MACBETH notes For Class XI

MACBETH

Q. Describe the first meeting of Macbeth with the witches?

Ans:-The witches met Macbeth for the first time in the blasted heath when Macbeth and Banquo were coming back after crushing a rebellion led by the Thane of Cawdor and assisted by the King of Norway. The first witch hailed Macbeth as the Thane of Glamis. The second witch called him the Thane of Cawdor and the third witch hailed him as the future King. Then turning to Banquo, the witches said that Banquo would be lesser than Macbeth yet greater, not so happy yet much happier, and he would be the father of future kings. Macbeth was amazed and puzzled at the prophecies and wondered how he could be the king when Duncan was living and having two sons to succeed him to the throne.

Q. ” Macbeth is more guided by his wife and less by his ambition “–Do you support this statement? Give reasons.

Ans:-Though this is the general perception that Macbeth is more guided by his wife and less by his ambition, we think this statement is far away from the truth . If Macbeth did not have strong ambition within, his wife could not have instigated him to commit the murder of Duncan. In fact, Macbeth was planning so from the moment he was hailed by the witches as the King of Scotland. Later in the play Macbeth kills Banquo, Macduff’s family and other people without any instigation from Lady Macbeth. He is remorseless and remains self assured of his indestructibility. Therefore, though Lady Macbeth was responsible, it was Macbeth’s ambition which guided him throughout.

Q.What role does the witches play in “Macbeth”?

Ans:-The witches play a very important role in “Macbeth”. Had they not been there, perhaps, Macbeth’s ambition of becoming the king would have remained suppressed in his heart. The witches act as a catalyst and increase Macbeth’s desire. It is because of the witches that Macbeth decides so early to plunge into criminality and realize his ambitions. The witches first make Macbeth hope, then give him the confidence only to lead him slowly and steadily towards his tragedy. But the witches cannot be held absolutely responsible for Macbeth’s fall. Unlike Banquo, Macbeth could not show the strength of character and falls prey to the dark desires of his mind.

Q. Describe in detail Macbeth’s experience when he goes to kill Duncan. / Describe the dagger scene.

Ans:-When Macbeth goes to kill Duncan he experiences some of the most miserable moments of his life. He hallucinates and sees an air drawn dagger which is bloody. When he tries to get hold of the dagger, it vanishes into the air. Then as he murders Duncan, one of the grooms cry out “murder” and both the grooms wake up. They pray together and say “amen”. Macbeth also tries to say “amen”, but words would not come out from him. Then Macbeth hears (because of his heat oppressed brain) someone saying that Macbeth has murdered sleep and as a result Macbeth shall sleep no more. Facing all this nightmares, Macbeth returns to his wife.

Q. Why did Macbeth murder Banquo? How was Banquo murdered?

Ans:-Macbeth murdered Banquo because Macbeth knew that only Banquo was witness to what the witches said and had strong reasons to suspect and investigate Macbeth’s hand in the murder of Duncan. Moreover, Macbeth was also jealous of Banquo as the witches had foretold that many of Banquo’s successors would be kings. So to eliminate that chance, Macbeth wanted to kill Banquo and his son Fleance.

Macbeth invited Banquo to a banquet and hired three murderers to kill Banquo and Fleance on their way to the Banquet. The murderers attacked them but could manage to kill only Banquo while Fleance escaped.

Q. What role did Lady Macbeth play in the murder of Duncan?

Ans:-Lady Macbeth played a very important role in the murder of Duncan. Macbeth had his ambitions but was not bold enough to achieve it by murdering Duncan. Lady Macbeth instigated him and successfully put pressure on him to kill the king. She did it by just using the valour off her tongue. Though she herself failed to stab Duncan as the sleeping old king resembled her dead father, she convinced Macbeth that he should go and do the job instead. They could then easily fix the blame on the grooms. So the planning of the murder and the way it was to be executed had come out from the mind of Lady Macbeth though Macbeth himself remains responsible for his crime.

Q. Narrate the fight between Macbeth and Macduff.

Ans:-Macbeth and Macduff fight each other towards the end of the play when the army of Malcolm, of which Macduff is a part, invades Scotland to dethrone and punish Macbeth. In the battlefield, Macbeth tries to avoid Macduff because of the Apparition’s warning where he was told to be “beware of Macduff”. But Macduff had many scores to settle with him and attacked him. Replying to Macbeth’s assertion, Macduff informs him that he was not of woman born and was from his mother’s womb untimely ripped off. Macbeth then realizes that his end was near but he carries on his fight with Macduff and gets killed in the battlefield in Macduff’s hands.

Q. Narrate the banquet scene in Macbeth.

Ans:-The Banquet Scene is an important part of the play “Macbeth”. The banquet is hosted by Macbeth to celebrate his accession to the throne. People, attending the banquet, were supposed to have allegiance for Macbeth. In the meantime Macbeth gets Banquo killed by hired murderers. In the banquet Macbeth complains about the absence of Banquo and questions his friendship. Suddenly Macbeth sees the blood smeared ghost of Banquo starts talking to him. He even challenges the ghost to fight with him. Nobody else sees the ghost, though. Fearing that Macbeth would reveal his crime in front of others, Lady Macbeth immediately orders dispersal of the crowd citing Macbeth’s illness.