Macbeth - Act 1, Scenes 5 and 7

Macbeth - Act 1, Scenes 5 and 7

Recap

Two important scenes from the play.

Let's recap two important scenes from the play, to be sure that you understood them. Both of these scenes feature Lady Macbeth (and Macbeth too).

Multiple Choice

Act 1, Scene 5 introduces us to one of the main characters in the play for the first time.

• Macbeth

• Lady Macbeth

• King Duncan

• Banquo

Multiple Choice

At the beginning of Act 1, Scene 5...

• Macbeth and Banquo meet with the witches

• Lady Macbeth reads a letter (from Macbeth) that explains the prophecy

• King Duncan tells Macbeth that he will come visit him at his house

• Macbeth is awarded with a brand new title - Thane of Cawdor

Lady Macbeth reads a letter

As Lady Macbeth reads this letter from Macbeth (with all of the details about the prophecy AND information that one aspect came true), Lady Macbeth thinks aloud. Her reactions reveal what she thinks of Macbeth and they also reveal her hopes.

Multiple Choice

When Lady Macbeth says that she worries that Macbeth is 'too full o' th' milk of human kindness' (A1, S5), what does she mean?

• She is worried that he is too kind and good to do the necessary evils to become King as soon as possible.

• She is worried that he is unwell and that his life may end soon.

• She is worried that he is so full of ambition that he might do something immoral.

Lady Macbeth has murderous thoughts

Lady Macbeth hopes that her and Macbeth can kill King Duncan when King Duncan comes to visit them in their castle.

Multiple Choice

To prepare for this murder, what does Lady Macbeth do?

• She sharpens some knives that she has at her castle.

• She prepares some poison to put in King Duncan's drink.

• She calls upon evil spirits to remove her 'womanly' gentleness.

Lady Macbeth calls upon evil spirits

She worries that perhaps her womanliness and gentleness will stop her from wanting to the kill the King. So she asks evil spirits to remove this womanliness from her.

Gender roles in the Elizabethan era

Back in those days, people believed that certain genders had certain characteristics (for example, women were believed to be more kind and men were believed to be more brave). Most people no longer believe these stereotypes.

Multiple Choice

When Macbeth arrives home, Lady Macbeth warns him of something. What is her warning?

• She tells him that he should not be too ambitious or there may be some negative consequences.

• She warns him that he is very easy to read and that he will need to pretend to feel light-hearted (instead of murderous).

• She warns him that if he plans to murder the King she will tell others of his plan.

Lady Macbeth tells Macbeth to look like an innocent flower...

...but to actually be the snake that lies beneath that flower! She tells him that he is very easy to read and that he must try to hide his thoughts.

Act 1, Scene 7

At the start of this scene Macbeth is in the underbelly of his castle (down where the servants are) even though he is the master of the castle. This is sometimes interpreted as a representation of his state of mind.

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How do you think that the setting of this scene connects to Macbeth's thoughts? ​You will have a chance to answer on the next slide.

Open Ended

How do you think that the setting of the opening of Scene 7 connects to Macbeth's thoughts? ​

During the Elizabethan and Jacobean era, it was believed that God appointed the King. To kill a King (regicide) is to act against God.

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​Regicide

Multiple Choice

When Lady Macbeth arrives to call him to dinner, Macbeth tells his wife that...

• he is ready to kill King Duncan.

• he doesn't want to kill King Duncan anymore.

• if she does not obey him,

Multiple Choice

Lady Macbeth responds by emasculating her husband. To emasculate is to...

• list reasons why a person should do something.

• call a person names so that they feel insecure.

• empower them to do something that they feel worried about doing.

• call a male's masculinity into question (and make them feel 'not man enough')

Lady Macbeth is outraged when Macbeth says that he does not want to murder King Duncan. She says that she questions how much he actually loves her (because he has broken this promise). She also says that she would rather bash a baby's brains out than break a promise to him!

Multiple Choice

When Lady Macbeth emasculates him, Macbeth responds by...

• agreeing with her and telling her that she is so strong that she should only give birth to boys!

• threatening to kill her again. He believes that he should be in charge as he is the man in the relationship.

• running to tell Banquo that his wife is evil and asking for advice.

• agreeing to her face but then calling a servant to warn King Duncan.

Multiple Choice

Lady Macbeth tells him that to make sure that they have access to a sleeping Duncan she will...

• tells the King's guards to go away.

• drug the King's guards.

• distract the King's guards.

• murder the King's guards.

Well done!

That is the end of the quiz.