1. How does the banquet scene in Act III illustrate Macbeth's deteriorating mental state?

2. What is the irony in Lady Macbeth's request to 'stop up th’ access and passage to remorse'?

3. How do the witches’ second set of prophecies impact Macbeth’s sense of invulnerability?

4. What is the symbolic significance of the line 'Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood clean from my hand?'

5. How does Hecate criticize the witches in Act III?

6. What does the line 'What's done cannot be undone' reflect about Lady Macbeth’s transformation?

7. Why does Malcolm urge Macduff to 'dispute it like a man' after hearing of his family's murder?

8. How does the motif of clothing in Macbeth symbolize deception and ambition?

9. What is the dramatic effect of showing Macbeth’s reaction to the apparitions in Act IV?

10. What role does the theme of fate vs free will play in Macbeth's choices?

11. How does the sleep motif evolve by Act V?

12. What does Macbeth mean by 'I am in blood / Stepped in so far'?

13. Why is Lady Macduff's murder significant?

14. What dramatic purpose does the English scene with Edward the Confessor serve?

15. How does Macbeth’s defiance at the end of the play contribute to his tragic image?

16. What does 'The instruments of darkness tell us truths...to betray’s in deepest consequence' warn against?

17. What is the tone of the line 'Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow...'?

18. Why does Macbeth arrange Banquo’s murder rather than doing it himself?

19. How does Macduff fulfill the traditional role of a tragic avenger?

20. Which symbol most clearly represents Lady Macbeth’s descent into madness?