versus 
• Macbeth is unhappily king. He does not sleep, can’t shake his anxiety, and is paranoid about everyone. He successfully had Banquo murdered, but Banquo’s son Fleance escaped.
• Macbeth is going mad. He sees the ghost of Banquo at a dinner party he hosts, and Lady Macbeth has to ask all of the guests to leave quite suddenly. Chaos reigns in his mind, in his home, and in his country. Macbeth vows to go see the weird sisters to get some answers.
• Macbeth is an awful tyrant. Scotland suffers terribly under his rule. He keeps a spy in every household, and indirect clues point out that the populace suffers. People are unwilling to speak openly about their fears and there is talk of failed crops, damaged livestock, empty tables, personal suffering, lack of trust and decency, etc.
• Macbeth has his scary sights on Macduff. Macduff, the nobleman who had come to Macbeth’s castle to fetch the king the morning after Macbeth murdered Duncan, had earlier refused to attend Macbeth’s crowning ceremony and instead stayed at home in Fife (see Act II, scene iv). Macduff had also failed to attend the party that Macbeth threw (where Macbeth went bonkers), and now Macbeth is vowing revenge against this traitor.
• Hecat, Chief Witch, has plans for Macbeth. Annoyed that her underlings have toyed like mere amateurs with Macbeth (whom she accuses of murdering Duncan not for a love of Satan’s evil, but merely for his own ambition), Hecat decides that she will show Macbeth a thing or two, promising that “He shall spurn fate, scorn death, and bear / His hopes ‘bove wisdom, grace and fear—“ and reminds us that a sense of security is man’s chief enemy (if Duncan were still around, no doubt he’s say “Amen!” to that!).
• Scotland’s nobles and Duncan’s rightful heirs are plotting Macbeth’s demise. A conversation between Lennox and another lord lets us know that Macduff did not attend the dinner because he has gone to England to join rightful Crown Prince Malcolm (Duncan’s son), who is working with English King Edward and two English lords, Northumberland and Siward, to raise armies to invade Scotland and overthrow Macbeth. We also learn that Macbeth, being rightfully suspicious of Macduff’s absence, is preparing for war. Lennox and the Lord worry about Macduff’s fate, but place their prayers with him.
Here are the questions we will address on the three remaining days we have devoted to Macbeth:
ACT IV - QUESTIONS
Scene i
1. Mabeth wants answers from the witches even at what cost?
2. Describe the apparitions Macbeth is shown and what they tell him.
3. At the end of the scene, Macbeth promises that “From this moment,” what will happen?
4. What does Macbeth vow to do to Macduff?
Scene ii
1. Why is Lady Macduff so angry at her husband?
2. What comment does her son make about the presence of deceitful men in Scotland?
3. What is the fate of Lady Macduff and her son?
Scene iii
1. Why is Malcolm suspicious of Macduff?
2. Malcolm tries to convince Macduff that he is what?
3. Why does Malcom lie to him in this way? Give his explanation in your own words.
4. What is the news that Ross delivers about Scotland? About Macduff’s family?
5. What is Macduff’s response?
Scene iv
1. Mabeth wants answers from the witches even at what cost?
2. Describe the apparitions Macbeth is shown and what they tell him.
3. At the end of the scene, Macbeth promises that “From this moment,” what will happen?
4. What does Macbeth vow to do to Macduff?
ACT V - QUESTIONS
Scene i
1. Why has the gentlewoman called for the doctor?
2. What exactly do the gentlewoman and doctor see and what do they hear?
Scene ii
1. What places do Angus and Caithness mention? Where have we heard them before?
2. According to Angus, how do Macbeth’s soldiers feel about him?
3. According to these assembled lords, what do they hope to do?
Scene iii
1. According to Mabeth’s opening rant in this scene, what’s going on with his supporters?
2. Why doesn’t he care?
3. Judging by what Macbeth says to the servant who enters, what does the servant look like? Why do you think he looks this way? (Think about the news he brings Macbeth)
4. How does Macbeth take the news the servant brings?
5. What does Macbeth ask Seyton to help him with?
6. What two issues does Macbeth ask the doctor about?
Scene iv
1. What does Malcolm specifically instruct his soldiers to do in lines 4-8? Make some predictions about why this matters.
Scene v
1. Why isn’t Macbeth meeting the English army “beard to beard”?
2. What response does Macbeth have to the screams of women within the castle?
3. According to Seyton, why did the women scream?
4. In the famous “Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow” monologue, what is Macbeth saying?
5. What remarkable news does the servant bring?
6. What is Macbeth’s response to this news? Why does he choose to respond this way, do you think?
Scene vi
1. What are Malcolm’s orders?
Scene vii
1. On what is Macbeth now basing all of his confidence?
2. What happens to Young Siward (Siward’s son)?
3. According to Macduff, why must he be the one to kill Macbeth and why won’t he fight anyone else?
4. According to Malcolm and Siward, how’s the battle going, overall?
Scene viii
1. Why does Macbeth think that Macduff’s efforts to fight him are in vain?
2. What interesting fact about himself does Macduff reveal?
3. How does Macbeth respond to the news? What does he say he will do?
4. Macduff then asks Macbeth to do what?
5. Why won’t Macbeth comply?
6. Do you admire Macbeth for his choice? Why?
7. Why is Siward OK with his son’s death?
8. What is the first promises Malcolm makes as king?
9. How did the queen die?
10. With what specific words and phrases in Malcolm’s speech do we know that order is being restored?
HOMEWORK:
Tuesday night:
Complete Act IV and write out answers to the questions above.