Macbeth DQ

2. Sketch the character of Lady Macbeth. [5] [WBCHSE Class-XI Annual Examination 2018] [WBCHSE Sample Question]

👉Lady Macbeth is an important character of the play ‘Macbeth’. It is she who determines the course of action in the play. It is she who pours her evil spirit in Macbeth’s mind and transforms him a tyrant. Lady Macbeth is an extremely ambitious woman who is born to rule. She is a wise woman whose goal is to see her husband on the throne of Scotland. She has no love for the country or the countrymen. She has no interest in the welfare of anyone outside herself. She thinks of power and position only. Lady Macbeth, like a shrewd politician, stimulates her husband’s mind to such an extent that he finally murders the lawful king Duncan. She is bold and takes every situation in control But a sense of guilt torments her. She walks and talks in sleep. She is unable to bear the remorse of her guilt, so she commits suicide. Overall, we see that she has also prepared the ground of Macbeth’s fall. Finally, we can say that since beginning her role as an instigator is no less than the witches, she is often called the ‘fourth witch’ of the play.

Related Questions

[I] Describe Lady Macbeth as the fourth witch. [5]

[II] Do you consider Lady Macbeth as the fourth witch? [5]

[III] How did lady Macbeth die? Was she responsible for Macbeth’s doom? [4+1]

[IV] How much was Lady Macbeth responsible for Macbeth’s doom? [5]

[V] How did Lady Macbeth instigate Macbeth to kill Duncan? [5]

[VI] Give a character sketch of Lady Macbeth. [5]

[VII] Sketch in your own words the character of Lady Macbeth. [5]

[VIII] Lady Macbeth is called the fourth witch in the play ‘Macbeth’. Do you support it? Give reasons for your answer. [5]

[IX] How was Lady Macbeth responsible for her husband’s ruin? How did she die? [3+2]

[X] Describe the character of Lady Macbeth? [5]

[XI] How did Lady Macbeth die? How much was she responsible for Macbeth’s downfall? [2+3]

[XII] How did Lady Macbeth die? How much was she responsible for Macbeth’s doon? [2+3]

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3. What did each of the three witches predict to Macbeth when he first met them? What did they say to Banquo? [2+3] [WBCHSE Class-XI Annual Examination 2014]

👉At the beginning of the story of Shakespeare’s famous tragedy ‘Macbeth’ when the two Scottish Generals, Macbeth and Banquo were returning from the battlefield victoriously, they were stopped by three strange figures in a desolate heath. Though they looked like women, they had beard, and their withered skin and wild dresses made them look like unearthly creatures. They were dancing, they were singing, “Fair is foul and foul is fair”. It shows that they were the worshippers of ‘foul’. The first witch saluted Macbeth with the title of ‘thane of Glamis’. The general was scarcely startled to find himself known by such unearthly creatures. The second witch addressed him as the ‘thane of Cawdor’. The third witch predicted that Macbeth will be the king of Scotland.

By the time Banquo was curious to know about himself. Then the witches turned towards Banquo and told him that he would never reign Scotland as the king, but his successors would be the kings.

Related Questions

👉Lady Macbeth was an extremely ambitious woman. When she came to know the partial accomplishment of the predictions, she provoked her husband to murder King Duncan as it was absolutely necessary for him to be the king of Scotland.

Macbeth opposed her wife showing strong reasons against the murder of King Duncan. Macbeth was a subject and a close relative to King Duncan. Now Duncan was Macbeth’s host. His only duty is to protect him not to murder him. King Duncan was just and benevolent. He was loved by all. If he was killed, his faithful subjects would try to avenge his death. Macbeth argued that by the favours of the King he had enjoyed a high position throughout Scotland. He did not intend to stain his honour and reputation.

Related Questions

[I] What are the strong reasons offered by Macbeth for not killing Duncan? [5]

[II] What strong reasons did Macbeth have against murdering Duncan? [5]

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5. Why did Macbeth want to murder Banquo and his son? How was Banquo murdered? [2+3] [WBCHSE Class-XI Annual Examination 2019, 2020, 2023]

👉After ascending the throne of Scotland, Macbeth did not rest in peace as the weird sisters prophesied that the children of Banquo would be the kings of Scotland. So Macbeth wanted to murder Banquo.

For the purpose of murder, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth arranged a banquet in which they invited all the chief thanes along with Banquo and Fleance. Macbeth appointed some hired assassins and beset them on the way Banquo and his son were supposed to pass . The assassins pounced upon them and killed Banquo, but Fleance manage to escape from there.

Related Questions

[I] Why were Macbeth and Lady Macbeth determined to kill Banquo and his son? How did they plan to kill Banquo and his son? [2+3]

[II] What made Macbeth decide to kill Banquo? [5]

[III] Why did Macbeth and Lady Macbeth determine to kill Banquo and his son? What was their plan for killing? Was it successful? [2+2+1]

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6. Give a brief account of the ‘Banquet Scene’ in ‘Macbeth’. [5] [WBCHSE Class-XI Annual Examination 2016]

👉After ascending the throne of Scotland, Macbeth did not rest in peace as the weird sisters prophesied that the children of Banquo would be the kings of Scotland. So Macbeth wanted to murder Banquo and his Fleance to nullify the prediction of the weird sisters. For the purpose of murder, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth arranged a banquet to which they invited all the chief thanes along with Banquo and his son Fleance. They played the role of perfect host with affable and graceful manners that conciliated everyone present in the banquet. Macbeth discoursed freely with the thanes and noblemen and regretted the absence of his dearest friend Banquo. Though in the way Macbeth appointed some hired assassins who killed Banquo. In the banquet hall, Macbeth saw the ghost of Banquo occupying his reserved seat but others could see nothing. At this horrible sight, Macbeth lost his mental balance and behaved strangely. His eyes were fixed upon the ghost. Lady Macbeth controlled the situation and dismissed the guests excusing Macbeth’s illness.

I think the phantasm was a product of Macbeth’s sense of guilty and a fear of disclosing the dreadful secret.

7. What was the mystery behind the moving of Birnam woods? [5] [WBCHSE Class-XI Annual Examination 2015]

👉The third one of the three infernal spirits told Macbeth that he could never be defeated until Birnam woods would move to Dunsinane Hills. Macbeth thought that his defeat was impossible because the movement of Birnam woods was not possible. But when the battle began, he observed that the Birnam woods was moving. The mystery behind the moving of Birnam woods was easily solved. Actually, the woods was not moving. When the soldiers were advancing towards the castle of Macbeth through the woods of Birnam, Malcolm like an astute general instructed them to cut down a bough and bear it before him to conceal the actual number of soldiers. This marching of soldiers with boughs in their hands had appeared, from a distance, like moving woods.

8. What role do the witches play in ‘Macbeth’? [5] [WBCHSE Class-XI Annual Examination 2022]

👉The witches play a very important role in ‘Macbeth’. They create an atmosphere of complete moral disorder. At the very outset of the play they clearly reveal their intention—“Fair is foul and foul is fair.” Had they not been there, perhaps, Macbeth’s ambition of becoming the king would have remained suppressed in his heart. The witches act as a catalyst and increase Macbeth’s want. It is attributable to the witches that the king decides thus early to plunge into guilt and understand his ambitions. The witches first make Macbeth hopeful, then give him the confidence only to lead him slowly and steadily towards his tragedy. Macbeth and his wife are excessively incited by these supernatural agents of evil and were stirred to murder one after another. Being influenced by the prophecies of these ‘ministers of darkness’, Macbeth killed Duncan, Banquo, Macduffʼs wife and children. Though they only foretell, never suggest to murder. They tempt with great subtly. The theme of equivocation, which is central to the play, operates most obviously through the witches.

Related Questions

[I] What instrumental role do the witches play in ‘Macbeth’? 

[II] How was the ambition of Macbeth spurred by the three witches?

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9. Describe in detail Macbeth’s experience when he goes to kill Duncan? [5]

👉When Macbeth goes to kill Duncan he experiences some of the most miserable moments of his life. He hallucinates associated sees an air drawn dagger that is bloody. When he tries to get hold of the dagger, it vanishes into the air. Then as he murders the hapless king Duncan, one of the grooms cries out ‘murder’ and both the grooms wake up. They pray together and say ‘amen’. Macbeth also tries to utter ‘amen’, but words would not come out from him. Then Macbeth hears (because of his heat oppressed brain) someone saying that Macbeth has murdered sleep and as a result Macbeth shall sleep no more. Facing all these nightmares, Macbeth returns to his wife.

Related Questions

[I] Describe the hallucinations seen and heard by Macbeth when he went to kill king Duncan. [5]

[II] Briefly recount Macbeth’s hallucinations before he entered Duncan’s room for murder. [5]

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10. Sketch the character of Duncan with reference to the story, Macbeth. [5]

👉In Shakespeare’s popular tragedy ‘Macbeth’ Duncan, the lawful king of Scotland, was a symbol of kingship. He was a noble and benevolent king who exercised his powers with moderation on his subjects. But at the beginning of the story he was much overpowered at the news of Macbeth’s success in the battle against the rebels. His joy knew no bounds. So he came to the castle of Macbeth to honour him. His goodness was a witness to his character. Even he had intense admiration for the beauty of Inverness. But he could not recognize treacherous Lady Macbeth. He was so gentle that he never doubted her honesty. So he had to pay a heavy price for his innocence. He was killed in the castle of Macbeth.

11. Why did Macbeth decide to visit the heath once more? What did he see there? [2+3] 

👉After the murder of Duncan and Banquo, Macbeth had been suffering from strange fits of distraction. He was in a terrible state of mind without peace and sleep. Even the escape of Fleance who would be father to a line of kings made him restless. He was afflicted with terrible dreams at night. He got no peace. So finally to know his final outcome he himself went to visit the witches to know more about his future.

Macbeth found the three witches in a cave near the heath. He saw that they were preparing their charms with many horrid ingredients in a huge cauldron. By these charms they conjured up infernal spirits to reveal them futurity. The witches called three spirits. The first spirit, in the form of an armed head, welcomed Macbeth and made him aware of Macduff, the thane of Fife. The second spirit, in the form of a bloody child, told Macbeth that no man naturally born of a woman could kill him. The third one arose in the form of a crowned child with a tree in his hand, assured Macbeth that he would never be defeated until the woods of Birnam moved to Dunsinane Hill.

Related Questions

[I] Why did Macbeth meet the witches again? What did they tell Macbeth? [2+3]

[II] What did the witches tell Macbeth in the cave and what did they show him? [5]

[III] What did Macbeth learn from the witches in his second meeting with them? [5]

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12. “In future a man should never believe the lying equivocations of witches.” Why did Macbeth say that the prophecies of the witches were only lying equivocations? [5] [WBCHSE Class-XI Annual Examination 2013]

👉At the end of the story of the play ‘Macbeth’ the tragic hero, Macbeth understood that the witches actually equivocated to trick him into a life of murder and bloodshed. He realized that the words of the three spirits, the masters of the witches, had double senses. For example, the second spirit had told him that no man naturally born of a woman could kill him. While fighting Macduff told Macbeth that he was never born of a woman. He was untimely taken out from his mother’s womb. Even the third spirit foretold that Macbeth that he would never be defeated until the woods of Birnam moved to Dunsinane Hill. Macbeth believed that none could unfix forest. But when the soldiers, following the instructions of Malcolm, were marching towards the castle of Macbeth with branches in their hands, Macbeth realized that the spirits befooled him with a different meaning. So he suggested that the prophecies were only lying equivocations, and he warned people by saying that in future a man should never believe the lying equivocations of the witches which have double-meaning.

Related Questions

[II] When did Macbeth understand that the witches actually equivocated to trick him into a life of murder and bloodshed? How did he warn people about the lying equivocations of the witches? [2+3]

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13. Show how Macbeth gradually became a villain. [5] [WBCHSE Sample Question]

👉At the outset of the play Macbeth sets out as a hero, a great general, but ends as a villain. He was a valiant general and a man of high esteem throughout Scotland. But soon his inordinate ambition enkindled by the three weird sisters led him to the path of damnation. Tempted by the witches and instigated by his wife Macbeth killed Duncan, his close relative and the lawful king of Scotland. Then to protect his kingship he plotted to murder Banquo and his son, Fleance. Banquo was murdered. Then he was envious of Macduff, and in a fit of rage Macbeth set upon Macduffʼs castle and brutally killed his wife and his innocent children. Macbeth even envied dead Duncan for his peaceful sleep in the grave. Macbeth desperate acts alienated him from his countrymen. He turned into a villain, a hell-hound, a beast from a noble and valiant soldier.

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