macbeth essay questions atar

by William Shakespeare

Macbeth essay questions.

Macbeth is often cited as a famous example of what the American sociologist Robert Merton called a “self-fulfilling prophecy.” Discuss how the mechanism of the witches’ prophecy works in terms of its self-fulfillment.

Suggested Answer

The question may be approached by examining the psychology behind Macbeth’s character and his relationship with Lady Macbeth (e.g. his easily-tempted character becomes his fate). It may also be fruitful to perform a close reading of the passage around Banquo’s famous lines “If you can look into the seeds of time / And say which grain will grow and which will not, / Speak then to me, who neither beg nor fear / Your favours nor your hate” (1.3.55-59). An ambitious essay might also consider a comparison to Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex or another play containing a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Imagine a staging of Macbeth. Who would play the third murderer who appears unannounced? Who would play the anonymous messenger who warns Lady Macduff about her imminent doom? Why?

Consider current and past productions of Macbeth. There is a certain logic to staging Macbeth as the third murderer, for example, and Ross as the messenger. How would a different staging change the dynamics of the play?

Some critics have considered the porter scene out of place in an otherwise cruel and compact play. Does it really provide comic really relief? How do you imagine the scene to be staged?

Suggest Answer

Compare and contrast a lighter, comic staging to a darker, hellish staging. Here, the issue is simply tone, as the text supports either interpretation. If the porter's comic relief is properly juxtaposed against the violent circumstances, he comes across more as pitiable than a discordant jester.

Macbeth is the one to express doubts over murdering Duncan but it is Lady Macbeth on whom the burden of crime takes its toll. How do the characters of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth develop differently over the course of the play?

Macbeth and Lady Macbeth can be considered to have switched characters, in a broad sense, over the course of the play. Lady Macbeth goes from proclaiming “unsex me here” to “All the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand” (I v 39; V i 42-43), Macbeth becomes more resolute and tyrannical as the play progresses. And yet Lady Macbeth also shows a morsel of humanity early on in the play. After she has intoxicated Duncan’s two guards, she remarks: “I laid their daggers ready; / He could not miss’em. Had he [Duncan] not resembled / My father as he slept, I had done’t” (2.2.11-13). The question lies in the judgment of whether a coherent psychological picture underlies the two characters, or whether they serve to illustrate some more or less formulaic “meaning.”

Perform a close reading of Macbeth’s soliloquy beginning “She should have died hereafter” and ending “It is a tale / Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, / Signifying nothing” (5.5.7-27). Why does Macbeth believe that Lady Macbeth should have died on a future date? What does he think lies in the future? What does this say about his character?

There are many possible interpretations of the passage—in particular of his comment about Lady Macbeth’s death. One answer will draw on Macbeth’s lines immediately preceding the soliloquy in question. In the past, he claims, a sound such as Lady Macbeth’s shriek of death would have shocked him deeply, but at present he has become unmoved and apathetic. Macbeth still seems to believe that the future holds peace for his reign. At the same time, he seems to have already accepted Lady Macbeth’s death as inevitable. What does this calm acceptance say about how his character has changed?

What is the significance of Macbeth’s vision of the dagger and of Banquo’s ghost in the play?

Macbeth’s visions seem to be indicative of his guilty conscience. At the same time, they also seem to interact with the supernatural order that the witches have brought about - the three apparitions and their specific prophecies. It would also be interesting to consider different stagings of such visions.

Discuss the exchange between Malcolm and Macduff in Act V Scene iii. Is Malcolm really testing Macduff—and if so, why does he do it? What is the dramatic significance of the testing?

The scene immediately proceeds the murder of Lady Macduff and Macduff’s son. Given the dramatic irony that Macduff has yet to hear the news, the scene seems to heighten the sense of cruelty that pervades the play. It may also be worthwhile to consider a counterfactual alternative: what would have happened if Macduff had responded differently? Could he have responded differently?

Discuss the dramatic conclusion of Macbeth. The resolution to the problems presented by the later prophecies relies on a play of words. Macduff was not technically “born” of a woman, so to speak, and Birnam Wood only “comes” to Dunsinane Hill in a manner of speaking. For a play as grave as Macbeth , does not such a resolution seem strangely lacking in gravity?

The resolution of the play may attest to the power of words. The plot of the play—in all its terrible events of regicide and murders—are after all driven by nothing but a few words uttered by three weird sisters. These same words, of course, are powerful enough to overthrow a kingdom twice.

Why can Macbeth not bring himself to pronounce one “Amen” when Duncan’s guards say “God bless us” on their deathbeds (2.2.26-27)? Does this paint a coherent psychological picture? If not, what dramatic purpose does the scene serve?

Although Macbeth does not always act rationally, he is by no means an unintelligent character. On the contrary, his famous soliloquy beginning “She should have died hereafter” in Act V Scene v is testament to his perceptive worldview—if not his poetic sensibility. His inability to pronounce “Amen” may attest to the fact that he finds such a pronouncement overwhelmingly hypocritical.

The account of Duncan and Macbeth differs significantly between Macbeth and its primary source, Raphael Holinshed's Chronicles of England, Scotland and Ireland . Compare the two accounts and discuss the effects of Shakespeare’s changes.

In Holinshed's account, Macbeth is a ruthless and valiant leader who rules competently after killing Duncan, whereas Duncan is portrayed as a young and soft-willed man. Shakespeare draws out certain aspects of the two characters in order to create a stronger sense of polarity. Whereas Duncan is made out to be a venerable and kindly older king, Macbeth is transformed into an indecisive and troubled young man who cannot possibly rule well.

Macbeth Questions and Answers

The Question and Answer section for Macbeth is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.

The third which says that Banquo's sons shall be kings, Thou shalt get kings, though thou be none. So all hail, Macbeth and Banquo!

Macbeth Act 1 Scene 3 questions

What is significant about the first words that Macbeth speaks in the play?

A motif or recurring idea in the play is equivocation. There is the balance of the dark and the light, the good and the bad. Macbeth's first line reflects this. It...

What news took the wind out of Macbeth's invincibility?

Macbeth rethinks his invincibility when MacDuff tells him that he was torn from his mother's womb.

Study Guide for Macbeth

Macbeth study guide contains a biography of William Shakespeare, literature essays, a complete e-text, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.

• About Macbeth
• Macbeth Summary
• Macbeth Video
• Character List

Essays for Macbeth

Macbeth essays are academic essays for citation. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of Macbeth by William Shakespeare.

• Serpentine Imagery in Shakespeare's Macbeth
• Macbeth's Evolution
• Jumping the Life to Come
• Deceptive Appearances in Macbeth
• Unity in Shakespeare's Tragedies

Lesson Plan for Macbeth

• About the Author
• Study Objectives
• Common Core Standards
• Introduction to Macbeth
• Relationship to Other Books
• Bringing in Technology
• Notes to the Teacher
• Related Links
• Macbeth Bibliography

E-Text of Macbeth

Macbeth e-text contains the full text of Macbeth by William Shakespeare.

• Persons Represented
• Act I, Scene I
• Act I, Scene II
• Act I, Scene III
• Act I, Scene IV

Wikipedia Entries for Macbeth

• Introduction
• Sources for the play
• Date and text

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Description

Looking for  Macbeth  summary and analysis? Look no further! This book will guide you through every scene, character, and quote to prepare you for your essays and exams.  This  Macbeth  Text Guide contains:

• A nutshell summary that gives you a 1-2 page overview of the text’s most important ideas
• Background information covering the authorial context and setting
• Detailed analysis of the entire play, scene-by-scene, covering the most useful quotes and plot points
• Macbeth  character analysis, with dissections of character motivations and journeys, as well as the significance of each character in the text as a whole
• A breakdown of the major themes and ideas in   Macbeth 
• A comprehensive quote bank, arranged by key themes so you know what evidence to use for any essay
• Highlighted vocabulary words for you to learn and integrate
• Macbeth  sample essays, with commentary from an A+ English student
• Valuable advice from a high-scoring former student who shares tips and tricks for studying   Macbeth   that you won’t find anywhere else!

The ATAR Notes Text Guides cover everything you need to know for your set texts. Written by some of the best English students in the country, these books do the hard work for you: condensing all of the important details in your text, and providing you with sophisticated analysis you can use in your own essays.

Ready to prepare for your external exam? Check out our new Macbeth Flashcards here! Grab your copy of the  Macbeth  Text Guide today!

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Macbeth Text Guide (ATAR Notes Text Guide)

Looking for Macbeth summary and analysis? Look no further! This book will guide you through every scene, character, and quote to prepare you for your essays and exams.

This Macbeth Text Guide contains:

• A ‘nutshell’ summary that gives you a 1-2 page overview of the text’s most important ideas!
• Background information covering the authorial context and setting
• Detailed analysis of the entire play, scene-by-scene, covering the most useful quotes and plot points!
• Character analysis, with dissections of character motivations and journeys, as well as the significance of each character in the text as a whole!
• A breakdown of the major themes and ideas in the text
• A comprehensive quote bank, arranged by key themes so you know what evidence to use for any essay!
• Highlighted vocabulary words for you to learn and integrate!
• Four sample essays, with commentary from an A+ English student!
• Valuable advice from a high-scoring former student who shares tips and tricks for studying Macbeth that you won’t find anywhere else!

The ATAR Notes Text Guides cover everything you need to know for your set texts. Written by some of the best English students in the country, these books do the hard work for you: condensing all of the important details in your text, and providing you with sophisticated analysis you can use in your own essays.

• Nutshell Summary
• Background Information
• Scene-by-Scene Analysis
• Character Analysis
• Key Themes Analysis
• Structural Features Analysis
• Sample Essays

William Shakespeare

• Literature Notes
• Essay Questions
• Macbeth at a Glance
• Play Summary
• About Macbeth
• Character List
• Summary and Analysis
• Act I: Scene 1
• Act I: Scene 2
• Act I: Scene 3
• Act I: Scene 4
• Act I: Scene 5
• Act I: Scene 6
• Act I: Scene 7
• Act II: Scene 1
• Act II: Scene 2
• Act II: Scene 3
• Act II: Scene 4
• Act III: Scene 1
• Act III: Scene 2
• Act III: Scene 3
• Act III: Scene 4
• Act III: Scene 5
• Act III: Scene 6
• Act IV: Scene 1
• Act IV: Scene 2
• Act IV: Scene 3
• Act V: Scene 1
• Act V: Scene 2
• Act V: Scene 3
• Act V: Scene 4
• Act V: Scene 5
• Act V: Scene 6
• Act V: Scene 7
• Act V: Scene 8
• Act V: Scene 9
• Character Analysis
• Lady Macbeth
• Character Map
• William Shakespeare Biography
• Critical Essays
• Major Themes
• Major Symbols and Motifs
• Macbeth on the Stage
• Famous Quotes
• Film Versions
• Full Glossary
• Practice Projects
• Cite this Literature Note

Study Help Essay Questions

1. Agree or disagree with the following statement: " Macbeth is a play about courage, which asserts the triumph of good over evil." In answering this question, you should remember that courageous acts are not always motivated by virtue.

2. Examine to what extent Lady Macbeth is to blame for her husband's downfall. Discuss the relationship between the couple as the play develops.

3. Discuss whether Macbeth is truly a tragic figure.

4. Some people suggest that the porter scene is included only so that the actor playing Macbeth has time to wash the blood off his hands. Do you agree? Or do you think the scene serves other purposes? Explain your answer.

5. From your reading, explain what Shakespeare imagined to be the qualities of a good king. How do Duncan and Macbeth fit this role? How might Malcolm do so?

6. Consider the use that Shakespeare makes of supernatural elements in this play. Be sure to include the Witches, the dagger, Banquo's ghost, the apparitions, and the Old Man's observations in your assessment.

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ATAR NOTES TEXT GUIDE: MACBETH BY WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

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• Description

Do you require further help studying your Shakespeare text? If you're studying Macbeth and finding it challenging to comprehend, this ATAR Notes Text Guide is here to help! Looking for Macbeth summary and analysis? Look no further! This book ...

• ISBN: 9781925945171
• Author: Alex Poniris
• Publisher: Atar Notes
• Product Type: Workbook Or Activity Book
• Format: Paperback
• Edition: First
• Shipping Info

Do you require further help studying your Shakespeare text? If you're studying Macbeth and finding it challenging to comprehend, this ATAR Notes Text Guide is here to help! Looking for Macbeth summary and analysis? Look no further! This book will guide you through every scene, character, and quote to prepare you for your essays and exams. This Macbeth Text Guide contains: • A ‘nutshell’ summary that gives you a 1-2 page overview of the text’s most important ideas! • Background information covering the authorial context and setting • Detailed analysis of the entire play, scene-by-scene, covering the most useful quotes and plot points! • Macbeth character analysis, with dissections of character motivations and journeys, as well as the significance of each character in the text as a whole! • A breakdown of the major themes and ideas in Macbeth • A comprehensive quote bank, arranged by key themes so you know what evidence to use for any essay! • Highlighted vocabulary words for you to learn and integrate! • Macbeth sample essays, with commentary from an A+ English student! • Valuable advice from a high-scoring former student who shares tips and tricks for studying Macbeth that you won’t find anywhere else! The ATAR Notes Text Guides cover everything you need to know for your set texts. Written by some of the best English students in the country, these books do the hard work for you: condensing all of the important details in your text, and providing you with sophisticated analysis you can use in your own essays. This Text Guide contains: A thorough summary and analysis of the entire text Insightful dissections of the characters, key themes, and structural features A comprehensive quote bank Exemplary sample essays with commentary designed to help you increase your marks Highlighted vocabulary words to learn and integrate Valuable advice from a high-scoring former student who shares their tips and tricks for success

• REVISION GUIDES > ATAR Notes English Text Guides

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• Year 10 English Essay Marking

Author Topic: Year 10 English Essay Marking  (Read 4464 times)  Tweet   Share  

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Alisa090103

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Re: Year 10 English Essay Marking

I'll make some general type comments for you rather than nit-picking - I'm not sure where your paragraph breaks are (this might just be a typing/spacing issue) but you main points should be clearer (make them into good strong topic sentences).  You're saying that Macbeth's ambitions change after he's promoted by Duncan and that Macbeth also accepts "support" from the witches' predictions early in the play.  You also say that Macbeth's decision-making turns ruthless in the murder of Banquo and you show that his fears are justified by Banquo's own reflections on Macbeth's rise to power.  (I liked your comment that Macbeth's view of murder has changed by this time, contrasting with his hesitation over the murder of Duncan) You follow up with the argument that Macbeth's over-confidence is suddenly eroded in his confrontation with MacDuff.  I think you've got too much re-telling of the plot that diverts your attention away from your main points and pads out the content - do not re-tell the plot, keep your discussion relevant to the essay topic.  Another useful thing you could do is to (briefly) look away from the character Macbeth and look at what other characters say about him - they are the sources of your information that tell you that Macbeth has become a bad ruler ie a bad decision-maker (look at the scene in MacDuff's camp in England, something about the land being burned and new widows and orphans are made every day).  Quotes from this part of the play will support your view that "ambition" has adversely affected Macbeth's decision-making.  Comments about this will also show that you know about the role of minor characters too!  You've also got quite a good conclusion - in fact I think some of it would be handy to use in your introduction.       

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