting place will be the stomachs of predatory birds. - After the Ghost vanishes the first time, what does Macbeth say makes him “a man again”?
A) Lady Macbeth’s scolding.
B) The ghost’s disappearance.
C) A drink of wine.
D) The return of the guests. Answer: B) The ghost’s disappearance. - Macbeth proposes a toast “to our dear friend Banquo, whom we miss.” This is an example of:
A) Sincere grief.
B) Dark irony.
C) A genuine desire for Banquo’s presence.
D) A slip of the tongue. Answer: B) Dark irony. - When the Ghost reappears, Macbeth challenges it to take the shape of what creatures, proving his courage?
A) A lion, a tiger, or a bear.
B) The “rugged Russian bear, / The arm’d rhinoceros, or the Hyrcan tiger.”
C) A dragon or a serpent.
D) A dog or a wolf. Answer: B) The “rugged Russian bear, / The arm’d rhinoceros, or the Hyrcan tiger.” - Lady Macbeth dismisses Macbeth’s vision to the Lords as “a thing of custom,” meaning:
A) It is a common ritual.
B) He frequently has such episodes.
C) It is a harmless tradition.
D) It is a polite custom. Answer: B) He frequently has such episodes. - What specific evidence does Macbeth cite at the end of Scene IV to suggest that unnatural events are revealing hidden crimes?
A) “Stones have been known to move and trees to speak.”
B) “Augurs and understood relations have / By magot-pies and choughs and rooks brought forth / The secret’st man of blood.”
C) The blood on his hands.
D) Both A and B. Answer: D) Both A and B. - What does Macbeth decide he must do “to-morrow” despite the late hour?
A) Go hunting.
B) Meet with Macduff.
C) Go “to the weird sisters” to know “the worst.”
D) Consult with his advisors. Answer: C) Go “to the weird sisters” to know “the worst.” - Macbeth states, “I am in blood / Stepp’d in so far that, should I wade no more, / Returning were as tedious as go o’er.” This illustrates his feeling that:
A) He can easily turn back from his path of crime.
B) He is committed to his murderous course, as retreating is as difficult as continuing.
C) He is physically tired.
D) He regrets his actions and wants to go back. Answer: B) He is committed to his murderous course, as retreating is as difficult as continuing. - What does Lady Macbeth suggest Macbeth lacks as “the season of all natures”?
A) Courage.
B) Sleep.
C) Ambition.
D) Wisdom. Answer: B) Sleep. - In Scene V, Hecate is angry with the three Witches for what reason?
A) They performed magic without her permission.
B) They traded with Macbeth “In riddles and affairs of death” without involving her.
C) They failed to deliver a prophecy.
D) They helped Macbeth. Answer: B) They traded with Macbeth “In riddles and affairs of death” without involving her. - How does Hecate describe Macbeth’s character?
A) A loyal follower.
B) A “wayward son, / Spiteful and wrathful, who… / Loves for his own ends, not for you.”
C) A truly evil man.
D) A brave warrior. Answer: B) A “wayward son, / Spiteful and wrathful, who… / Loves for his own ends, not for you.” - What does Hecate plan to do to draw Macbeth “on to his confusion”?
A) Give him false hope and illusions.
B) Reveal the truth about his future.
C) Send him bad dreams.
D) Command him to commit more murders. Answer: A) Give him false hope and illusions. - According to Hecate, what is “mortals’ chiefest enemy”?
A) Greed.
B) Ambition.
C) Security (overconfidence).
D) Fear. Answer: C) Security (overconfidence). - In Scene VI, what tone does Lennox use when speaking about Macbeth’s actions (e.g., pitying Duncan, killing the grooms)?
A) Sincere praise.
B) Open accusation.
C) Sarcasm and veiled suspicion.
D) Neutral observation. Answer: C) Sarcasm and veiled suspicion. - Lennox sarcastically suggests that Fleance killed Banquo because “Fleance fled: men must not walk too late.” This highlights:
A) His true belief in Fleance’s guilt.
B) The absurdity of the official explanation for Banquo’s death.
C) A general warning about danger at night.
D) His sympathy for Fleance. Answer: B) The absurdity of the official explanation for Banquo’s death. - Lennox implies that if Duncan’s sons or Fleance were under Macbeth’s “key,” they would learn “What ’twere to kill a father.” This is a veiled reference to:
A) Macbeth’s kindness.
B) Macbeth’s murderous intent towards anyone who threatens his power.
C) Macbeth’s desire to teach them a lesson.
D) Macbeth’s plan to protect them. Answer: B) Macbeth’s murderous intent towards anyone who threatens his power. - Why does Lennox say Macduff “lives in disgrace”?
A) He committed a crime.
B) He failed to attend Macbeth’s feast and defied his summons.
C) He fled the country.
D) He lost a battle. Answer: B) He failed to attend Macbeth’s feast and defied his summons. - Where does the Lord reveal Macduff has gone?
A) To Ireland with Donalbain.
B) To the English court to seek King Edward’s aid.
C) To his own castle to hide.
D) To gather an army in Scotland. Answer: B) To the English court to seek King Edward’s aid. - Who is King Edward, mentioned by the Lord in Scene VI?
A) The King of Norway.
B) The King of England.
C) A powerful Scottish lord.
D) A mythical figure. Answer: B) The King of England. - What specific requests has Macduff gone to make of King Edward?
A) To negotiate peace with Macbeth.
B) To pray for Duncan’s soul.
C) To ask for aid from Northumberland and warlike Siward to overthrow Macbeth.
D) To seek refuge. Answer: C) To ask for aid from Northumberland and warlike Siward to overthrow Macbeth. - The Lord lists several things they “pine for now” under Macbeth’s rule. Which is NOT mentioned?
A) “meat” for their tables.
B) “sleep to our nights.”
C) “Free from our feasts and banquets bloody knives.”
D) A return to prosperity. Answer: D) A return to prosperity. - How has Macbeth reacted to the news of Macduff’s defiance and seeking aid?
A) He is indifferent.
B) He is pleased.
C) He is “exasperate” and “prepares for some attempt of war.”
D) He is scared. Answer: C) He is “exasperate” and “prepares for some attempt of war.” - What does Lennox hope for at the end of Act III?
A) That Macbeth will change his ways.
B) That a “holy angel” will bring a “swift blessing” to Scotland under a “hand accursed” (Macbeth).
C) That he will escape to England.
D) That the Witches will intervene. Answer: B) That a “holy angel” will bring a “swift blessing” to Scotland under a “hand accursed” (Macbeth). - What is the mood of Banquo’s opening soliloquy in Act III, Scene I?
A) Joyful and triumphant.
B) Suspicious, hopeful, and apprehensive.
C) Bitter and despairing.
D) Content and peaceful. Answer: B) Suspicious, hopeful, and apprehensive. - When Macbeth tells Banquo he wishes his horses “swift and sure of foot,” this is an example of:
A) Sincere well-wishing.
B) Ironic foreshadowing of Banquo’s ill fate.
C) A command to ride faster.
D) A comment on the quality of the horses. Answer: B) Ironic foreshadowing of Banquo’s ill fate. - The phrase “Put rancours in the vessel of my peace” uses which literary device?
A) Simile
B) Metaphor
C) Alliteration
D) Personification Answer: B) Metaphor - Macbeth’s instruction to the attendant, “Let every man be master of his time / Till seven at night,” serves to:
A) Grant the lords leisure time.
B) Clear the palace for his secret meeting with the murderers.
C) Emphasize his generosity.
D) Prepare for the feast. Answer: B) Clear the palace for his secret meeting with the murderers. - When Macbeth tells the Murderers, “Do you find / Your patience so predominant in your nature / That you can let this go?”, he is challenging their:
A) Courage.
B) Sense of justice and desire for revenge.
C) Intelligence.
D) Loyalty. Answer: B) Sense of justice and desire for revenge. - The First Murderer’s complaint, “So weary with disasters, tugg’d with fortune,” characterizes him as:
A) Ambitious.
B) A victim of circumstance, desperate for a change.
C) Lazy.
D) Wealthy. Answer: B) A victim of circumstance, desperate for a change. - Macbeth states that Banquo’s “being thrusts / Against my near’st of life.” This indicates that Macbeth views Banquo as:
A) A distant acquaintance.
B) A direct and imminent threat to his existence and peace of mind.
C) A loyal friend.
D) A past ally. Answer: B) A direct and imminent threat to his existence and peace of mind. - Lady Macbeth’s advice to Macbeth, “Things without all remedy / Should be without regard: what’s done is done,” reflects her belief in:
A) Fatalism.
B) Pragmatism and moving forward without dwelling on the past.
C) Guilt.
D) Divine intervention. Answer: B) Pragmatism and moving forward without dwelling on the past. - The description of Duncan sleeping “After life’s fitful fever” suggests that death has brought him:
A) Torture.
B) Release and peace from earthly troubles.
C) More suffering.
D) Eternal rest. Answer: B) Release and peace from earthly troubles. - Macbeth’s metaphor “O, full of scorpions is my mind” conveys a feeling of:
A) Excitement.
B) Euphoria.
C) Agony and mental torment.
D) Confusion. Answer: C) Agony and mental torment. - Macbeth’s decision to keep Lady Macbeth “innocent of the knowledge” of the murder plan for Banquo and Fleance suggests:
A) He is trying to protect her innocence.
B) He is becoming more independent and secretive in his wickedness.
C) He doubts her ability to handle the truth.
D) He wants to surprise her. Answer: B) He is becoming more independent and secretive in his wickedness. - The “Third Murderer” in Scene III is significant because:
A) He shows Macbeth’s lack of trust in the first two.
B) He indicates Macbeth’s growing paranoia and need for absolute certainty.
C) He is Fleance in disguise.
D) He brings a new weapon. Answer: B) He indicates Macbeth’s growing paranoia and need for absolute certainty. - The stage direction “The GHOST OF BANQUO enters, and sits in MACBETH’s place” highlights:
A) The supernatural nature of the play.
B) Macbeth’s guilt manifesting as a hallucination.
C) Banquo’s rightful place, now usurped.
D) All of the above. Answer: D) All of the above. - Macbeth’s challenge to the Ghost, “never shake / Thy gory locks at me,” reveals his perception that the Ghost is:
A) A figment of his imagination.
B) Accusing him of the murder.
C) Trying to be friendly.
D) Suffering from a headache. Answer: B) Accusing him of the murder. - Lady Macbeth’s urgent plea to the lords, “Stand not upon the order of your going, / But go at once,” indicates:
A) Her desire for formality.
B) Her desperation to end the banquet quickly and hide Macbeth’s madness.
C) Her politeness.
D) Her fear of a new attack. Answer: B) Her desperation to end the banquet quickly and hide Macbeth’s madness. - Macbeth’s line, “It will have blood; they say, blood will have blood,” expresses a belief in:
A) The need for more violence.
B) Retribution and the cyclical nature of violence.
C) The power of blood transfusions.
D) The importance of family lineage. Answer: B) Retribution and the cyclical nature of violence. - What does Lady Macbeth mean by “My strange and self-abuse / Is the initiate fear that wants hard use”?
A) His self-harm is a new fear that needs to be disciplined.
B) His strange behavior is just the beginning of fear, which will become easier with practice.
C) He abuses himself out of fear.
D) He needs more practice in self-control. Answer: B) His strange behavior is just the beginning of fear, which will become easier with practice. - Hecate’s anger at the Witches for trading with Macbeth “for a wayward son” emphasizes that Macbeth:
A) Is inherently good.
B) Is not truly committed to evil for its own sake, but for his selfish desires.
C) Is easily manipulated.
D) Is one of her favorite subjects. Answer: B) Is not truly committed to evil for its own sake, but for his selfish desires. - The reference to “the pit of Acheron” in Scene V is an allusion to:
A) A mythical river in the underworld, symbolizing a place of darkness and death.
B) A specific location in Scotland.
C) A deep well.
D) A type of spell. Answer: A) A mythical river in the underworld, symbolizing a place of darkness and death. - The Lord in Scene VI calls Macbeth a “tyrant.” This indicates:
A) His personal dislike for Macbeth.
B) The growing public perception of Macbeth’s oppressive rule.
C) His loyalty to Duncan.
D) His fear of Macbeth. Answer: B) The growing public perception of Macbeth’s oppressive rule. - When the messenger from Macbeth returns from Macduff with “an absolute ‘Sir, not I,’ / The cloudy messenger turns me his back,” this implies:
A) Macduff is being polite.
B) Macduff’s blunt refusal and defiance.
C) The messenger is confused.
D) Macduff is ill. Answer: B) Macduff’s blunt refusal and defiance. - The phrase “God’s benison” in the Lord’s prayer at the end of Act III, Scene VI, means:
A) God’s wrath.
B) God’s curse.
C) God’s blessing.
D) God’s judgment. Answer: C) God’s blessing. - Banquo’s decision to ride this afternoon, as opposed to taking part in council, ultimately leads to his death. This is an example of:
A) Dramatic irony.
B) Foreshadowing.
C) Fate.
D) All of the above. Answer: D) All of the above. - Macbeth’s line, “For Banquo’s issue have I filed my mind,” uses the word “filed” to mean:
A) Polished.
B) Defiled or corrupted.
C) Categorized.
D) Forgotten. Answer: B) Defiled or corrupted. - The Second Murderer’s reason for agreeing to the crime, “So weary with disasters, tugg’d with fortune, / That I would set my lie on any chance,” shows his state of:
A) Reckless desperation.
B) Deep loyalty.
C) Moral conviction.
D) Laziness. Answer: A) Reckless desperation. - Macbeth assures the Murderers that there will be “no rubs nor botches in the work.” What does “rubs nor botches” mean?
A) No friction or disagreements.
B) No obstacles or imperfections.
C) No difficulties or delays.
D) No mistakes or accidents. Answer: B) No obstacles or imperfections. - When Macbeth says, “Duncan is in his grave; / After life’s fitful fever he sleeps well,” what is the “fitful fever” referring to?
A) A literal illness Duncan had.
B) The turmoil and suffering of life.
C) Macbeth’s own mental state.
D) The chaotic nature of the world. Answer: B) The turmoil and suffering of life. - Lady Macbeth encourages Macbeth to “Present him eminence, both with eye and tongue” to Banquo. This means to:
A) Give him a gift.
B) Treat him with great respect and flattery.
C) Avoid eye contact.
D) Publicly praise him. Answer: B) Treat him with great respect and flattery. - The phrase “Cancel and tear to pieces that great bond / Which keeps me pale!” refers to the bond of:
A) Macbeth’s sanity.
B) Banquo’s life, which binds Macbeth to fear.
C) His marriage to Lady Macbeth.
D) His loyalty to Duncan. Answer: B) Banquo’s life, which binds Macbeth to fear. - The First Murderer’s question, “Who did strike out the light?” after Banquo’s murder implies:
A) Someone forgot to bring a torch.
B) Fleance put out the torch to aid his escape.
C) The light source failed naturally.
D) He is asking for more light. Answer: B) Fleance put out the torch to aid his escape. - Macbeth’s description of Fleance as “the worm that’s fled” suggests his immediate perceived threat is:
A) Great.
B) Non-existent.
C) Small, but with potential for future danger.
D) Unclear. Answer: C) Small, but with potential for future danger. - The phrase “Good digestion wait on appetite, / And health on both!” is a traditional blessing often used at:
A) Weddings.
B) Funerals.
C) Meals/banquets.
D) Coronations. Answer: C) Meals/banquets. - Macbeth’s lament, “You make me strange / Even to the disposition that I owe, / When now I think you can behold such sights, / And keep the natural ruby of your cheeks,” suggests he believes his fear is normal and the lords’ composure is:
A) Admirable.
B) Unnatural or inhuman.
C) Expected.
D) Impressive. Answer: B) Unnatural or inhuman. - Hecate’s plan to use a “vaporous drop profound” from “the corner of the moon” to raise “artificial sprites” implies she will use:
A) Natural remedies.
B) Powerful, deceptive magic.
C) Human agents.
D) Simple tricks. Answer: B) Powerful, deceptive magic. - The Lord in Scene VI refers to King Edward as “the most pious Edward.” This emphasizes Edward’s:
A) Wealth.
B) Holiness and righteousness.
C) Military power.
D) Political ambition. Answer: B) Holiness and righteousness. - Lennox’s final wish that a “holy angel” “unfold / His message” to King Edward before Macduff’s arrival is an expression of hope for:
A) A faster delivery of Macduff’s request.
B) Divine intervention to aid their cause against Macbeth.
C) A peaceful resolution.
D) Macbeth’s conversion. Answer: B) Divine intervention to aid their cause against Macbeth. - What does Lady Macbeth say “displaced the mirth, broke the good meeting”?
A) Macbeth’s “most admired disorder.”
B) The news of Banquo’s death.
C) The arrival of Macduff.
D) A sudden storm. Answer: A) Macbeth’s “most admired disorder.” - Macbeth’s statement, “We are yet but young in deed,” at the end of Act III, suggests that he and Lady Macbeth:
A) Are new to ruling.
B) Are only beginning their descent into profound evil and more bloody deeds are to come.
C) Have much to learn.
D) Are physically young. Answer: B) Are only beginning their descent into profound evil and more bloody deeds are to come.