Macbeth Test Questions-Period 5
Reflecting back over our study of Macbeth, I want you to pose one really thought provoking and higher level thinking question. Challenge yourself to think outside the box. Becareful not to repeat others' questions.
posted by annes @ 8:18 AM
21 Comments:
Why were the two scenes with Hecate added in afterwords? Did they think that shakespeare missed something? Was it because people didn't understand something so added a scene in to explain it, or did they just feel like adding it? What does it even add?
How did the characteristics of Lady Macbeth and Macbeth change through-out the book? What were the characteristics that went from one person to the other? What parts of Macbeth drastically change to help develop the story of the book?
One question if have been wondering concerns Malcolm. Now that he has killed Macbeth, how is he going to rule? Is something being shown by him having Macbteh's head on a stick?
POSTED BY MCKENNA~
Is there a relation between the "Lord of the Flies", aka the pig's head on a stick and Macduff bringing in Macbeth's head on a sword at the end of the play?
At the very end of the play, after Macbeth is told by the siward that Birnam Wood has come to Dunsinane, he becomes extremely angry and rash. He realizes that the Three Witches and the appartitions' prediction has been brought down and he should have every reason to worry. He knew that as long as those propecies did not come true, then him and his power would be safe. His feelings change at the very end of the play, though. Later, during the fight, when Macduff tells him that he wasn't born of a woman, and the Birnam Wood has "come" to Dunsinane, Macbeth hardly reacts. He should be afraid and anxious because it was foretold that once those events took place that he would be defeated and then he should worry. It is not the case. Macbeth all the sudden has this cocky attitude towards Macduff, insistent that he will win and not be brought down. Throughout the story, Macbeth has taken the Three Witches' word as gospel, so it seems odd to me that he has this sudden change of heart. So my question is, why does Macbeth have an ironic attitude towards his defeat, when he knows it is inevitable now that the prophecy has been fufilled?
While Siwards Army is disguised with the tree branches from Birnam Wood, what else do they represent? (Appearance vs. Reality) How can this be tied to Lord of the Flies?
If Lord of the Flies and Macbeth were written by two different authors in two different time periods, how do they have so much in common? Did William Golding read a lot of Shakespeare, or is this telling us something about the nature of Man? Are these two authors trying to tell us that deep down Man is nothing but a race of savages? If we had everything taken away from us like the boys in Lord of the Flies, or you had a chance to gain power like Macbeth did, what would you do? Would you turn into a savage or murder somebody else for your own good? Although we seem like a very civilized race, when you take everything away, are we nothing like a bunch of animals?
Karib--TOTALLY AWESOME comment/question.
Now for my own question...
What really caused Macbeth to become so short-tempered between the time he killed King Duncan and the first scene we see him as king.
What did he do in that time that caused him to be called a tyrant? The main reason that I am wondering this is because in my initial research on Macbeth, he really wasn't a tyrant and actually promoted good laws...
And again...what is Lady Macbeth's past???
And to add this:
Has anyone read any of the poems and other passages in the back of the book version of Macbeth? I espically recomend the poem written by Myrddn, and translated by W.S. Merwin: YSCOLAN. It really is cool. So is the poem by Robert Penn Warren: BETTER THAN COUNTING SHEEP. I just thought I'd throw that out there...
In both Macbeth and LOF they both show acts of challenging the system. Is that what we are doing right now, challenging the system and being war hero's, and possibly not even being aware of it?
P.S.- Ty C. I tought that you brought up a really good question.
Here is my question.
Wow. Stating the obvious there.
What do you think caused Macbeth to "turn the corner" and regard violence as ok, and what event signifies this?
My question is this: What is the importance of the use of couplets in the play? We all know that the witches constantly used rhyme in their speech, but why did Macbeth start using it in the end? Take as he is about to kill "Young Siward." He says "But swords I smile at, weapons laugh to scorn,/Brandished by man that's of a woman born." Later on, as he is fighting Macduff, as his last line in the play, he says "I throw my warlike shield. Lay on, Macduff,/And damned be him that first cries, 'Hold, enough!'" Does this connection between Macbeth and the witches show his slipping into the evilness only known to the likes of witches? Or is it simply added for dramatic effect?
Both MAcbeth and LOF have really caused me to think A LOT and I have many questions but I think the best on is
1. Why did it seem that murder got easier for both MAcbeth and Jack toward the end of the book and then it just detroyed them? Why the rapid decline in sanity? Murder had some effect on them at first but then it was like WHAM!!! I'm melting I'm melting like in the Wiizard of OZ.
Nice connection and question, Kenna. You too, Ty, my question is a little like yours:
What was Shakespeare's and Golding's ultimate message about mankind? How can mankind challenge the system sucessfully when these two novels demonstrate that, ripped down to the basics, we are like a bunch of selfish animals?
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Here is another question that is somewhat off-topic, but also related.
For you, when is violence an acceptable solution to a problem? How do your opinions differ from Macbeth's?
Was Lady Macbeth's death related to Macbeth's downfall? It seems that a lot of what happens to her happens to Macbeth and vis versa. As she fills with evil, Macbeth fills with evil, as he goes insane, she goes insane, when she dies, he dies. Are the two connected in a certain way,(other than marriage)and are their fates connected?
What was the build up that caused Macbeth to become overconfident in the end when he thought that he couldn't be slain by thinking that everyone is born of a woman? What was going on in his mind that caused him to overlook that fact that there might be a way for someone to "technically" not be born of a woman? Does this show that when mankind is focused on something, they can overlook smaller aspects of the situation and it ends up resulting in their déaths?
My internet was down until just now, so thats why i am posting so late.
Here are my questions;
What message do you think shakespeare and golding are sending about night?
what connections/symbols can you find?
How did the two authors play off of human kind's natural fear of the unknown, and why? (the unknown being night)
In class we have discussed the qualities/characteristics for being a tragic hero. How does Macbeth fill this role? Or if Macbeth is not the tragic hero, what other character fills the requirements?
My question is this. Macbeth has this insatiable need for blood after the first murder. What I want to know is if this happens to everyone or only certain people? If it had been just a normal person, after killing one person would he feel the same, wow I'm so powerful, feeling as Macbeth did or would he feel remorse and feel horrible? What kind of person feels each way? Does it take certain traits for someone to be like Macbeth and what are they?
Post a Comment
<< Home