Macbeth

Reading Check and Short Answer questions on key plot points are designed for guided reading assignments, in-class review, formative assessment, quizzes, and more.

Act I

Reading Check

1. After the battle, what title does the king give to Macbeth?

2. Whom does Duncan name as his successor for king?

3. What does Lady Macbeth tell Macbeth to do?

Short Answer

Answer each question in at least 1 complete sentence. Incorporate details from the text to support your response.

1. What do the three witches predict for Banquo? What do the three witches predict for Macbeth? How might their predictions and demeanor be described?

2. How does Lady Macbeth react when she reads Macbeth’s letter?

Paired Resource

Witchcraft in Elizabethan England

• This BBC article discusses magic in Shakespeare’s time.
• The article connects to the theme of Masculinity and Femininity.
• What role do the three witches play in Macbeth? What is Macbeth’s initial reaction to the sight of the witches? What is his reaction to their words? With regard to the information in this article, why might Shakespeare have included the witches in the plot of Macbeth?

Opening Scenes of Macbeth  

• This 5.5-minute video presents three different versions of the play’s opening scene. (Content Warning: The third opening scene includes wounds, gore, and murder.