What do you make of the three weird sisters who foretell Macbeth’s future?
In what ways do you understand the witches “fair is foul and foul is fair” them?
How are the roles of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are reversed in the second half of the play?
Some have argued that Lady Macbeth is the most interesting and complex character in the play. To what extent do you agree with the view that the play would not exist without her?
How does Lady Macbeth respond to Macbeth’s furor (madness)?
What do you make of the employment of "new born babe" imagery employed by both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth? See esp. when LM says, "I have given suck, and know / How tender 'tis to love the babe that milks me. / I would, while it was smiling in my face, / Have plucked my nipple from his boneless gums / And dashed the brains out, had I so sworn / As you have done to this."
What does the fact that only Macbeth can see the ghost of Banquo suggest about the nature of the ghost? How does this scene relate back to the 'dagger of the mind' scene in 2.1?
Why does Macbeth visit the witches again?
Is the story of Macbeth a tragedy? How so? (you may have to refer to definitions of tragedy)
Is Macbeth a story of evil and wickedness?
What type of image of manhood does Macbeth present? In what way does the play
raise questions about the nature of a warrior as a hero?
How far do you think Macbeth is driven by his own ambition?
How far he is dominated by his wife's ambition?
How far he is influenced by the witches?
How far he is dominated by his wife's ambition?
How far he is influenced by the witches?
