Some Short Questions and answer on Macbeth
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*Q. What is meant by ‘fair is foul and foul is fair’?*
All that is good is foul to the Witches, all that is evil is welcome to them. It has a symbolical meaning; the Witches can not admit what is good : evil is the very core of their existence—they will even turn good into evil. They use their power and influence for disorder and confusion in the moral world.
*Q. Who is addressed as ‘Bellona’s bridegroom and why ?*
It means a person so braveas to be elected by the goddess of war as her bridegroom. Here this epithet is used for Macbeth. Bellona is the Roman goddess of war, sister of Mars, the god of war.
*Q. ‘The earth hath bubbles’ — Who are compared with and why ?*
The witches are but phantoms, they are as unsubstantial as bubbles of water. Banquo takes a sane and also impersonal view of the Witches. The difference is that Macbeth has a personal interest, while Banquo has none.
*Q. ‘Your children shall be kings’ — Who are the speaker and about whom they say this?*
Macbeth is the speaker who broods over the future, and cannot dismiss from his mind the unhappy thought that the crown will pass away to the children of Banquo.
*Q. ‘Can devil speak true’ — Who is the speaker and what he means to say ?*
Banquo is the speaker here. The witches were but the agents of the Devil. Part of their prophecies is fulfilled in the case of Macbeth. It makes Banquo wonder whether the Witch can really predict true event.
*Q. ‘Two truths are told’ — What are the ‘two truths’ and who told them to whom ?*
When Banquo addresses Ross and Angus to have a private talk with them, Macbeth again loses himself in speculation. In two matters the prophecy of the Witches has come true till now. He looks upon this partial fulfilment of the prophecy of the Witches as an index to his latter success. If these two prophecies have been fulfilled,—he may well expect that the third prophecy regarding the kingship of Scotland will also come true.
The first two prophecies, which have been fulfilled, are regarded as a preliminary to the coming honour which is the central plot of the play.
*Q. ‘Theirs is no art to find the mind’s construction in face’ — comment.*
As Duncan is too innocent and unsuspecting, he is going to repeat his mistake. There is a dramatic irony in Duncan’s remark. While he makes this pregnant remark, he is unconscious that what was true of Cawdor, might as well be true of another man, for example, Macbeth.
*Q. ‘Yet do I fear thy nature’ — Who fears for whose nature and why ?—*
Lady Macbeth gives her own estimate of her husband’s character. She has little faith in him. He is too human-hearted. He is not without moral scruples and he will be most unwilling to take the easiest way to the realisation of his ambition. It will be a hard job to persuade him to do what is necessary to win the crown.
*Q. ‘Milk of human kindness’ — Who is the speaker ? comment on the line.*
Lady Macbeth is the speaker here.Lady Macbeth gives her own estimate of her husband’s character. She has little faith in him. He is too human-hearted. He is not without moral scruples and he will be most unwilling to take the easiest way to the realisation of his ambition. It will be a hard job to persuade him to do what is necessary to win the crown.
*Q. ‘He brings great news’ — Who is the speaker and what is the ‘great news’ to the speaker ?*
Lady Macbeth is the speaker here. News most welcome because it is a great honour to have the king as one’s guest. That is the sense in which the messenger understands the words. On the other hand it is the most fortunate news because it affords an opportunity for murdering the king. It is the sense in which the speakers and the audience understand the words.
*Q. ‘Your face, my Thane is as a book’ — Who is the speaker and what does she mean?*
Lady Macbeth is the speaker here. Lady Macbeth with the instinct of a loving wife, at once notices the wild and distracted look of her husband, and she is afraid that it may give away the whole show. To her it is like an open book, where men may read strange things. Macbeth has a tell-tale face. Lady Macbeth warns him so that his face may not betray the crime, harboured in his thought.
*Q. ‘Look like the innocent flower’ — Who is the speaker and what does she mean?*
Lady Macbeth is the speaker here .Lady Macbeth is warning her husband not to betray his thought in his face. As she looks at his face, it is wild and distracted; it is like an open book in which a man may read whatever is there. Let Macbeth be on his guard and do not betray his inner feelings through his face. Let not the observers suspect what is in his mind. He should wear a perpetual smile of welcome to his guests. Let his eyes, his hands and his tongue radiate welcome. Let him act like the serpent, hidden among beautiful flowers. In any case the agitation of his mind must not betray itself either in his face, or in his behaviour. He should be very cautious, and play the genial host, never letting the king or his guests suspect what is passing within his mind.
*Q. ‘Is this a dagger which I see before my’ — Who is the speaker and what is the dagger?*
Macbeth is the speaker here. Some think that the dagger that Macbeth sees has a material appearance ; others think that it is a hallucination, caused by Macbeth’s distraught mental condition. Others again think that the dagger is only “a representation in the spiritual world,” i. e., it is real in so far as it is actually staged in the spiritual world, Macbeth being no longer on the ordinary human plane but subject to influence from outside. On the stage the dagger is not usually shown, Macbeth thinks he sees it on a table. He tries to grasp it, but on failing to do so gets confused. Finally, he decides that it is only a vision.
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*Q. What is meant by ‘fair is foul and foul is fair’?*
All that is good is foul to the Witches, all that is evil is welcome to them. It has a symbolical meaning; the Witches can not admit what is good : evil is the very core of their existence—they will even turn good into evil. They use their power and influence for disorder and confusion in the moral world.
*Q. Who is addressed as ‘Bellona’s bridegroom and why ?*
It means a person so braveas to be elected by the goddess of war as her bridegroom. Here this epithet is used for Macbeth. Bellona is the Roman goddess of war, sister of Mars, the god of war.
*Q. ‘The earth hath bubbles’ — Who are compared with and why ?*
The witches are but phantoms, they are as unsubstantial as bubbles of water. Banquo takes a sane and also impersonal view of the Witches. The difference is that Macbeth has a personal interest, while Banquo has none.
*Q. ‘Your children shall be kings’ — Who are the speaker and about whom they say this?*
Macbeth is the speaker who broods over the future, and cannot dismiss from his mind the unhappy thought that the crown will pass away to the children of Banquo.
*Q. ‘Can devil speak true’ — Who is the speaker and what he means to say ?*
Banquo is the speaker here. The witches were but the agents of the Devil. Part of their prophecies is fulfilled in the case of Macbeth. It makes Banquo wonder whether the Witch can really predict true event.
*Q. ‘Two truths are told’ — What are the ‘two truths’ and who told them to whom ?*
When Banquo addresses Ross and Angus to have a private talk with them, Macbeth again loses himself in speculation. In two matters the prophecy of the Witches has come true till now. He looks upon this partial fulfilment of the prophecy of the Witches as an index to his latter success. If these two prophecies have been fulfilled,—he may well expect that the third prophecy regarding the kingship of Scotland will also come true.
The first two prophecies, which have been fulfilled, are regarded as a preliminary to the coming honour which is the central plot of the play.
*Q. ‘Theirs is no art to find the mind’s construction in face’ — comment.*
As Duncan is too innocent and unsuspecting, he is going to repeat his mistake. There is a dramatic irony in Duncan’s remark. While he makes this pregnant remark, he is unconscious that what was true of Cawdor, might as well be true of another man, for example, Macbeth.
*Q. ‘Yet do I fear thy nature’ — Who fears for whose nature and why ?—*
Lady Macbeth gives her own estimate of her husband’s character. She has little faith in him. He is too human-hearted. He is not without moral scruples and he will be most unwilling to take the easiest way to the realisation of his ambition. It will be a hard job to persuade him to do what is necessary to win the crown.
*Q. ‘Milk of human kindness’ — Who is the speaker ? comment on the line.*
Lady Macbeth is the speaker here.Lady Macbeth gives her own estimate of her husband’s character. She has little faith in him. He is too human-hearted. He is not without moral scruples and he will be most unwilling to take the easiest way to the realisation of his ambition. It will be a hard job to persuade him to do what is necessary to win the crown.
*Q. ‘He brings great news’ — Who is the speaker and what is the ‘great news’ to the speaker ?*
Lady Macbeth is the speaker here. News most welcome because it is a great honour to have the king as one’s guest. That is the sense in which the messenger understands the words. On the other hand it is the most fortunate news because it affords an opportunity for murdering the king. It is the sense in which the speakers and the audience understand the words.
*Q. ‘Your face, my Thane is as a book’ — Who is the speaker and what does she mean?*
Lady Macbeth is the speaker here. Lady Macbeth with the instinct of a loving wife, at once notices the wild and distracted look of her husband, and she is afraid that it may give away the whole show. To her it is like an open book, where men may read strange things. Macbeth has a tell-tale face. Lady Macbeth warns him so that his face may not betray the crime, harboured in his thought.
*Q. ‘Look like the innocent flower’ — Who is the speaker and what does she mean?*
Lady Macbeth is the speaker here .Lady Macbeth is warning her husband not to betray his thought in his face. As she looks at his face, it is wild and distracted; it is like an open book in which a man may read whatever is there. Let Macbeth be on his guard and do not betray his inner feelings through his face. Let not the observers suspect what is in his mind. He should wear a perpetual smile of welcome to his guests. Let his eyes, his hands and his tongue radiate welcome. Let him act like the serpent, hidden among beautiful flowers. In any case the agitation of his mind must not betray itself either in his face, or in his behaviour. He should be very cautious, and play the genial host, never letting the king or his guests suspect what is passing within his mind.
*Q. ‘Is this a dagger which I see before my’ — Who is the speaker and what is the dagger?*
Macbeth is the speaker here. Some think that the dagger that Macbeth sees has a material appearance ; others think that it is a hallucination, caused by Macbeth’s distraught mental condition. Others again think that the dagger is only “a representation in the spiritual world,” i. e., it is real in so far as it is actually staged in the spiritual world, Macbeth being no longer on the ordinary human plane but subject to influence from outside. On the stage the dagger is not usually shown, Macbeth thinks he sees it on a table. He tries to grasp it, but on failing to do so gets confused. Finally, he decides that it is only a vision.
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