Macbeth Act 1 Scenes 4-5 Questions
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1) Macbeth’s World
First, Malcolm heaps praise on Cawdor for the courage and toughness he showed before his execution. Then, Duncan rewards Macbeth for his victory in battle.
What do these actions tell you about the values of this society? What does it mean that the witches are the only women we have come across so far?
2)“There’s no art / To find the mind’s construction in the face...” (lines 11–14)
Right after Duncan admits that he can't read a person's character, he goes on to heap praise on Macbeth and Banquo. What do you make of that? Shakespeare is dropping some pretty big hints here!
3)“My plenteous joys / Wanton in fullness, seek to hide themselves / In drops of sorrow.” (lines 33–35)
Duncan breaks down and cries when he talks to Banquo because he is so grateful for what his two generals have done for him.
How do you think this emotional response would go over in this society? Would it be seen as a sign of weakness or strength? How do you see it? Can a leader have "soft" qualities—such as emotional sensitivity—and still be strong and capable?
4)Thoughts and Deeds (lines 48–53)
In another aside, Macbeth reveals that his ambition to be king is still strong, despite his outward show of loyalty and love to Duncan. Although Macbeth hasn’t done anything bad yet, he seems ashamed of his own dark thoughts.
Have you ever thought about doing something really terrible, without ever intending to carry it out? What do you think it would take to make Macbeth put his thoughts into action against Duncan? How evil do you think he is at this point?
TIP!Before the tenth century, a king was usually elected, rather than named by his predecessor. Under the election system, Macbeth would have been a prime candidate to succeed Duncan as king. But Duncan’s announcement naming Malcolm as his heir shows he has chosen to embrace the newly emerging practice of passing the throne down from father to son. So Macbeth’s loss is Malcolm’s gain!
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TIP!Women in the medieval period, when this play was set, and in the Renaissance, when the play was written, had few rights. They were considered the property of their husbands and were voiceless when it came to affairs of state or anything else outside of traditional female roles. Keep this in mind as you think about Lady Macbeth's character.
- The Letter (lines 1–13)
Watching someone read a letter isn’t very exciting or dramatic. Shakespeare could have just had Macbeth arrive home and tell his wife about what had happened.
So why did Shakespeare choose this way of presenting Macbeth's news? What do we learn about Lady Macbeth, and about her husband, that we might not have learned if he had given her the news in person? What other reasons can you think of to explain Shakespeare’s approach here?
- “The raven himself is hoarse…” (lines 37–53)
As you read or listen to Lady Macbeth’s famous soliloquy (seeGlossary—soliloquy), copy lines to your Notebook or underline in your Personal Playscript the parts of her speech that you find most memorable.
What are your impressions of her? What is she prepared to do to achieve her goals? What can you tell about her relationship with Macbeth?
- Is Macbeth on Board?
Lady Macbeth worries that her husband doesn’t have what it takes to follow through on killing Duncan. Is she right?
What is your impression of Macbeth at the end of this scene? Do you think that he is entirely committed to doing the deed? What gives you that impression? Keep notes on Macbeth's emotional and character changes. See if you can draw the arc of his character development throughout the play.
- “Look like th’innocent flower, / But be the serpent under’t.” (lines 64–65)
Lady Macbeth tells her husband to hide his true intentions—to appear to be something he is not. We've all met people like that—who act one way to our faces, and another behind our backs. But Lady Macbeth's words are particularly chilling because she is talking about murder.
See if you can find other allusions to appearances in this scene