Macbeth Act 3 Guided Reading Questions
1. Sc. 1, Lines 1-10: What specific dialogue supports the idea that Banquo is
hopeful about the prediction of the Weird Women?: "Set me up in hope." He
wants these predictions to come true for his children.
2. Sc. 1, Line 3: Consider what you have learned about Banquo's suspicions
about Macbeth. Identify and explain Banquo's tone as he addresses Macbeth.-
: He believes that Macbeth played foully to make his predictions come true.
3. Sc. 1, Lines 15-18: Explain what double meaning might be intended by
Banquo's statement that his "duties/ Are with a most indissoluble tie/ Forever
knit.": When he talks about duties, he talks about how he is willing to help Macbeth
due to his respect to him, however, Banquo also knows that Macbeth may have killed
Duncan in order to become king so he also could be saying that it is his duty to stop
Macbeth from committing any more crimes.
4. Sc. 1, Lines 29-71: What is an example of irony in Macbeth's dialogue in lines
29-35?: Macbeth claims that Malcolm and Donalbain are the murderers of Duncan
and not confessing to their crime even though Macbeth is the one who killed Duncan.
He used them to blame because they look guilty since they ran away.
5. Sc. 1, Lines 29-71: What evidence in Macbeth's soliloquy (lines 47-71) ex-
plains Macbeth's assessment of Banquo? What is revealed about Macbeth's
character?: MacBeth fears Banquo and his wit on to him. He thinks Banquo is wise,
which makes him fearful. He expresses that Banquo has a "noble" personality and
intuition. This reveals MacBeth is not sure of himself and has a weak, cautious side.
6. Sc. 1, Lines 65-71: What theme is developed in these lines?: "Don't ruin your
own peace for somebody else's benefit." MacBeth is not sure whether he is more
important than his loved ones. He explains in lines 68-70, "I've handed over my
everlasting soul to the devil so that they could be kings." (referring to Banquo's sons)
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, Macbeth Act 3 Guided Reading Questions
Macbeth thinks that all he has done will be nothing good to him since Banquo's heirs
will get the throne after him.
7. Sc. 1, Lines 71-104: Explain how the state directions and dialogue further
the action of the plot. Compare the nature of the First Murderer's dialogue to
Macbeth's.: Macbeth wants his conversation to be secret from everyone else. The
first murderer's dialogue is much shorter than Macbeth's. Also, Lady Macbeth is not
included in these plans, so Macbeth is doing these evil acts on his own.
8. Sc. 1, Lines 104-123: Scan the meter in lines 115-122 and identify the meter.
Then change the sentence structure of the following line: "And though I could/
With barefaced power sweep him from my sight." Restructure the sentence
so that it sounds more like usual speech. Then scan the restructured lines.
How does Shakespeare's use of inverted sentence structure affect iambic
pentameter?: You could change it so say, " Since i am now king, I could simply use
2/7
1. Sc. 1, Lines 1-10: What specific dialogue supports the idea that Banquo is
hopeful about the prediction of the Weird Women?: "Set me up in hope." He
wants these predictions to come true for his children.
2. Sc. 1, Line 3: Consider what you have learned about Banquo's suspicions
about Macbeth. Identify and explain Banquo's tone as he addresses Macbeth.-
: He believes that Macbeth played foully to make his predictions come true.
3. Sc. 1, Lines 15-18: Explain what double meaning might be intended by
Banquo's statement that his "duties/ Are with a most indissoluble tie/ Forever
knit.": When he talks about duties, he talks about how he is willing to help Macbeth
due to his respect to him, however, Banquo also knows that Macbeth may have killed
Duncan in order to become king so he also could be saying that it is his duty to stop
Macbeth from committing any more crimes.
4. Sc. 1, Lines 29-71: What is an example of irony in Macbeth's dialogue in lines
29-35?: Macbeth claims that Malcolm and Donalbain are the murderers of Duncan
and not confessing to their crime even though Macbeth is the one who killed Duncan.
He used them to blame because they look guilty since they ran away.
5. Sc. 1, Lines 29-71: What evidence in Macbeth's soliloquy (lines 47-71) ex-
plains Macbeth's assessment of Banquo? What is revealed about Macbeth's
character?: MacBeth fears Banquo and his wit on to him. He thinks Banquo is wise,
which makes him fearful. He expresses that Banquo has a "noble" personality and
intuition. This reveals MacBeth is not sure of himself and has a weak, cautious side.
6. Sc. 1, Lines 65-71: What theme is developed in these lines?: "Don't ruin your
own peace for somebody else's benefit." MacBeth is not sure whether he is more
important than his loved ones. He explains in lines 68-70, "I've handed over my
everlasting soul to the devil so that they could be kings." (referring to Banquo's sons)
1/7
, Macbeth Act 3 Guided Reading Questions
Macbeth thinks that all he has done will be nothing good to him since Banquo's heirs
will get the throne after him.
7. Sc. 1, Lines 71-104: Explain how the state directions and dialogue further
the action of the plot. Compare the nature of the First Murderer's dialogue to
Macbeth's.: Macbeth wants his conversation to be secret from everyone else. The
first murderer's dialogue is much shorter than Macbeth's. Also, Lady Macbeth is not
included in these plans, so Macbeth is doing these evil acts on his own.
8. Sc. 1, Lines 104-123: Scan the meter in lines 115-122 and identify the meter.
Then change the sentence structure of the following line: "And though I could/
With barefaced power sweep him from my sight." Restructure the sentence
so that it sounds more like usual speech. Then scan the restructured lines.
How does Shakespeare's use of inverted sentence structure affect iambic
pentameter?: You could change it so say, " Since i am now king, I could simply use
2/7
