ACT-Ill SCENE V

Q,li, What are Hecate's plans regarding Macbeth ? Answer in not more than 150 words.
Afis, Hecate, the queen of the witches and the goddess of all magical charms, shows her displeasure with
the way the witches have dealt with Macbeth, and that two without her permission. She is annoyed
at the witches that all that they have done has been done for the benefit of a 'wayward' person like
Macbeth who abuses and threatens them. She rues that Macbeth is trying to exploit them simply for
his own benefit without any liking for them. Therefore, Hecate asks the three witches to be off for the
present and to meet her later at the pit of Acheron where Macbeth is coming to meet them once more.
By creating strange magical potions, Hecate intends to lead Macbeth to his doom and destruction. With
the help of a drop of the magical potion, they should raise apparitions, who with their illusive and
 ambiguous chants would create confusion in Macbeth's mind to lead him to his doom. Macbeth will, as
~e~t : ~e magical spells, be filled with overconfidence which will lead him to rash actions causing
m 5 timate doom. He will follow the path of ruin and destruction.
Q.t3• How far is Hecate'6 assessment of Macbeth's character true ? Give reasons for your answer in about
150words.
Ans. :Iecate ~alls Macbeth 'a wayward son, spiteful and wrathful" so far as his conduct with the witches
15
concerned. In other words, she considers Macbeth full of malice or hatred for the witches as he has
called them old hags~ Moreover, in his outbursts Macbeth has been rash and is easily provoked. Such
a man must be taught a lesson as he has no faith in them and he cares little for them. In her wo rd s,
Macbeth "loves for his own ends, not for You."
Hecate, the goddess of witchcraft, has her own motive to cause doom and destruction of Macbeth who,
in his vaulting ambition, has chosen the path of evil and crime. Macbeth's actions are not acceptable to
the forces of evil because he is positively on their side, doing evil for his own selfish ends. He is merely
using them for his own ends. Hecate's words mean that there is order and reciprocity in the world of
evil and darkness too. But Macbeth's decisive step to use evil for his own ends without realizing that
giving oneself over to evil is a positive and wholehearted affair. He must serve evil; he cannot be its
master.
-,:, .. .
ACT:11rscENE VI

Q.14. Write a note on the guarded speech of Lenox. How does it portray Macduff's efforts?
Ans. Lenox is particularly cautious and ironical in his speech and is intellectually keen and very realistic. He
comments on the events that have occurred in a very humorous and sarcastic manner, Lenox narrates
the dismal conditio_ns of the state in a thinly veiled irony, using guarded language lest he should incur
Macbeth's wrath. Outwardly Macbeth no doubt pitied gracio_us Duncan, but that was when Duncan
was safely dead. Banquo stayed too long, and his son Fleance fled just as Malcolm and Donalbain did
after their father's death. If one has to take it for granted that Malcolm and Donalbain were responsible
for their father's death on account of their immediate disappearance from their country one is also free
to assume that Fleance too was responsible for his father's death, for he too fled. Then killing of the two
delinquents by Macbeth in a fit of rage was also a wise and sane act. Macduff has incurred Macbeth's
displeasure for not attending Macbeth's coronation. Now Macduff has gone to England to seek support
of Malcolm to save the country from the sorry state of ,affairs. •
Q.lS. With reference to the incidents in the scene, show how appearances can be deceptive.
Ans. ,Appearances are deceptive' . . This proverb finds its true expression in what Lenox speaks about the
recent incidents that have taken place post Duncan's murder followed by Banquo's murder. Lenox
intentionally uses sarcasm and irony to clothe his bitter criticism of the tyrannical rule of Macbeth.
:Niacbeth had pitied Duncan, but the pity is that he did it after Duncan's death. Macbeth's expression of
his love and pity were obviously false because he himself had murdered Duncan. To all people it was
made to believe that Duncan was killed by his own sons in order to be kings themselves. Seemingly it
was a plausible idea. But the reality is very harsh. They fled for fear of their lives and in order to enlist
support from England and Ireland. They were pa~ots and faithful at heart but they were dubbed as
traitors. Banquo was killed in the darkness of the rught when supposedly he was having a walk. But the
reality is that they were assassinated at the behest of Macbe~ by the ~ed murderers. Macduff too ran
t He did not attend the banquet out of his own consideration, and not out of enmity
away toget suppor .
for Macbeth. All these incidents show that appearances of love and loyalty are assumed for different
purposes _ good or bad.·
 Q.16. Write an account of the three apparitions and how they Jnetil a false sense of security Jn Macbeta
Ans. Macbeth calls upon the witches to answer his questions at any cost. The weird hags raise terrible
apparitions from the cauldron to predict his future. The first apparition ap~ars as an ar~ed head and
warns Macbeth about Macduff. The second apparition is that of a bloody chiJd. It tells ham that he can
be cruel, bold and resolute as no man born of woman can cause him any harm. This fills Macbeth With
overconfidence to think that there is no man of earth who is not born of woman. So he resolves to get
Macduff murdered. The third apparition is of a crowned child holding a tree in its hand. It inslrud8
him to be proud and courageous for no harm will come to him till Bimam Wood marches to Dunsinane.
All these apparitions assure Macbeth of his safety and raise his self-confidence to a great level just as
Hecate had intended to do for it is unimaginable for a forest to uproot itself and move from one place to
another. This false sense of security becomes his greatest enemy as these evil forces are truly deceptive
and have the power to temporarily make the unreal look real.
Q.17. Describe the show of eight kings and what effect does it have on Macbeth ?
Ans. Macbeth repeatedly asks the witches to tell him more about Banquo's descendants. The witches
command some more apparitions to come out and pass before his eyes like a dumb show. To the
accompaniment of music a procession of eight kings slowly moves before his eyes. The eighth one is
holding magic mirror. Looking at the shadowy procession, Macbeth is terribly upset. The magic mirror
held by the eighth king reveals to him some more to come. He sees that some figures among these carry
two fold balls or golden orbs and treble sceptres in their left and right hands. This sight is unbearable
to Macbeth. He realizes that his fears are not fully unfounded as he sees the ghost of Banquo himself
at the end of the shadowy procession of kings, smiling grimly upon ~ , his locks matted with dots of
blood, and pointing to those apparitions as being his own descendants.
Macbeth is deeply upset at this sight. He is angry with himself for letting Macduff escape. He then
'

cruelly resolves that he will get Macduff's wife and child murdered since Macduff has made good his
escape.
Q.18. Comm~nt on Macbeth's second meeting with the witches.
Ans. Macbeth feels awfully concerned about his insecurity after the escape of Fleance from the clutches of
Macbeth's hired assa~sins. His dependence on the prophecies of the witches has increased manifold as
their predictions are becoming true one by one. So he seeks another meeting with the witches to know
his fate. In the meanw~e . Hecate, the queen of the witches has instructed them to create illusion of
overconfidence in Macbeth so that it should lead him to the path of crimes and his ultimate destruction
'
Macbeth meets the witches second time. He addresses them as secret, black and midnight hags and
exhorts them to answer all his questions which would reveal to him what his future holds in store for
him. He is so focussed on his inordinate ambition and his gnawing insecurity that he does not even care
if the witches have to cause ruin to the entire world to tell his future.
The witches instil overconfidence in him by raising three apparitions which tell him (1) to beware of
Macduff (2) that no man born of a woman can harm him (3) that Macbeth is safe until the Birnamwood
marches to Dunsinane. All these predictions contain just half-truths meant to dupe Macbeth with false
sense of security and to spell doom for him.
~ACT-IV SCENE II
~----....,-..J

Q.19. Describe the prevailing situation in Scotland with special reference to the killing of Macduff's
family.
Ans. The situation in Scotland ever since Duncan's murder and Macbeth's reign of terror has been critical
for all those who have not shown allegiance to Macbeth. All those suspected to be his adversaries have
 either run away to take refuge in some other safe places or in other country just as Malcolm has gone to
~~gland, and DonaJbain to Ireland. Even Macduff who suspected Macbeth for Duncan' 5 murder has
Joined Malcolm The lord - Ross - describes the situation as alarming for peace loving people. After the
m~der of Banquo and the escape of his son Fleance, Macbeth has let loose the reign of terror. Having
failed to subdue Macduff, Macbeth is after his family, though lady Macduff and her son are innoc~t .
th
But Macbeili has sent murderers to kill them. What can be more pathetic than the killing of e family
~f the adver_sary who has gone away. The killing of lady Macduff and her son who have no involvement
any ~ase 15 too for tears. The murderers listen to no appeals rather call Macduff a traitor ~d put
his family to death ma ruthless way. Such is the tyrannical reign prevailing in Scotland.
Q.20. How does the murder of Macduff's family become a turning point in the play?
th 5
Ans. The murder of Macduff's family by Macbeth's hired assassins acts as a last straw that makes Macbe '
bag of crimes too full for retribution. His graph of crimes has been mounting and the gods are also
not blind to it. Then the ruthless murder of Lady Macduff and her innocent child takes place evoking
heavenly powers to bring to an end such dastardly acts of overambitious Macbeth. This murder
becomes a turning point in the play because it begins the first step for all the allying forces to strength en
themselves with a view to punish Macbeth and get rid of his unjust regime. Lady Macduff s murder
along with the slaughter of her son provokes revengeful instincts in Macduff that he is not going to
spare .Macbeth at any cost. This murder ·prepares the audience to expect Macduff sparing no pains to
bring the ruthless Macbeth to his feet. That way this murder scene proves to be a turning point and
shows a sense of urgency for retaliation necessary for ~dvancing the action of the play to the climax.
Q.21. Write the character sketch of Lady Macduff as portrayed in this scene.
Ans. Lady Macduff, the wife of Macduff, is an epitome of gentleness and love. She is portrayed as a
dedicated housewife an affectionate mother. Her innocence is seen in her ignorance of the reasons for_ •
her husband's departure. Instead of keeping herself abreast of outside events, she·prefers to live in the
small family world inside her castle. She loves her husband and her child and feels wounde d at her
husband 's unexplained absence from the family.
In spite of this she retains her self-composure and indulges in a lively conversation with her precocious
child. She is very unlike lady Macbeth who lacks maternal feelings. Her bonding with her child is very
deep. She pours forth the wealth of a mother's love and does not want her child to feel that they have
been deserted by their father. She has great strength of character and loves her husband immensely. At
the·same time she considers his flight to be one lacking in wisdom and foresight. Still she defends her
husband 's honour and sanctity in her moments of crisis. •

Her short appearance in the play gives the conventional portrait of a normal woman, who is not in the
least bit like Lady Macbeth. :
ACT-IV SCENE Ill .

Q.22. Referring to this scene (Act-IV Scene Ill) describe Macduff's sorrow and his reaction towards the
killing of his family by Macbeth.
Ans. Ross reluctantly breaks out the news of the gruesome massacre of Macduff's family to him. The news
stuns Macduff and he is completely overwhelmed with anguish and grief. Malcolm beseeches him not
to suppress his sorrow that is natural. He must express his anguish otherwise it_can eat into the he~t
slowly, and bring about his physical and mental breakdown. Mac~uff fe~ls the gnef of a father. He calls
Macbeth an infernal vulture. Macbeth has swooped down upon his family members like a bird ?f prey
and slaughtered them all. The repeated enquiry by Macduff reveals that the calamity is so great that he
is unable to grasp i~ whole range atonce.
 that he first wants
To Malcolm's entreaties to convert his sorrow into anger and revenge, Macduff says st
present think
to play the role of a woman i.e. to shed tears. Hi.s grief is too much for tears. He would
only of execution of his plan. Nothing should delay his meeting with Macbeth,
this is his resolve. lie
d
his swot • He wants
should meet Macbeth face to face at the earliest and bring him within the reach of
to have a mortal duel with that devil of Scotland. nd
Malcolm a Macduff.
Q.l3. Give a detailed account about the conversation that takes place between
How does Malcolm try to test Macduff's integrity of purpose?
forces ag~ns t Ma~~ h.
Ans. After fleeing from Scotland with the specific purpose to expedite reactionary nd
woeful co 'tlons
Macduff meets Malcolm in the court of the King of England and apprises him of th~
hstens to Macduffs
prevailing in Scotland under the tyrannical rule of Macbeth. Though Malcolm
ts Macduff as a spy
account of Scotland sympathetically, he does not at once believe him. He suspec
lm speaks against
sent by Macbeth to entice him. In order to test Macduff's sincerity and loyalty, Malco
king of Scotland,
his own self that he is vulnerable to all sorts of vices and evils and if he is made the
kingly qualities as
he will prove to be worse than Macbeth. He further tells Macduff ~at he lacks the
his own purpose.
he is liable to ignite passions of hatred and enmity in the minds of the people to serve
regret that the
This remark is too much for Macduff to hear and he bursts out that in that case he should
ces Malcolm fully of
gracious Duncan could have such an evil minded and unworthy son. This convin
his vices which
Macduff's loyalty. He gladly discloses to Macduff that he had put up a false front about
army of a thousand
are not real, but imaginary. He further discloses that he has already mustered up an
overw helme d with
soldiers under the able English Veteran Old Siward. This relieves Macduff and he is
JOY,
Q.24. What is your assessement of Malcolm's personality as revealed in this
ACT IV Scene III ?
sation with Macduff in
Ans. Malcolm appears as a man of great qualities of head and heart from his conver
ty and saintliness
this scene. The very fact that he denies possession of kingly qualities shows his humili 1

d, the Confessor. In
that he has gained from his parents as well as from his association with king Edwar
his conversation with Macduff he says :
But I have none•: the king-becoming graces
As justice, verity, temp'ranee stableness

I have no relish of them.

• the lines
the opposite of what h e says m
But his true character, as he . Macduff, is quite
. . to
. later reveals • .
al I
quoted above. Indeed, h.e ts a personification of kingly virtues and a picture of mor e evatio n While
•
ta1king to Macduff, he himself describes his religious fervour.
At no time broke my faith, would not betray
The Devil to his fellow, and delight. •
From his conversation with Macduff, we also learn that he has grown suspic • •ious and discree t not to
.
belleve easily what others say. So in order to test Macduff's lbyalty toward' s him, h e does not nund
d din his rth d akin f
egra g wo an spe g o those vices he doe~ not possess.
erso • , ,. .
Q.25. HowdoesMacduff provehisloyaltytowardsMalcolm ?Whattraitsofhis P nality are highlighted
in their conversation ? . i

of truth and _
Ans. The sterling q~alities of Macduff's sincerity, patriotism, his innate love
th f hi out s~o~enness
are clearly manifested from his conversation with Malcolm. He- uses all streng O s persuasiveness
and integrity t • Mal Im of the utmos t necessity of the patriotic person s lik him (Mal 0 Im)
o convmce co
tha: he· himse~ can
to save Scotland from the tyrannical reign of Macbeth. But when Malcolm says
 . . d E n the vices
Prove to. be wors
e than Macbeth if h e 1s. given the power Macduff remains unmove • ve
e Macduff's opinion of Malcolm. Mac duff
of avan~e as Malcolm says he can fall a prey to, do not ch~g . . n of Malcolm's V:0 rth • Whe n
shows his state sman lik uali • and remains . steadfast in his appreciatio .
. . e ties
is disgusted and in disa ppom ~ent bids
Malcolm sti~ks .to hi~ having a perverse personality Macduff
heart and he realises Macduff 5 .hone~ty
farewell. This smce~ty on Macduff's part penetrates Malcolm th
uff s loyalty and patrio tism rema in unqu estio nable throu ghout his conversation Wi
of purpose. Macd
Malcolm.
Q,26. How does Ross describe the woeful condition of
Scotland ?

AnlJ, Ross pain ~ a vivid picture of Scotland

and its people under Macbeth's tyrannical rule with a vie~5
eth has beco~e and pity for the peop le
to aro~ e m the audience both horror at the tyrant that Macb th
to Macduffs query. Ross tells him that e
suffenng. Ross goes on to explain Scotland's woes in reply
can no longer be called thier moth erlan d,
condition in Scotland is too horrible to describe. The country nd
wh~re sights, shrieks and groans re
as it has rather become like a graveyard. Scotland is now a place
s of grief and sorrow that even viole nt
the air. People have become so accustomed to such expression
rung ·there, but nobody cares to know for
grief seems only an ordinary excitement. Funeral bells are still
die unexpectedly; all of a sudd en they are
whom the bell tolls. Upright men, quite hale and hearty, now
have time to fade and wither. Ross tries to
found losing their lives even before the flowers in their caps
explain that Macbeth has indeed degenerate4 into a ~ain .
I

Q.27. Does Lady Macbeth appear to be a "Fiend-Queen'

? Give reasons to justi fy your answer.
olm has called Macbeth a "dea d butcher" and
Ans, It is in the last Act and the last scene in which Malc
because she had instigated her husb and
Lady Macbeth a "fiend queen". He has called her an evil lady
gracious Duncan. When Macbeth was
to carry out the heinous crime of regicide in murdering the
eth who had goaded him to comm it the
wavering unde r the pressure of conscience it was Lady Macb
his bloody course of committing one crim e
brutal killing of Duncan. Later on Macbeth could not retrace
secure his throne. It is in this context that
after another partly to cover up his first crime and partly to
insinuating Macbeth to choose the path of
she has been called a fiend queen as well as the Fourth witch
ing scene she, in her incoherent speech,
crime to annex kinghood and then to retain it. In the sleep-walk
had repressed all her emotions. Now all her
recalls all the crimes she had done; for fear of her safety she
h she is suffering acutely with her ment al
repressed feelings of fear and remorse get divulged for whic
done to see her husband attain the ambi tion
balance getting upset. All the same what she had done was
herself could not murd er Dunc an for in him
of kingdom. She was not fully devoid of emotions and she
• •
she foun d the image of her own father.
s h:er sleep with the Lady Mac beth who urge s
Q.28. Can you reconcile with the Lady Macbeth that walk
your answer in abou t 150 word s.
her husb and to comm it the most heino us crime ? Justify
le character of Shakespeare. In spite of all
Ant. Lady Macbeth is undoubtedly the most fascinating fema
for her ultimate sufferings and prem ature
her crimes and machinations we cannot help pitying her
a Fourth witch as depicted in the first half
death. She is a complex character; she is not a fiend or•
d will', an iron stability of resolve, she
of the play-Being endo wed with her :frightfull~ det~rmine
s and helps him out of critical situation.
influences her husb and, guides his action, remedies his error
to commit the murd er, she herself plans and
She know s that her husb and lacks the necessary courage
represses her feminine qualities even to the
gets the execution of the plan done flawlessly. ~or this she
r her tenderness that gets its outb urst in her
extent of 'unse xing ' herself. It is assumed manliness unde
 sleep-walking scene. All her crimes and evil machinations appear before her. She washes her hands
as if ·they were smeared with blood. There is hallucination and revisiting of all the repressed feelings
of fear of punishment in hell. As such her sleep walking personality is the result of her repressed
though
feelings. The two personalities - of iron will, and utter exhaustion and break down -
different are the psychological effect of action that, must have its opposite reaction.

Q,29, The scene (Act V Scene II) brings together four major areas of imagery in the play - blood,
clothing, disease and natural growth. Describe each imagery with close reference to the scene in
the play.
Ans, In Macbeth, imagery is a very important element giving the ·texture of the play density and richness.
The imagery used contributes a great deal to form the pervading atmosphere of horror, darkness,
violence and growth. We find a wide range of imagery employed in the play. The beauty of the
imagery used lies in the fact that Shakespeare has drawn them from daily life. Let us_ discuss these
images as used in this scene.
Image of blood
Images of blood have been repeatedly employed in this dark play to create an atmosphere of horror.
In this scene Menteth uses the image of blood oozing out of a dead corpse in front of the culprit. The
image strengthens the idea that the army led by Malcolm and others will not spare the real criminal
i.e. Macbeth who will have to suffer for the limitless blood he has shed of the innocent people.
Image of clothing
Here Agnus uses the dress imagery. Speaking of Macbeth's usurpation of kinghood, Agnus says that
it appears Macbeth has put on robes (clothes) stolen from a_ giant. They do not fit him. He is unworthy
of the title of a king.
Image of disease
This image is used for the country that has suffered at the hands of Macbeth who must be removed to
provide health to the country once again. •
Image of natural growth
Natural growth of flowers and trees is possible only if weeds are removed.
Q.30. How does this scene (Act V scene Ii) highlight the detel11}m~tion of the force~ opposing Macbeth?
Ans. This scene II of Act V introduces to us the strong de~ation of the forces opposing Macbeth who
has grievously harmed them and their families ..They !!ave rallied together with vigour and a burning
fire of revenge to end the tyrannical rule of Macbeth characterised by his machinations and murders
of so many persons and families. The English army, led by Malcolm, his uncle Siward and the noble
Macduff has risen in strong numbers with a desire for revenge that is like a raging fire. Macbeth's
wrongs are so grim and unpardonable and even heart rending that even a dead man would like
to come out of his grave to fight a bloody battle with a murderer like Macbeth. In ~ther words, all
the dead are lying restless in their graves to take revenge on Macbeth face to face. Then if this is the
case with the dead, what about the living and aggrieved persons? Lennox, one of the nobles, who
has deserted Macbeth, calls upon his peers to pour out so much blood as is necessary to encourage
Malcolm and defeat the tyrant. This shows the determination of the forces opposing Macbeth to fight
the last battle to usher in a new order out of disorder.
 ACT-V SCENE Ill
in supe rb poetry :
Q.31. Desc ribe how Mac beth vent s his dispair
"My way of life
Is fall' n into the sere, the yello w leaf"
eration and frustration.
Explain the reas ons give n by Macbeth for his desp
Ans. Mac beth is facin g the retri butio n of his guilt. In mur deri ng Dun can he has kille
d his own sleep , his
poison. His soldiers are dese rting him. Othe rs who
peac e of mind . His cup of life has been filled with
out of fear of him. He is now surr ound ed by the
are figh ting for him are fighting not out of love but
that it is goin g to be a decisive battle. It will eith er
allie d forces marc hing towa rds his castle. He realizes
of Scotland or remo ve him from his thro ne once and
firm ly and safely estab lish his posi tion as the king
e perio ds of life - the sprin g and the sum mer .
for all. He reflects that he has lived the mos t enjoyabl
with its accompanying desp air and deca y. In this
He is now on the thres hold of the autu mn of his life
, a num ber of friends to chee r him. Here we find
old age he cann ot expe ct hono ur, love, obedience
He gives a vivid expression to his feelings, whic h
Mac beth 's disil lusio nme nt, desp air and frustration.
doom . ·The imag e of the autu mn leaf is poig nant .
sign ify that he is awa re of his rapid ly appr oach ing
on the Doc tor?
Q.32 . Write a note an Macbeth's conv ersation with the Doctor. What effect does it have
wife 's cond ition .
or atten ding on Lady Macbeth, Macbeth asks him of his
>

Ans. In his conv ersa tion with the doct

the body but of the mind . It is a case in whic h the
To this the doct or repli es that her disease is not of
beth asks the doct or to fling awa y his reme dies , for
patie nt mus t mini ster herself. In bitter disd ain Mac
Aga in in his mela ncho ly moo d Mac beth enqu ires if
they are wort hles s and he will have. none of these.
nt forget his troub les and worr ies, any med icine
the doct or has any med icine that can mak e the patie
sorro w.
that can wipe out from the mem ory a-deeply root ed
men tal disease, Mac beth asks the doct or if he can
Whe n the doct or expresses his inability to cure a
ble reme dy to resto re the coun try to its form er
diag nose the dise ase of the land and find a suita
or to find him som e poti on or drau ght to clea r his
who leso me condition. He· also confides in the doct
with the dese rters from his army . H the doct or can
enem ies out of his coun try and to let him reconcile
e him to the skies so ~at his repu tatio n reac hes all
help him in his prec ariou s condition, he will prais
corn ers of the worl d. ·-~,.. .,..... ,_-
ACT:v SCENE IV
to defe at
Q.33 . Imm inen t battle is the keyn ote of this
scene. What war strategy is adopted by Mal colm
Mac beth ? le in
take s place in the battlefield near Mac beth 's Cast
Ans . Before the actu al· enco unte r with Mac beth
s, chal ks out a foolp roof strat egy to give a crus hing
Dun sina ne, Malc olm, the lead er of the allied force
for the defe at of the evil forces and the vict ory
defe at to Mac beth and brin g the retri butio n nece ssary
good . Mac duff , a vete ran and seas oned sold ier, advi ses Malc olm to be caut ious and not be
of the ing
dese rted by mos t of the Than es. In stea d of show
com plac ent with the idea that Mac beth has been orts
s and not wast e time in word s. Siwa rd also supp
shal low opti mism they shou ld belie ve in brav e deed
ectures and false hope s. On the battl e field only the
Mac duff ' 5 view s that they shou ld not indu lge in conj
rd can deci de the final issue . A true sold ier, true to his prin ciple , shou ld neve r antic ipate a vict ory
swo
re the actu al actio n take s plac e on the battl efiel d. Sold iers mus t be caut ious in thou ght as well as
befo fest
deed . He seem s to echo the sam e wor ds as the witc hes said earli er that "Sec urity is mor tals' chie
in
enemy.
 manner in which Macduff exercises great caution
Q.34• Witb close reference to the scene describe the
which depicts him as an experienced soldier.
ayed as a man of practical wisdom in launching
Ans. Macduff, a veteran and experienced soldier, is portr
ied in his castle in Dunsinane. Malcolm has
an attack on Macbeth who has stationed himself fortif th
the tyrant Macbeth because e nobles and
expressed his optimism in the hope of an easy victory over
olm not to consider the enemy weak on any
soldiers have deserted him. Macduff dares to caution Malc
can be dangerous. Macduff, a shrewd and
consideration because any sort of complacence on their part
that indulging in idle co~jectures before the
clear headed soldier as he is, speaks out his mind candidly
s, he means to warn ag~ t over~onfidence
actual battle is fought is an unsoldierly act. In other word
the issues have been finally decided. Only
before hand. Rather they should reserve their opinion until
reveal their strength. Their main concern
the actual result of the fighting in the battlefield will truly
ary preparedness and leave no chance to
at present should be to strengthen themselves with milit
complacence in their confidence.
I
'
ACT-V SCE NE V
e discuss how Shakespeare depicts the spiritual
Q.35. With any two supporting details from the sce_n
recovery of the hero in Macbeth.
Conv entio nally, a Shakespe arean hero is virtuous and brave but a certain flaw in his character, however
Ans.
inate ambition that becomes his fatal flaw,
small, spells his ultimate doom. In Macbeth, it is his inord
runs a bloody path of violence. The gods
and in order to achieve it, he chooses the path of evil and
ution cannot be avoided. The hero Macbeth
cann:ot remain blind or indifferent and the ultimate retrib
even in the ·midst of his crime journey, his
undergoes a grim struggle between good and evil because
r becomes his good for even in the end he
conscience pricks him and jolts him so much that evil neve
ds," which he must_ no longer, "look to have''.
thinks of (a) The "honour, love, obedience, troops of frien
has been deprived of on account of his own
He learns with pain that all such good things of life he
he is (b) overwhelmed with remorse and
vaulting ambition, that has deprived him of sensitivity. Now
heart-sickness when he thinks of.
Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow
Creeps in this petty pace, from day to day
ing candle, and man is a poor player that
He now gains the spiritual recovery that life is like a burn
realizes a bitter lesson of life - Ripeness is
struts his short hour on the stage of life. Like Lear, he now
all.
have on Macbeth's perspective of life ?
Q.36. What effect does the death of Lady Macbeth
mbed _when he is facing the wor st of his tim h
Ans. The death of Lady Macbeth leaves Macbeth benu
is fighting against heavy odds. His friends and soldiers
are deserting him and the Eng lish es, as m:
of the deat h of his ...vv.:.£e •~yt
His first reaction hat
surrounded him. It. is at this time that he gets the news ui • IS

so that he could have time to lament over her death. In act e

£ h ·has h
she should have died hereaftert 1!£ In his soIiloquy, full of despair and frustrati
ere
hises on
• h hil
beeome a1most InWllerent o we. .
,,J!"
. . on, e p osop
. . ing at a slow pace till th I t d d •
the varuty of life. As he now sees life, he finds life mov e as recor e moment IS
. .
le whic h soon goes out. Life
reached and man returns to dus t He com. pares life to a burn ing cand 1s an
. . , part s £ • d
unreal thing. It s as useless as a shad ow m a drama in which men play their
£
or a 1ew year s, an
'di ,
then varu•sh from the stage. ue IS an 1 ot s tale full of soun d and fury' but deVOi·d Of any SU stanti
L!£ • b •a1
· ha cts his desp air and h eIp Iessness m · a
mearung w tsoever. Death is inevitable Macbeth thus proje ·
. · ti.c way.
pessmus
 ACT-~ SCENE VI
Q.37. How has the equivocati f h
°
on t e witches b.een proved to be bue in this scene (ACT V, Scene VI) 7
Ans. The jugglin • ch
wit es have given Macbeth just false assurance of his security. This has made Macbeth
so overconfident in hi • . .
s security that he thinks he need not fear his enemy as he cannot be killed by
~Y. one born of woman, as the witches have predicted in their equivocation. While assuring him of
his invulnerability, they had also warned him to beware of Macduff£. Macbeth has also been assured
of the safety of his life that he is safe until the Birnamwood advances to Dunsinane where Macbeth
is now positioned fully fortified. But his blind faith in the equivocation of the witches becomes his
vulnerability· By and by the half truths chanted by the witches are blowing off his sense of security
because he has been led into false hopes. The equivocation of the witches can now be understood
clearly. The 'leafy branch' to be carried by each soldier will be construed as the Birnamwood advancing
towards Dunsinane. Macduff who Macbeth thought, could not harm him, was really not born of a
woman because he was untimely ripped from the womb. The reality remained hidden under the false
assurances of the witches' equivocation. •
,ti J .. J

ACT-V SCENE VII

Q.38. Even though Macbeth displays his bravery, yet he no longer is "Bellona's bridegroom". Give reasons
for your answer.
Ans. Macbeth, even when surrounded·by the allied forces, and even when he had been deserted by his own
Thanes, does not show cowardice. He still is determined to give a befitting fight to the combined forces.
He still believes that he can face any formidable attack or a duel. He has easily put to sword young
Siw~d since the latter, being bo~ of a woman, could not harm Macbeth. He haughtily shouts, 'thou
was born of a woman', so. you have ·met deathf. He believes so much in the half truths of the witches'
'prediction that he does not delve deep into the.real significance of their words. He is ready to challenge
any man as he considers himself to be invincible. He is no longer "Bellona's bridegroom" or 'valour's
minion' but more of a wild animal clinging to life. He hopes to live to the very last moment. He is ready
to face Macduff who comes to challenge him, as according to him (Macbeth) he is another man 'born of
a woman' who has come to challenge hi,n~ So he does not fear Macduff because he cannot be killed by
a man born of woman. He fights till his death.
• ( ACT,:y SCENE VIII

Q.39. How does over-confidence cause the downfall . of

.
Macbeth ?
Ans. The half-truths in the prediction of the w~tches maj<e Macbeth believe that he is invulnerable to death
because it fills him with over-confidenc~ to such as extent that he begins to tread the path of evil,
violence, murder and inhumanity. It~ his b~d faith in the equivocation of the witches' prediction
that he is safe as (a) no man born of a woman can harm him and (b) he is secure until the Birnamwood
advances to Dunsinane. All the~e things seem impossible to happen, that is what Macbeth believes.
So he becomes over-confident of his invincibility, little knowing· the ambiguity of the prediction of the
witches who deceive men by juggling with words that are meant to be interpreted beyond what they
hide under false reality. Macbeth challenges Macduff thinking that he (Macduff) is born of woman. But
when he learns the truth that Macduff had been untimely ripped from the womb, he is shocked. Again
he also believed that the Birnamwood could never move; it is something unnatural to take place. But
the wa it happens is all against his expectations. Thus it is over-confidence as well as his faith in the
y •
·b n· f his cnmes.
---..l: .... ~"""' ,.., il-.o untrhP~ that comes as a retri u on or
Q.4o. The tragedy ends with the suggestion of the emergence of fore es of recon9tradion. OiKUss 'With
special reference to the play Macbeth.
Ans. Shakespear's tragedies end on a note of peace and calm after all the disorder and tumult. In this play
also, the tyrannical rule of Macbeth, symbolising disorder and chaos, comes to an end when Macduff
th
kills him and appears on the scene bearing Macbeth's severed head. The tyrant, e usurper of the
throne of Scotland, the innocent
•
people, 1s
.
at last slam.
•
Ma1 co1m, the n'ghtful heir to the throne,becornes
the new king. Macduff salutes and hails him as the new king without any doubt or any hindrance.
th
He displays to all the accursed head of the 'dead butcher' and despotic usurper. Thus e wheel has
come full circle; evil is punished and good is established. There is evident emergence of the fo~ces_ of
reconstruction under the able rule of Malcolm who gives promise of better days to come when JUStice
will prevail and good will always hold its "head high.

Q.41. Malcolm refers to Macbeth as "dead butcher" and Lady Macbeth as fiend queen". How does
Shakespeare create a hero out of a 'dead butcher" and a heroine out of a 'fiend queen" ?
Ans.· Towards the end of the play. Malcolm on becoming the new king of Scotland addresses the nobles
that a new era of peace and order will usher in after the death of the cruel and ruthless Macbeth and
Lady Macbe~ whom he calls 'dead butcher' and 'fiend queen'respectively. But this is not the whole
truth. Macbethlwith all ihis vaulting ambition-and Lady Macbeth with all her machinations were not
entirely diabolical. Macbeth with his •imaginative and poetic utterances retains our sympathies. In the
end he displays courage.and endurance and emerges a hero out of a villain. Similarly Lady Macbeth in
her sleepwalking utters her anguish and fear of retribution for all her cruelties and evil machination
Through out neither of them loses the sympa~es of the audience. Both appear to be grand individuals
, who suffer mental tortures and lose their sleep on account of their crimes. We appreciate their souls
undergoing torture for their crimes falling to pieces. It is !µis spectacle of the spiritual anguish which
enlists our sympathies for the criminal hero and heroine and transform them into real heroes and
heroines.
Q.42. The play ends with much violence. Is there any way to argue against Macbeth's claim that 'blood
demands blood' ?
Ans. In the beginning of play we learn that Macbeth and Banquo led Duncan's army to q~ell a revolt from
the Thane of Cawdor - Macdonwald - and the king of Norway. In this grim battle, the rebel Thane of
Cawdor, who fought bravely, was killed by forces led by Macbeth, the Thane of Glamis. Macbeth was
then made the Thane of Cawdor in his' place. A lot of blood was shed in this grim battle Macbeth, the
new Thane of Cawdor repeated history by betraying and killing king Duncan.
History repeats again. Blood flowed profusely in Scotland under the tyrannical rule of Macbeth. One
murder after another was committed either to take revenge or· to cover up the crime. Banquo was
killed. Fleance fled, Malcolm and Donalbain took shelter in other lands. Now the allied forces combated
a?~t ~acbeth and m_any a pre~o~s life wa~ l~st. Macbeth the usurper had to be taught a lesson for
his villamy. Macbeth laid down his life after killing brave and young soldier Siward. Macduff severed
Macbeth's head and hung it on a pole to exhibit it to the world the lesson of being a traitor. Blood for
bloodm - for order out of disorder. That is the politics of the rulers and rebels. But the modern world
expects non-violence and methods and means of goodwill and negotiations for the establishment of
peace to ensure prosperity and welfare of the state.
 Q.43. Though the_witches in Macbeth do not have a direct share in its action, they are a very important part
of the play influencing Macbeth to choose a path of crime (Acts III, IV, V).
Ans. The witches in Macbeth are by no means the ordinary witches of popular superstition. They are much
more P0 ';erful beings resembling rather the Goddesses of divine'. Shakespeare has lent these witches
rare poetical grandeur and an awe to elevate them far above the conception of witches commonly
accepted in his time. They greatly contribute to the weird nature of its atmosphere. They indeed
represent the very spirit of Macbeth. They are a rare combination of opposite qualities of sublimity
and coarseness, of mystic suggestion and realistic detail. The play from its very beginning continues
under the evil shadows until the shadows are finally lifted in the last scene with Macduff' s entry with
the "usurper's cursed head". The Tragedy would lose its magnificence without its strange atmospehre
created by the witches.
But it can be safely said that the prophecies of the witches work only.on those who are tainted in some
way. The dark thoughts ignited in Macbeth were already lying dormant in Macbeth in whose heart and
mind the witches found the real fertile ground to grow. The witches do not have any direct hand in
Macbeth's commission of evils and his consequent sufferings.
Q.44. Once Duncan is murdered, how does Lady Macbeth's femininity resurface? (Acts III & V)
Ans. Before Duncan's murder, Lady Macbeth appears to be frightfully resolute, bold and infuses courage
and confidence in her husband to execute the plan of murdering Duncan. For sometime she remains
firm and keeps her presence of mind. But soon she feels terrible pricking of conscience because she
had repressed her feminine instincts, even went to the extent of unsexing herself. But this repression
of her femininity becomes a big burden on her mind and conscience and she begins to feel exhausted
and entirely broken down. this is evident from the sleep walking scene in which her repressed feelings
and instincts of femininity begin to resurface. Though she expresses her feelings incoherently we can
t understand her mental condition. She feels repentant over her conduct in instigating her husband to
commit the heinous crime. She fears dire pl.lllishment for her crime, apprehending hell for her after
death. Earlier also she had expressed her disappointment for losing her peace of mind after Duncan's
murder which failed to provide any contentment in life as she says.
Nought's had, all's spent'
She experiences mental agony, mental disorder which she expresses in her sleep walking scene, realizing
that her hands can not be clefill:Sed even with all the per~es of Arabia.
Q.45. To what extent is Macbeth portrayed to be a tragic hero at the end of the play ?
Ans. Macbeth possesses all the traits of a tragic hero who meets his ultimate· doom on account of his tragic
flaw, that of 'vaulting ambition'. It is this inordinate ambition for which he chooses the path of crime
and commits Duncan's murder to be the_ king himself. One crime leads him to another crime from
which he can not retrace his steps. But his conscience and his poetic imagination make him feel restless
as in murdering Dun~an he murders his own sleep and his mind remains full of scorpions. He becomes
vulnerable to temptation of the witches' prediction and thinks that he is invincible as no man born of
woman can kill him and he will remain safe unless the Birnamwood advances to Dunsinane. It is with
this overconfidence that he dares even his deadliest adversary Macduff and gets killed and his head
is severed and hung on the pole. Thus ends the life of the tragic hero who before his death gets the
reaHzation that life without love and troops of friends is insignificant apd futile ~d man is just a poor
player trying to be pompous on the stage of life and to go to dust at last. Despite Macbeth's crimes of
murders and tyranny he emerges as a man of grandeur with his poetic ambition and with his spirit to
fight till the last breath of life, not to submit to adverse circumstances.