Tests from BBC Bitesize

Plot - Test
Test your knowledge of the plot by choosing the correct answer from the three choices for each question.
1.
At the beginning of the play, three witches meet on a heath to cause trouble. The first witch chants: "When
shall we three meet again? In thunder, lightening or...

...in pain'

...in rain'

...insane'
2.
After the battle, Macbeth and Banquo come across the three witches. They predict that:

Macbeth will be Thane of Cawdor and King of Scotland, and Banquo's sons will be kings.

Banquo will be Thane of Cawdor and Macbeth will be King of Scotland.

Macbeth and Banquo's sons will be thanes and kings.

3.
The quickest way for Macbeth to become king is to murder King Duncan...

and Macbeth is really up for it.

but Macbeth almost chickens out and Lady Macbeth has to bully him into it.

but Macbeth is too noble to do such a terrible thing.

4.
Why is Banquo murdered?

He has an affair with Lady Macbeth.

He suspects Macbeth is Duncan's murderer.

The witches' predictions about Banquo's sons make Macbeth paranoid.

5.
Lady Macbeth becomes ill and starts trying to scrub her hands in her sleep. Why?

She has Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.

Castles were dirty places in those days.

She dreams that her hands are covered in blood.

6.
The witches tell Macbeth not to worry because he won't be in danger until Birnam Wood moves to Dunsinane
castle. What happens?

Malcom's army cover themselves in leaves for camouflage.

The wind blows the leaves up the hill to the castle.

Macbeth stays safe. Trees can't move.

7.
The witches tell Macbeth that his life is charmed; he cannot be killed by any man "of woman born". So how
does Macduff manage to kill him?
 Macduff was a test-tube baby.

Macduff was found under a cabbage patch.

Macduff was born by caesarean section.

Character - Test
Take a look at these quotations from the play and see if you can match the quotes to the character they
describe.
1.
"Yet I do fear thy nature. It is too full o'th' milk of human kindness/To catch the nearest way." The character
speaking doesn't think this character is ruthless enough to achieve his goals.

Banquo

Macbeth

Macduff
2.
"You should be women,/And yet your beards forbid me to interpret/That you are so." These characters are so
ugly that it's not clear whether they're even human, let alone their gender!

Lady Macbeth

Banquo

The witches
3.
"Bring forth men-children only, For thy undaunted mettle should compose Nothing but males" This character
isn't gentle like girls supposedly should be; she's tough like a man and should only ever give birth to sons in
case they turn after her.

Macbeth

Lady Macbeth

Duncan
4.
"He hath a wisdom that doth guide his valour/To act in safety"
This character is wise, brave and careful.

Banquo

Duncan

Macduff
5.
"[he] hath borne his faculties so meek, hath been so clear in his great office, that his virtues will plead like
angels"
This character is kind and honest and did his duty. He doesn't deserve to die.

Macduff

Macbeth
 Duncan
6.
"[he] was from his mother's womb/Untimely ripped". This character was born by caesarean section.

Lady Macbeth

Macduff

Macbeth

Dramatic Effect - Test

How is drama created in Macbeth? Answer the following questions to see if you understand what makes
Shakespeare such a clever craftsman.
1.
What is the purpose of Macbeth's hallucinations?

To scare the audience. We wonder if Macbeth is mad with fear and regret or whether it is a supernatural
force that makes the dagger, then Banquo's ghost appear?

Special effects were rubbish, but cheap in Shakespeare's day.

2.
Shakespeare often changes the tone or mood between scenes because:

he was a clever writer who liked to manipulate the emotions of his audience to keep them interested in the
play.

his attention wandered and he got fed up of what he was writing.

3.
An example of when Shakespeare uses dramatic irony is when Macbeth invites Banquo round for dinner, whilst
behind his back he is planning to kill him. What effect on the audience does this create?

tension, excitement and/or fear.

humour.
4.
At the end of the play, Macbeth faces certain death with bravery. What possible effect does this have on the
audience?

it makes us laugh.

we remember that he was a good man at the beginning of the play and feel sorry that someone so noble
was brought so low.

Themes - Test
Ambition, Appearance and Reality, and the Supernatural are just three of the themes explored in Macbeth.
Match the quotations to the themes they represent.
1.
"Thou wouldst be great, / Art not without ambition, but without / The illness should attend it."

Ambition.

Appearance and Reality.

 The Supernatural.
2.
"Is this a dagger which I see before me, / The handle toward my hand?"

Ambition.

Appearance and Reality.

The Supernatural.
3.
"Look like the innocent flower, / But be the serpent under't."

Ambition.

Appearance and Reality.

The Supernatural.
4.
"Have no spur / To prick the sides of my intent, but only / Vaulting ambition"

Ambition.

Appearance and Reality.

The Supernatural.
5.
"Come you spirits / And fill me from the crown to the toe top-full with direst cruelty."

Ambition.

Appearance and Reality.

The Supernatural.
6.
"By the pricking of my thumbs, / Something wicked this way comes."

Ambition.

Appearance and Reality.

The Supernatural.

Language - Test
Shakespeare's use of metaphors make the language of his plays vivid and memorable.
See if you can match each of the following metaphors with the correct explanation.
1.
"My hands are of your colour, but I shame / To wear a heart so white."

My hands are red with blood, just like yours, but I'm not scared like you.

Donalbain and Malcolm, as heirs to the throne, can't trust anyone. The people who are nicest to them are
likely to want to murder them.

In killing Duncan, Macbeth is killing off any hopes of ever being able to sleep soundly again.
2.
"Macbeth does murder sleep"

Macbeth tells his wife that killing Duncan wasn't enough. They still aren't safe on the throne.

Lady Macbeth has died before her time. Human life is like a flame, easily snuffed out.

In killing Duncan, Macbeth is killing off any hopes of ever being able to sleep soundly again.
3.
"There's daggers in men's smiles"

Donalbain and Malcolm, as heirs to the throne, can't trust anyone. The people who are nicest to them are
likely to want to murder them.

My hands are red with blood, just like yours, but I'm not scared like you.

Macbeth tells his wife that killing Duncan wasn't enough. They still aren't safe on the throne.
4.
"We have scorched the snake, not killed it"

In killing Duncan, Macbeth is killing off any hopes of ever being able to sleep soundly again.

My hands are red with blood, just like yours, but I'm not scared like you.

Macbeth tells his wife that killing Duncan wasn't enough. They still aren't safe on the throne.
5.
"Out, out brief candle!"

Macbeth tells his wife that killing Duncan wasn't enough. They still aren't safe on the throne.

Lady Macbeth has died before her time. Human life is like a flame, easily snuffed out.

In killing Duncan, Macbeth is killing off any hopes of ever being able to sleep soundly again.
Check score

Sample questions
Typical questions ask you to show how a character develops during the play, or how a theme is presented in the
play, or to look closely at a scene in the play. So we might have tasks like:
1. How does Macbeth change during the course of the play?
2. How is the theme of ambition dealt with in Macbeth?
3. How is drama created in Act 2, Scene 1?
4. What is the importance of the relationship between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth?
Each of these tasks mentions one main topic - for example, the first is about Macbeth, so it's about character.
However, you will also have to deal with a number of other topics in your answer. For instance, you should look at
how he speaks, so you are looking at language. You could also look at his part in the plot, how he is used for
dramatic effect and the themes he talks about. We could look at each question in the same way.
For instance, an answer to question 3 above should cover what Act 2, Scene 1 adds to the overall plot, the
characters in the scene, the dramatic effects (that is the main part of the question!), the themes in the scene and
the language the characters use.
In other words, try to look at a range of topics in your answer. Markers are always pleased to see answers which
cover plot, character, dramatic effect, theme and language.

Writing the first draft

Once you have planned your answer, you can start writing the first draft. Remember, this is coursework so you
might be able to write a number of drafts, making each one better as you develop your answer. However, many
people worry about starting their answer - they aren't sure where they should start - and so they include a lot which
is not asked for or needed. For instance, you might know a lot about the background to the play or about
Shakespeare's life, but is it really relevant? Let's compare two ways of starting to answer the question 'What is the
importance of the relationship between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth?'
Version One:
Macbeth is a play by Shakespeare. It is set in Scotland and is about how ambition drives a man towards evil. The
play was probably first performed at the Globe Theatre in London. In Shakespeare's time the theatre was very
different because no females were allowed to act so all the female roles, including Lady Macbeth and the witches,
were played by males.
At first sight this looks okay. It is all correct and is about Macbeth. However, the person marking the essay already
knows the play, and all the background details, and this introduction could be for any title. In fact, most markers
would not give any marks so far because nothing about the question has been given. There is a much better way of
starting your essay or talk, so let's look at version two.

Sample answer
The best way is to start answering your question straight away. It will help you focus on what is really important,
and it will help you decide what extra ideas you need as you develop your answer.
Version Two:Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are at the heart of the play - they provide the ambition, the justification
and the actions which drive the events forward. Our first view of them is of a close, caring couple. Macbeth doesn't
treat her as a passive, submissive wife. Instead she is his equal and his letter calls her his 'dearest partner'. She, on
the other hand, seems tougher and more business-like. She says she wants to 'pour my spirits' into his ear and we
quickly see how determined she is. For instance, when they meet Macbeth calls her his 'dearest love' but her
response is to ask where Duncan will go after his visit.
This might be a first draft but already it has a good focus on the question. Working like this allows you to plan your
answer around the question, which is far better than just writing everything you know about the play. Remember,
there is nothing wrong with including extra detail but you only get marks for what is relevant.

Different approaches
The final thing to remember is there are lots of ways of answering the same question. You don't have to follow a set
plan, or include things in a fixed order. It helps if you have a range of ideas, especially if they are connected to the
plot, characters, dramatic effects, themes and language. Stick to what is relevant and don't be afraid to put a
personal reaction in as well - it shows you have engaged with the text and not just copied ideas you have heard.
So, imagine our task is 'How is the theme of ambition dealt with in Macbeth?'. There are all sorts of ways of
answering this - one answer might start with different aspects of ambition, another answer with the language of
ambition and another with the dramatic effects created. However, try to plan the start of an answer using the
character of Macbeth as the focus. Once you've done that, compare your ideas with the answer below.
'How is the theme of ambition dealt with in Macbeth?'
One of the main themes in Macbeth is ambition and from the start we can see just how tempted Macbeth is at the
thought of becoming king. He recognises his 'black and deep desires' but writes to tell his wife at length and is
increasingly torn by a 'suggestion' that killing Duncan will make the witches' predictions come true.
Macbeth recognises where ambition can lead and the contrast between what he thinks he should do, and his inner
thoughts. His language reflects this, using antithesis such as 'heaven or to hell'. In fact, his very first words are 'So
fair and foul a day'. This repeats what the witches have been saying and it would be obvious to an audience in
Shakespeare's day that Macbeth is already associated with the evil the witches represent.
There are many approaches you can take to the same question. This is only the start of the task and there is a lot
more you could add, but it is a fine introduction because it keeps to the point as well as using a range of relevant
details combined with personal thoughts.