mcbeth quiz
This quiz is all about character traits. Follow the directions for each type of question below.
Read this excerpt from Act 1, Scene 2
CAPTAIN
For a while you couldn’t tell who would win. The armies were like two exhausted swimmers clinging to each other and struggling in the water, unable to move. The villainous rebel Macdonwald was supported by foot soldiers and horsemen from Ireland and the Hebrides, and Lady Luck was with him, smiling cruelly at his enemies as if she were his whore. But Luck and Macdonwald together weren’t strong enough. Brave Macbeth, laughing at Luck, chopped his way through to Macdonwald, who didn’t even have time to say good-bye or shake hands before Macbeth split him open from his navel to his jawbone and stuck his head on our castle walls.
DUNCAN
My brave relative! What a worthy man!
Question 1 (2 points)
Saved
For the above excerpt, which character trait best describes Macbeth?
Question 1 options:
Anxious
Cowardly
Brave
Excited
Question 2 (1 point)
Type the quote from the excerpt above that best shows the character trait you chose.
Question 2 options:
Read the following excerpt from Act 1, Scene 3
ROSS
The king was happy to hear of your success, Macbeth. Whenever he hears the story of your exploits in the fight against the rebels, he becomes so amazed it makes him speechless. He was also shocked to learn that on the same day you fought the rebels you also fought against the army of Norway, and that you weren’t the least bit afraid of death, even as you killed everyone around you. Messenger after messenger delivered news of your bravery to the king with praise for how you defended his country.
ANGUS
The king sent us to give you his thanks and to bring you to him. Your real reward won’t come from us.
ROSS
And to give you a taste of what’s in store for you, he told me to call you the thane of Cawdor. So hail, thane of Cawdor! That title belongs to you now.
BANQUO
(shocked) Can the devil tell the truth?
MACBETH
The thane of Cawdor is still alive. Why are you giving me his title?
ANGUS
The man who was the thane of Cawdor is still alive, but he’s been sentenced to death, and he deserves to die. I don’t know whether he fought on Norway’s side, or if he secretly aided the rebels, or if he fought with both of our enemies. But his treason, which has been proven, and to which he’s confessed, means he’s finished.
Question 3 (2 points)
For the above excerpt, which character trait best describes Macbeth?
Question 3 options:
Bloodthirsty
Brave
Respected
Evil
Question 4 (1 point)
Type the quote from the excerpt above that best shows the character trait you chose.
Question 4 options:
Question 5 (5 points)
Match the quote to the character and trait that it best describes.
Question 5 options:
This quote shows that Macbeth is ambitious.
This quote shows that Lady Macbeth is controlling and Macbeth is a coward.
This quote shows that Lady Macbeth is devious and vicious.
This quote shows that Lady Macbeth is confident and evil.
This quote shows that Macbeth is fearful of losing everything.
1.
Act 1, Scene 7
Lady Macbeth: We, fail? If you get your courage up, we can’t fail. When Duncan is asleep — the day’s hard journey has definitely made him tired — I’ll get his two servants so drunk that their memory will go up in smoke through the chimneys of their brains. When they lie asleep like pigs, so drunk they’ll be dead to the world, what won’t you and I be able to do to the unguarded Duncan? And whatever we do, we can lay all the blame on the drunken servants.
2.
Act 1, Scene 7
Macbeth: The king trusts me in two ways. First of all, I am his kinsman and his subject, so I should always try to protect him. Second, I am his host, so I should be closing the door in his murderer’s face, not trying to murder him myself. Besides, Duncan has been such a humble leader, so free of corruption, that his virtuous legacy will speak for him when he dies, as if angels were playing trumpets against the injustice of his murder. Pity, like an innocent newborn baby, will ride the wind with winged angels on invisible horses through the air to spread news of the horrible deed to everyone everywhere. People will shed a flood of tears that will drown the wind like a horrible downpour of rain. I can’t spur myself to action. The only thing motivating me is ambition, which makes people rush ahead of themselves toward disaster.
3.
Act 2, Scene 2
Lady Macbeth: The alcohol that got the servants drunk has made me bold. The same liquor that quenched their thirst has fired me up. Listen! Quiet! That was the owl that shrieked, with a scary “good night” like the bells they ring before they execute people. Macbeth must be killing the king right now. The doors to Duncan’s chamber are open, and the drunk servants make a mockery of their jobs by snoring instead of protecting the king. I put so many drugs in their drinks that you can’t tell if they’re alive or dead.
4.
Act 2, Scene 2
Lady Macbeth: Who said that? Why, my worthy lord, you let yourself become weak when you think about things in this cowardly way. Go get some water and wash this bloody evidence from your hands. Why did you carry these daggers out of the room? They have to stay there. Go take them back and smear the sleeping guards with the blood.
Macbeth: I can’t go back. I’m afraid even to think about what I’ve done. I can’t stand to look at it again.
Lady Macbeth: Coward! Give me the daggers. Dead and sleeping people can’t hurt you any more than pictures can. Only children are afraid of scary pictures. If Duncan bleeds I’ll paint the servants’ faces with his blood. We must make it seem like they’re guilty.
5.
Act 3, Scene 1
Macbeth: To be the king is nothing if I’m not safe as the king. I’m very afraid of Banquo. There’s something noble about him that makes me fear him. He’s willing to take risks, and his mind never stops working. He has the wisdom to act bravely but also safely. I’m not afraid of anyone but him. Around him, my guardian angel is frightened, just as Mark Antony’s angel supposedly feared Octavius Caesar. Banquo chided the witches when they first called me king, asking them to tell him his own future. Then, like prophets, they named him the father to a line of kings. They gave me a crown and a scepter that I can’t pass on. Someone outside my family will take these things away from me, since no son of mine will take my place as king. If this is true, then I’ve tortured my conscience and murdered the gracious Duncan for Banquo’s sons. I’ve ruined my own peace for their benefit. I’ve handed over my everlasting soul to the devil so that they could be kings. Banquo’s sons, kings! Instead of watching that happen, I will challenge fate to battle and fight to the death. Who’s there!
Now it’s time to find your own quotes.
Question 6 (3 points)
Blank 1: Character Name (Macbeth or Lady Macbeth)
Blank 2: Character trait
Blank 3: Quote from Act 3 that shows that character trait. (Don’t forget to include where in the act you got the quote.)
Question 6 options:
Question 7 (3 points)
Blank 1: Character Name (Macbeth or Lady Macbeth)
Blank 2: Character trait
Blank 3: Quote from Act 4 that shows that character trait. (Don’t forget to include where in the act you got the quote.)
Question 7 options:
Question 8 (3 points)
Blank 1: Character Name (Macbeth or Lady Macbeth)
Blank 2: Character trait
Blank 3: Quote from Act 5 that shows that character trait. (Don’t forget to include where in the act you got the quote.)
Question 8 options:
Solution Preview
Character Traits
Follow the directions for each type of question below.
Read this excerpt from Act 1, Scene 2
CAPTAIN
For a while, you couldn’t tell who would win. The armies were like two exhausted swimmers clinging to each other and struggling in the water, unable to move. The villainous rebel Macdonwald was supported by foot soldiers and horsemen from Ireland and the Hebrides, and Lady Luck was with him, smiling cruelly at his enemies as if she were his whore. But Luck and Macdonwald together weren’t strong enough. Brave Macbeth, laughing at Luck, chopped his way through to Macdonwald, who didn’t even have time to say good-bye or shake hands before Macbeth split him open from his navel to his jawbone and stuck his head on our castle walls.
(1,370 words)