Macbeth: Prophecies, Actions, and Themes

What do the three witches initially prophesy for Macbeth and Banquo?

• Macbeth will become Thane of Cawdor and then King; Banquo's sons will be kings.

• Macbeth will become King, and Banquo will be killed.

• Macbeth will defeat the invading armies, and Banquo will betray him.

• Macbeth will be Thane of Glamis, and Banquo will be Thane of Cawdor.

After Macbeth becomes Thane of Cawdor, what action do he and Lady Macbeth take to fulfill the rest of the prophecy?

• They flee Scotland to avoid suspicion.

• They murder King Duncan.

• They hire assassins to kill Banquo.

• They gather an army to fight Macduff.

Why did Shakespeare likely portray Banquo as an innocent character in the play, unlike his historical depiction?

• To make the play more dramatic.

• To flatter King James I, who traced his lineage to Banquo.

• To emphasize Macbeth's sole responsibility for his crimes.

• To introduce a moral foil to Macbeth's ambition.

The play's strong emphasis on the supernatural, particularly witches, can be attributed to what historical factor?

• Shakespeare's personal belief in witchcraft.

• The popularity of supernatural themes in Elizabethan theater.

• King James I's deep interest in witchcraft and demonology.

• A desire to create a more terrifying and suspenseful tragedy.

Which of the following is a characteristic of a true "witch hunt"?

• Persecuting people who cannot defend themselves.

• Publishing direct and accurate quotations.

• Legal investigations into non-supernatural crimes.

• Traveling to different locations to find certain items.

What evidence suggests that Thomas Middleton might have contributed to Shakespeare's play Macbeth?

• Shakespeare's early and late plays were never collaborations.

• The witches' songs in Macbeth also appear in Middleton's play "The Witches."

• Queen Elizabeth I was known to have written some of Shakespeare's plays.

• Macbeth is famously not as finished as other Shakespearean plays.

What central philosophical debate is explored in Macbeth regarding the characters' futures?

• The conflict between loyalty and betrayal.

• The question of whether fate is predetermined or if individuals have free will.

• The struggle between good and evil within human nature.

• The importance of divine right in monarchical succession.

What literary device involves answering in ways that are deliberately unclear, often used by the witches in Macbeth?

• Metaphor

• Allusion

• Equivocation

• Hyperbole