ACT I, SCENES 1-4: The Future Foretold

Transcription

1 ACT I, SCENES 1-4: The Future Foretold KEY PASSAGE Act I, Scene 3 [Aside to Banquo] Do you not hope your children shall be kings, When those that gave the Thane of Cawdor to me Promised no less to them? BANQUO. [Aside to Macbeth.] That, trusted home, Might yet enkindle you unto the crown, Besides the Thane of Cawdor. But tis strange; And oftentimes, to win us to our harm, The instruments of darkness tell us truths, Win us with honest trifles, to betray s In deepest consequence. Cousins, a word, I pray you. [Aside.] Two truths are told, As happy prologues to the swelling act Of the imperial theme I thank you, gentlemen. [Aside.] This supernatural soliciting Cannot be ill, cannot be good. If ill, Why hath it given me earnest of success, Commencing in a truth? I am Thane of Cawdor. If good, why do I yield to that suggestion Whose horrid image doth unfix my hair And make my seated heart knock at my ribs, Against the use of nature? Present fears Are less than horrible imaginings: Page 1

2 My thought, whose murder yet is but fantastical, Shakes so my single state of man that function Is smother d in surmise, and nothing is But what is not. YOUR STUDYSYNC TV Discussion Prompt: Do you think it would be a good or bad thing to know your fate? Discuss how you might respond if you were in Macbeth s shoes and you had reason to believe that this great prophecy were true. Why do you think people want to know their future? Do people still seek out and believe in the prophecies of supernatural forces in today s world? How? VOCABULARY plight plight noun A difficult or unfavorable struggle Growing up in privilege, it was impossible for him to empathize with the plight of the lower classes. corporal cor por al adjective Of or related to the body Corporal punishment is viewed much less favorably by current generations than it was a century ago, when physically punishing a child for misbehavior was common. treason trea son noun The crime of betraying one s country, generally by seeking to subvert or overthrow its central government For leaking classified documents to foreign intelligence agencies, she and her associates will stand trial for treason. wanton wan ton adjective Showing no thought or concern for others My grandmother is not a fan of the wanton destruction that has become common in summer blockbusters. recompense rec om pense noun Reward or compensation for something Marty felt slighted when he was passed over for the promotion, believing that he was due some form of recompense for all his efforts. harbinger har bin ger noun A thing that predicts or indicates the approach of something else If the groundhog sees its shadow on February 2, this is believed to be a harbinger of a longerthan-average winter. Page 2

3 CLOSE READ 1. How is Macbeth introduced in the play? Equipped with the knowledge that this play is a tragedy, why do you think Shakespeare begins the narrative here? 2. What did the former Thane of Cawdor do to lose his title to Macbeth, as decreed by King Duncan? What do you think a thane is? 3. What are the witches discussing at the beginning of Scene 3, before Macbeth arrives? How does their exchange help to define their characters? 4. There s no art / To find the mind s construction in the face: / He was a gentleman on whom I built / An absolute trust, says King Duncan about the former Thane of Cawdor. What is the meaning of this statement, and why might it be thematically relevant to the play? 5. How are King Duncan and Macbeth related? How does King Duncan regard Macbeth? How does Macbeth regard the King? Page 3

4 ACT I, SCENES 5-7: Behind Every Man KEY PASSAGE Act I, Scene 5 LADY The raven himself is hoarse That croaks the fatal entrance of Duncan Under my battlements. Come, you spirits That tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here; And fill me, from the crown to the toe, top-full Of direst cruelty! make thick my blood, Stop up the access and passage to remorse, That no compunctious visitings of nature Shake my fell purpose, nor keep peace between The effect and it! Come to my woman s breasts, And take my milk for gall, you murdering ministers, Wherever in your sightless substances You wait on nature s mischief! Come, thick night, And pall thee in the dunnest smoke of hell That my keen knife see not the wound it makes Nor heaven peep through the blanket of the dark To cry, Hold, hold! [Enter Macbeth.] Great Glamis! Worthy Cawdor! Greater than both, by the all-hail hereafter! Thy letters have transported me beyond This ignorant present, and I feel now The future in the instant. My dearest love, Duncan comes here to-night. Page 4

5 LADY And when goes hence? To-morrow, as he purposes. LADY O, never Shall sun that morrow see! But what is not. YOUR STUDYSYNC TV Discussion Prompt: In Lady Macbeth s soliloquy, she shows very clear-cut ideas about the qualities of masculinity and femininity. What is your opinion of her ideas? Do you think men are more aggressive and prone to violence than women? Is violence directly opposed to femininity, and if so, why? Discuss what the soliloquy reveals about Lady Macbeth s character and about Shakespeare as an observer of human behavior. VOCABULARY valor val or noun Great bravery or honor, usually in the face of battle or other danger Edgar received a medal for valor after rescuing the three children from the burning house. sovereign sov er eign adjective Self-governing; independent In 1947, India and Pakistan officially became sovereign states, independent of British rule. purveyor pur vey or noun A seller of something, usually goods or services Yavuz has built a reputation as a purveyor of some of the finest rugs in Turkey. faculties fac ul ties noun Inherent abilities for particular kinds of actions A sudden loss of one s mental or physical faculties may be a warning sign of a stroke. chalice chal ice noun A large cup traditionally used for drinking wine The soldiers passed around the chalice and drank from it, believing that it would give them good luck before battle. undaunted un daunt ed adjective Not intimidated or deterred by adversity Many people would be uncomfortable working as a dentist for sharks, but Carrie is undaunted. Page 5

6 CLOSE READ 1. How is Lady Macbeth introduced? What do we learn about the different natures of her and her husband from this brief introduction? 2. What is Lady Macbeth s advice to her husband at the end of Scene 5? 3. What are the pros and cons that Macbeth lists for assassinating King Duncan at the beginning of Scene 7? On which side of this argument with himself does he settle? 4. What is Lady Macbeth s reaction to Macbeth s initial refusal to go ahead with the murder? What tactics does she use to influence him, and why? 5. Why does Macbeth tell his wife, Bring forth men-children only / For thy undaunted mettle should compose / Nothing but males? What is the relevance of this statement in regard to the play s themes? Page 6

7 ACT II, SCENES 1-4: A Perfect Murder? KEY PASSAGE Act II, Scene 2 Methought I heard a voice cry, Sleep no more! Macbeth does murder sleep the innocent sleep, Sleep that knits up the ravel d sleave of care, The death of each day s life, sore labor s bath, Balm of hurt minds, great nature s second course, Chief nourisher in life s feast LADY What do you mean? Still it cried, Sleep no more! to all the house; Glamis hath murder d sleep, and therefore Cawdor Shall sleep no more. Macbeth shall sleep no more. LADY Who was it that thus cried? Why, worthy Thane, You do unbend your noble strength, to think So brainsickly of things. Go, get some water And wash this filthy witness from your hand. Why did you bring these daggers from the place? They must lie there. Go carry them, and smear The sleepy grooms with blood. I ll go no more. I am afraid to think what I have done; Look on t again I dare not. Page 7

8 LADY Infirm of purpose! Give me the daggers. The sleeping and the dead Are but as pictures; tis the eye of childhood That fears a painted devil. If he do bleed, I ll gild the faces of the grooms withal, For it must seem their guilt. [Exit. Knocking within.] Whence is that knocking? How is t with me, when every noise appals me? What hands are here? Ha, they pluck out mine eyes! Will all great Neptune s ocean wash this blood Clean from my hand? No, this my hand will rather The multitudinous seas incarnadine, Making the green one red. YOUR STUDYSYNC TV Discussion Prompt: What might cause a criminal to feel remorse, apologize, or try to make amends? Compare two reasons for such second thoughts for example, the fear of suffering the consequences and the pressure of a guilty conscience. Is one reason for regret better than the other? How does either one correspond to Macbeth s feelings? In your discussion, refer to any parallels to this key passage from Macbeth. VOCABULARY augment aug ment verb To supplement or add to something in order to make it greater Without doing any additional work to augment her income, Dana was barely making enough money to pay her rent. surfeited sur feit ed verb Consumed or experienced so much of something as to cause one to desire it no longer Surfeited after a long bachelorette weekend in Napa, Janice and her friends were ready to come home. Page 8

9 equivocate e quiv o cate verb To be unclear or evasive in speech, in order to mislead or avoid commitment Most politicians on the national stage periodically equivocate in order to avoid upsetting their supporters. temperate tem per ate adjective Moderate or mild Certain plants do best in a temperate climate, where the winters and summers are not too harsh. malice mal ice noun Evil or injurious intent Greg deserves to be punished for his carelessness, but I don t think it was an act of malice. thriftless thrift less adjective Careless or wasteful when spending money After signing a multi-million-dollar football contract, Ben was thriftless with his fortune, buying a fleet of expensive cars. CLOSE READ 1. How has Banquo been affected by the prophecies of the three witches? What is Macbeth s response to Banquo s mention of this, and why does he respond this way? 2. What does Lady Macbeth do to aid in the assassination plot? Why is she unable to carry out the action herself, and what do you think that says about her character? 3. What is Macbeth s reaction to murdering King Duncan? Why do you think all of this happens offstage? Page 9

10 4. What does the image of blood symbolize in the scenes following the murder? Why do you think this image is repeated so many times in the play? 5. What is Macbeth s explanation for the killing of the guards? How do the others react to this? Page 10

11 ACT III, SCENES 1-3: Game of Thrones KEY PASSAGE Act III, Scene 1 To be thus is nothing; But to be safely thus: our fears in Banquo. Stick deep; and in his royalty of nature Reigns that which would be fear d: tis much he dares; And, to that dauntless temper of his mind, He hath a wisdom that doth guide his valour To act in safety. There is none but he Whose being I do fear: and under him, My genius is rebuk d; as, it is said, Mark Antony s was by Caesar. He chid the sisters When first they put the name of king upon me, And bade them speak to him; then, prophet-like, They hail d him father to a line of kings: Upon my head they plac d a fruitless crown, And put a barren sceptre in my gripe, Thence to be wrench d with an unlineal hand, No son of mine succeeding. If t be so, For Banquo s issue have I fil d my mind; For them the gracious Duncan have I murder d; Put rancours in the vessel of my peace Only for them; and mine eternal jewel Given to the common enemy of man, To make them kings, the seed of Banquo kings! Rather than so, come, fate, into the list, And champion me to the utterance! Page 11

12 YOUR STUDYSYNC TV Discussion Prompt: Discuss Macbeth s relationship with Banquo, and why it s complicated. Is Macbeth afraid of Banquo? Reverent of Banquo? Why might it be more difficult for Macbeth to kill Banquo than it was to kill King Duncan? Why might it be easier? Explain. VOCABULARY posterity pos ter i ty noun Future generations of people My grandfather kept thousands of photographs for posterity, a treasure for my parents and me. grave grave adjective Very serious or solemn In his remarks to the press, the chief of staff attempted to downplay what a grave situation it had become. sundry sun dry adjective Of various kinds; miscellaneous In most airports, you can find general stores selling sundry items near the departure gates. affliction af flic tion noun A condition causing suffering or distress At the reunion, Gary told us about his sister s affliction with Alzheimer s. assailable as sail a ble adjective Vulnerable; conquerable With the ball club s bullpen struggling, the tworun lead seemed an assailable deficit for the losing team to make up. summons sum mons noun An official call from an authoritative power to do something As luck would have it, Marta received a summons for jury duty on her birthday. CLOSE READ 1. What does Banquo s short soliloquy at the start of Act III tell us? What are his thoughts about the prophecy and the murder of King Duncan? Page 12

13 2. What has Macbeth decided to do about Banquo, and how will he do it? What does this say about Macbeth and power? 3. Lady Macbeth states, Tis safer to be that which we destroy / Than by destruction dwell in doubtful joy. What is the meaning of this couplet, and what is its thematic importance to the play? What does it indicate about Lady Macbeth s character? 4. How does Macbeth urge his wife to behave toward Banquo? Why does he tell her to do so? 5. What happens to Banquo and his son, Fleance? Does this change anything about the witches original prophecy? Explain. Page 13

14 ACT III, SCENES 4-6: Banquo s Ghost KEY PASSAGE Act III, Scene 5 HECATE. Have I not reason, beldams as you are, Saucy and overbold? How did you dare To trade and traffic with Macbeth In riddles and affairs of death; And I, the mistress of your charms, The close contriver of all harms, Was never call d to bear my part, Or show the glory of our art? And, which is worse, all you have done Hath been but for a wayward son, Spiteful and wrathful; who, as others do, Loves for his own ends, not for you. But make amends now: get you gone, And at the pit of Acheron Meet me i the morning: thither he Will come to know his destiny. Your vessels and your spells provide, Your charms, and everything beside. I am for the air; this night I ll spend Unto a dismal and a fatal end. Great business must be wrought ere noon: Upon the corner of the moon There hangs a vaporous drop profound; I ll catch it ere it come to ground: And that, distill d by magic sleights, Shall raise such artificial sprites, As, by the strength of their illusion, Shall draw him on to his confusion: Page 14

15 He shall spurn fate, scorn death, and bear His hopes bove wisdom, grace, and fear: And you all know, security Is mortals chiefest enemy. YOUR STUDYSYNC TV Discussion Prompt: Do you agree with Hecate that security is mortals greatest enemy? Discuss the meaning of this statement and whether it still applies today, whether in politics, business, or one s own home. What happens to people if they are too confident or secure in their situation, and why? Consider the pros and cons of security: what is lost and gained? VOCABULARY mirth mirth noun Amusement or merriment, generally expressed in laughter Despite tensions in the workplace over the past few months, it was all celebration and mirth at the company party. purged purged verb Cleansed; got rid of a burden It s time you purged your closet of all the old clothes and things that ve accumulated over the years. infirmity in firm i ty noun The weakness or loss of physical and mental capabilities Even at 104 years of age, Greta still goes for her daily walk, deterred by neither age nor infirmity. disposition dis po si tion noun A person s general attitude or mood The neighbors incessantly barking dogs were a test for Ryan s usually calm disposition. homage hom age noun (archaic) In feudal society, the formal acknowledgement of allegiance In medieval society, refusing to pay homage to the king was often punished by death. exasperate ex as per ate verb To irritate or annoy greatly My mother has a tendency to exasperate the servers at restaurants with her picky demands. Page 15

16 CLOSE READ 1. How does Macbeth react when he learns Fleance has escaped? Why does he react this way? 2. During the feast, Lady Macbeth asks her husband, Are you a man? How is this similar to a tactic she employed earlier in the play, and what does it tell us about them and their marriage? 3. What is Lady Macbeth s explanation for her husband s episode at dinner? What is the actual explanation? 4. What is the discussion between Lennox and the Lord about? How do they regard Macbeth now? Page 16

17 ACT IV, SCENES 1-3: An Alliance Is Forged KEY PASSAGE Act IV, Scene 1 APPARITION. Be lion-mettled, proud; and take no care Who chafes, who frets, or where conspirers are: Macbeth shall never vanquish d be, until Great Birnam wood to high Dunsinane hill Shall come against him. [Descends.] That will never be: Who can impress the forest; bid the tree Unfix his earth-bound root? Sweet bodements, good! Rebellion s head, rise never till the wood Of Birnam rise, and our high-plac d Macbeth Shall live the lease of nature, pay his breath To time and mortal custom. Yet my heart Throbs to know one thing: tell me, if your art Can tell so much, shall Banquo s issue ever Reign in this kingdom? ALL. Seek to know no more. I will be satisfied: deny me this, And an eternal curse fall on you! Let me know: Why sinks that cauldron? and what noise is this? Page 17

18 YOUR STUDYSYNC TV Discussion Prompt: What role do you think the witches serve in Macbeth? What is their significance and influence in the narrative? What can we infer about life in Macbeth s Scotland based on the play s portrayal of witchcraft? Have people s attitudes toward the supernatural changed since Shakespeare s time? Discuss this, citing examples from the passage and from your own observations. VOCABULARY conjure con jure verb To make something appear improbably, as if defying logical explanation Sally s ability to conjure up delicious meals out of the most random ingredients earned her a great reputation at dinner parties. pernicious per ni cious adjective Causing great harm in a way that is not easily noticed The pernicious effects of smoking cigarettes reveal themselves gradually over time. diminutive di min u tive adjective Extremely small Napoleon Bonaparte s towering ambitions more than compensated for his diminutive size. laudable laud a ble adjective Deserving of honor; praiseworthy The candidate s promises for campaign finance reform are laudable, but that doesn t make them any more realistic. transpose trans pose verb To change something into a different form The band members planned to transpose Shakespeare s Macbeth into a rock opera called McB! avarice av a rice noun Greed, whether for money or possessions He accumulated a great fortune quickly based on a combination of shrewdness and avarice. judicious ju di cious adjective Showing good judgment; prudent; sensible Driving all night without sleep isn t very judicious, considering the increased risk of causing an accident. CLOSE READ 1. What do the floating apparitions tell Macbeth? What is the witches purpose in only revealing this limited information to Macbeth? Page 18

19 2. How does Macbeth react when he learns that Macduff has fled? 3. How is the murder of Lady Macduff different from the previous murders Macbeth orders or carries out? What does this say about the progression of his character? 4. What is Malcolm s attitude toward becoming king? How does he think he would differ from Macbeth as a ruler, and why? What is ultimately revealed? 5. What does Malcolm urge Macduff to do with his grief over the loss of his family and castle? Which of the play s most common motifs reemerges here, in Malcolm s advice to dispute it like a man? Page 19

20 ACT V, SCENES 1-9: The King of Scotland KEY PASSAGE Act V, Scene 5 I have almost forgot the taste of fears: The time has been, my senses would have cool d To hear a night-shriek, and my fell of hair Would at a dismal treatise rouse and stir As life were in t. I have supp d full with horrors; Direness, familiar to my slaughterous thoughts, Cannot once start me. [Re-enter Seyton.] Wherefore was that cry? SEYTON. The Queen, my lord, is dead. She should have died hereafter; There would have been a time for such a word. Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow Creeps in this petty pace from day to day To the last syllable of recorded time; And all our yesterdays have lighted fools The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle! Life s but a walking shadow, a poor player That struts and frets his hour upon the stage And then is heard no more. It is a tale Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, Signifying nothing. Page 20

21 YOUR STUDYSYNC TV Discussion Prompt: How can people become desensitized to their own horrific acts, as Macbeth has become? Do you think this is a coping mechanism? Is it possible to want something so badly that it turns you evil? Think of some parallel examples or stories that mirror Macbeth s downfall, and discuss what tragic flaw or flaws can drive once-virtuous people to destruction. VOCABULARY perturbation per tur ba tion noun A disturbance or deviation from the norm Dogs may not understand language, but they can sense any mild perturbation in their owners behavior. perilous per i lous adjective Hazardous; risky Leaving base camp at roughly 19,000 feet, the climbers took a perilous route to the top of the mountain. minister min i ster verb To attend to the needs of someone or something On Sundays, the nuns would travel into town to minister to the people in the poverty-stricken community. pristine pris tine adjective In perfect or untouched condition Jackie s pristine copy of the first edition of the Superman comic is worth a huge amount of money. arbitrate ar bi trate verb To judge or serve as mediator in a dispute Without anyone to arbitrate, both sides could very easily dispute this issue forever. usurper u sur per noun Someone who has taken something that rightfully belongs to someone else, usually power or title Many of the TV host s fans saw his rival as a usurper when she was chosen to take over the talk show. CLOSE READ 1. How is Lady Macbeth different at the beginning of Act V from how she was earlier in the play? What can we infer is the cause of this transformation? Page 21

22 2. Why does Macbeth feel confident on the eve of battle? What is the first development that causes him to question his confidence? 3. How does Lady Macbeth meet an ironic end? Explain. 4. What is the technicality that gives Macduff the power to defeat Macbeth, in spite of the prophecy that no man of woman born could ever hurt him? 5. What are Malcolm s first actions upon taking back the throne? What does this suggest to us about his reign? Page 22