Horizon International School

English Department
2020-2021
Subject: Worksheet (Guiding Questions)
Drama (The Tragedy of Macbeth) - Act 5

Name: ……………… Class: 10 ( ) Date:____/_____/2020

(The Tragedy of Macbeth) - Act 5

Read the drama The Tragedy of Macbeth by William Shakespeare. Then,

reread the lines indicated with each question below. Answer each question,
citing text evidence.

1) Sc. 1, Lines 1–17: What does the gentlewoman want the doctor to do? Why?
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________

2) Sc. 1, Lines 27–31: Identify an example of a contraction that would sound unfamiliar to
modern ears and one that would sound familiar. Explain the meaning of each.
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________

3) Sc. 1, Lines 30–38: What appears to have happened to Lady Macbeth? How can you tell?
Base your response on what you know about Lady Macbeth’s words and actions earlier
in the play.
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________

4) Sc. 2, Lines 6–13: Where are Menteith and the other noblemen in this scene going to
meet up with the English soldiers to march against Macbeth? Why is this setting
important?
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________

5) Sc. 2, Lines 16–22: What does Angus mean when he says “Those he commands move
only in command/ Nothing in love”? What simile does Angus use in these lines? What
does it mean? How is it an effective use of language?
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________

1
6) Sc. 3, Lines 1–18: How is Macbeth’s attitude here different from his previous attitude in
the play, particularly in the way he treats the servant?
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________

7) Sc. 3, Lines 38–46: What ails Lady Macbeth? What does Macbeth wish the doctor could
do?
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
8) Sc. 3, Lines 49–56: What does Macbeth’s dialogue to the doctor in these lines say about
Macbeth? What is ironic about Macbeth asking the doctor to cure Scotland’s “disease”?
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________

9) Sc. 4, Lines 14–16: Compare Macduff’s attitude toward warfare with Macbeth’s.
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________

10) Sc. 4, Lines 17–28: Explain how these lines reflect Macbeth’s state of mind in the latter
part of the play.
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________

11) Sc. 5, Lines 33–52: Describe Macbeth’s attitude toward the upcoming fight. Use details
from the text to explain why he feels this way.
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________

12) Sc. 7, Lines 1–13: How does Macbeth’s attitude toward fighting change over the course
of this scene with Young Siward? Why?
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________

13) Sc. 7, Lines 14–23: What are two examples of verbs ending in -est (or -st)? How is each
verb used?
_________________________________________________________________________

2
 _________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________

14) Sc. 8, Lines 1–14: What are some character traits that Macbeth shows in this final scene?
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________

15) Sc. 8, Lines 27–34: Examine how Macbeth faces death and compare his character here
to characterizations earlier in the play, such as the Captain’s description of him in Act I,
Scene 2. What traits have stayed the same throughout the entire play?

_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________

16) Sc. 8, Lines 46–50: What does Siward wish to find out about the way his son died? Why
is this important to him? How might this relate to Macbeth’s behavior throughout the
play? What theme might you formulate based on these observations?

_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________