Exam Prep Power-Up: 10 Essential Questions on Shakespeare's Macbeth
Studying Macbeth can be intense, but focusing on the core conflicts, characters, and thematic elements is the key to exam success. This Q&A guide provides direct, examination-style answers to the most frequently asked questions about the play. Part 1: Plot, Setting, and Context Q1: What is the significance of the opening scene with the Three Witches? A : The opening scene immediately establishes a dark, supernatural, and chaotic atmosphere ("Fair is foul, and foul is fair"). The Witches' paradoxical language introduces the theme of deception and moral ambiguity , foreshadowing the inversion of natural order that occurs when Macbeth commits regicide. It also sets up the central conflict: the manipulation of human destiny by external, malevolent forces. Q2: What are the three prophecies the Witches give to Macbeth and Banquo in Act I? A : 1. Macbeth : Thane of Glamis (which he already is). 2. Macbeth : Thane of Cawdor (which he soon becomes). 3. Macbeth : King herea...