ISC Class 12 English Drama Macbeth Act 3 Scene 1 Important Question Answers
Macbeth Act 3 Scene 1 Question Answers: Looking for ISC Class 12 English Drama Macbeth Act 3 Scene 1 question answers? Look no further! Our comprehensive compilation of important questions will help you brush up on your subject knowledge. Practising ISC Class 12 English question answers can significantly improve your performance in the exam. Our solutions provide a clear idea of how to write the answers effectively. Improve your chances of scoring high marks by exploring Macbeth Act 3 Scene 1 now. The questions listed below are based on the latest ISC exam pattern.
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ISC Class 12 English Drama Macbeth Act 3 Scene 1 Textbook Questions
ASSIGNMENT
Question 1
Choose the correct options for the following questions:
1. According to Banquo, how has Macbeth become King and Thane of Glamis and Cawdor?
(a) By diplomacy
(b) By foul means
(c) By witchcraft
(d) By courage
Ans. (b) By foul means
2. Who is referred to in this scene as the ‘chief guest?
(a) Banquo
(b) Macduff
(c) Lady Macbeth
(d) Ross
Ans. (a) Banquo
3. What does Macbeth refer to as ‘grave and prosperous’?
(a) Banquo’s presence at the banquet
(b) Banquo’s advice
(c) Banquo’s countenance
(d) Banquo’s murder.
Ans. (b) Banquo’s advice
4. Why did Macbeth ask Banquo about his and his son’s plans for the next day?
(a) He wanted to bestow titles on them
(b) He wanted to host a banquet in their honour
(c) He wanted to plan their murder
(d) None of the above.
Ans. (c) He wanted to plan their murder
5. Banquo’s soliloquy shows that
(a) he is influenced by the prophecies of the witches
(b) he will use all means to secure the throne
(c) he intends to kill Macbeth
(d) All of the above
Ans. (a) he is influenced by the prophecies of the witches
6. Who were waiting for Macbeth outside the palace gate?
(a) Those who were assigned the murder of Malcolm and Donalbain
(b) Those who were assigned the murder of Banquo and his son
(c) Those who helped Macbeth in the murder of Duncan
(d) None of the above.
Ans. (b) Those who were assigned the murder of Banquo and his son
7. How did Macbeth instigate the two assassins to murder Banquo?
(a) By brainwashing them that Banquo was their oppressor
(b) By tempting them with money and titles
(c) By reminding them of their previous evil deed
(d) None of the above.
Ans. (a) By brainwashing them that Banquo was their oppressor
8. Why did Macbeth say that he could not order Banquo’s execution?
(a) He takes Banquo as his best friend
(b) He wants to help them (the assassins)
(c) He cannot lose some mutual friends by doing so
(d) None of the above.
Ans. (c) He cannot lose some mutual friends by doing so
9. Which characteristic traits of Banquo are feared by Macbeth?
(a) Extremely daring
(b) Fearless
(c) Prudent mind
(d) All of the above.
Ans. (d) All of the above.
10. For which of the following Macbeth used, ‘mine eternal jewel?
(a) The crown of Duncan
(b) The title of Thane of Cawdor
(c) His immortal soul
(d) None of the above.
Ans. (c) His immortal soul
11. To whom does Macbeth refer as the ‘common enemy of man’?
(a) Dying Duncan
(b) Satan
(c) Lady Macbeth
(d) Hecate.
Ans. (b) Satan
12. According to Macbeth, whose every minute of existence is a threat to him?
(a) Macduff’s
(b) Banquo’s
(c) Malcolm’s
(d) All of the above.
Ans. (b) Banquo’s
13. How had Banquo wronged the first murderer, according to Macbeth?
(a) Banquo’s cruel actions had crushed him
(b) Banquo was responsible for impoverishing their families
(c) Both (a) and (b)
(d) None of the above
Ans. (c) Both (a) and (b)
14. Who, of the following, could easily make out that Banquo had harmed the murderers?
(a) half a soul
(b) notion crazed
(c) innocent self
(d) Both (a) and (b)
Ans. (d) Both (a) and (b)
Question 2
1. Complete the following sentences by providing a reason for each:
1. Banquo in his soliloquy believes that the witches’ prophecy regarding him would prove true because _________________________
Ans. Banquo in his soliloquy believes that the witches’ prophecy regarding him would prove true because all of the titles promised to Macbeth (Glamis, Cawdor, and King) have already been fulfilled, proving the witches’ words have truth.
2. Banquo in his soliloquy appears to be different from Macbeth because __________________________________
Ans. Banquo in his soliloquy appears to be different from Macbeth because while Macbeth took violent action to force the prophecy to come true, Banquo chooses to remain silent and patient, letting fate take its own course.
3. Macbeth, in his soliloquy, feels that the witches had placed on his head a deceptive crown because _____________________________
Ans. Macbeth, in his soliloquy, feels that the witches had placed on his head a deceptive crown because he has no children to inherit the throne, meaning his lineage will end with him while Banquo’s descendants are prophesied to be kings.
4. Macbeth admits his moral inferiority to Banquo because _______________________________
Ans. Macbeth admits his moral inferiority to Banquo because he states that under Banquo, his own spirit feels intimidated and overshadowed by Banquo’s natural nobility and virtue.
5. This scene builds up suspense because _____________________________
Ans. This scene builds up suspense because it marks the moment Macbeth shifts from killing for a ‘necessity’ i.e. Duncan’s murder, to killing for ‘security’ i.e. Banquo’s murder, and it ends with the audience knowing an innocent man and child are about to be attacked in the dark.
6. Banquo cannot do anything to Macbeth because ___________________________________
Ans. Banquo cannot do anything to Macbeth because he lacks physical proof of Macbeth’s crimes and he is hopeful that the witches’ prophecy, which predicts his own descendants will be kings, will come true if he simply waits for fate.
ISC Class 11 English Drama Macbeth Act 3 Scene 1 Extra Question and Answers
Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
Q1. What does Banquo suspect about Macbeth at the beginning of the scene?
A. That Macbeth will be a great king
B. That Macbeth killed Duncan to become king
C. That the witches lied to Macbeth
D. That Macbeth is planning to kill him
Ans. B. That Macbeth killed Duncan to become king
Q2. Who does Macbeth refer to as the ‘chief guest’ at his banquet?
A. Macduff
B. Lady Macbeth
C. Banquo
D. Ross
Ans. C. Banquo
Q3. Why does Macbeth ask Banquo if Fleance is riding with him?
A. He wants to invite Fleance to the feast
B. He wants to make sure Fleance is safe
C. He wants Fleance to become a knight
D. He is planning to have both of them murdered
Ans. D. He is planning to have both of them murdered
Q4. According to Macbeth’s soliloquy, why is he afraid of Banquo?
A. Banquo is stronger than him
B. Banquo has a royalty of nature and is wise
C. Banquo knows where the murder weapon is
D. Banquo is planning a rebellion
Ans. B. Banquo has a royalty of nature and is wise
Q5. What does Macbeth mean when he says he has a fruitless crown?
A. His crown is made of cheap gold
B. He has no children to inherit the throne
C. He does not have enough power
D. The people of Scotland do not like him
Ans. B. He has no children to inherit the throne.
Q6. How does Macbeth convince the murderers to kill Banquo?
A. He offers them a large sum of gold
B. He threatens to execute them if they refuse
C. He lies and says Banquo is the cause of their poverty
D. He tells them it is a command from God
Ans. C. He lies and says Banquo is the cause of their poverty
Q7. To what animal does Macbeth compare the different ranks of men?
A. Lions
B. Horses
C. Dogs
D. Wolves
Ans. C. Dogs
Q8. Why does Macbeth say he cannot kill Banquo himself?
A. He is too afraid to do it
B. He doesn’t want to upset mutual friends they both have
C. It is against the law for a king to kill a nobleman
D. He promised Lady Macbeth he wouldn’t kill anymore
Ans. B. He doesn’t want to upset mutual friends they both have
Q9. Who else does Macbeth order the murderers to kill along with Banquo?
A. Macduff
B. Fleance
C. Lennox
D. Donalbain
Ans. B. Fleance
Q10. What is the name of Banquo’s son who goes riding with him?
A. Donalbain
B. Fleance
C. Malcolm
D. Lennox
Ans. B. Fleance
Fill Up Sentences
1. Banquo feels a sense of hope for his own future because __________.
Banquo feels a sense of hope for his own future because the witches’ prophecies for Macbeth came true, which suggests their oracles regarding Banquo’s descendants becoming kings may also be true.
2. Macbeth is specifically interested in Fleance’s whereabouts because __________.
Macbeth is specifically interested in Fleance’s whereabouts because Fleance is the son of Banquo, and his death is necessary to stop the witches’ prophecy about Banquo’s bloodline inheriting the throne.
3. Macbeth describes his crown as fruitless and his scepter as barren because __________.
Macbeth describes his crown as fruitless and his scepter as barren because he has no children to inherit the throne, meaning his kingship ends with his death and will not stay in his family.
4. Macbeth feels that his ‘Genius is rebuked’ by Banquo because __________.
Macbeth feels that his ‘Genius is rebuked’ by Banquo because he feels morally and intellectually intimidated by Banquo’s natural nobility and wisdom, which makes Macbeth feel small and insecure.
5. Macbeth believes he has defiled his mind for nothing because __________.
Macbeth believes he has defiled his mind for nothing because he has murdered the gracious Duncan and ruined his own peace only to eventually hand the throne over to Banquo’s children.
6. Macbeth uses a metaphor about different breeds of dogs because __________.
Ans. Macbeth uses a metaphor about different breeds of dogs because he wants to challenge the murderers’ manhood, suggesting that just as some dogs are better than others, real men would take revenge.
7. The murderers are willing to perform the crime because __________.
The murderers are willing to perform the crime because they are desperate men who have had such bad luck that they are willing to do anything to either improve their lives or end them.
8. Macbeth insists that the murder must happen away from the palace because __________.
Macbeth insists that the murder must happen away from the palace because he needs to maintain a public image of innocence and cannot be seen as the person responsible for his friend’s death.
9. Macbeth tells the murderers that Banquo is their enemy because __________.
Macbeth tells the murderers that Banquo is their enemy because he needs to manipulate them into feeling personal hatred so they are more motivated to commit the murder.
10. Macbeth decides to challenge fate to combat because __________.
Macbeth decides to challenge fate to combat because he is determined to prevent the witches’ predictions for Banquo from coming true, even if it means fighting against destiny itself.
Extra Questions
SHORT QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Q1. How does Banquo’s opening soliloquy reflect his internal conflict and his changing view of Macbeth?
Ans. In his opening soliloquy, Banquo reveals a complex mixture of suspicion and hope. He acknowledges that Macbeth now possesses everything the weird women promised, the titles of Glamis, Cawdor, and King. However, his suspicion is clear when he notes, ‘I fear thou played’st most foully for’t’. This indicates that while Banquo remains loyal in action, he no longer trusts Macbeth’s moral character. Simultaneously, Banquo finds himself tempted by the witches’ prophecy concerning his own lineage. He wonders if, since the prophecies came true for Macbeth, they might also be oracles for him, suggesting that his descendants will reign. This internal struggle shows that Banquo is not entirely immune to ambition; however, unlike Macbeth, he chooses to remain passive and let fate take its course rather than committing crimes to secure his family’s future.
Q2. Why does Macbeth feel that his ‘Genius is rebuked’ by Banquo, and how does this drive his paranoia?
Ans. Macbeth’s fear of Banquo is deeply rooted in a sense of inferiority and insecurity. He admits that in Banquo’s presence, his own guiding spirit is rebuked, just as Mark Antony’s was by Octavius Caesar. Macbeth admires Banquo’s royalty of nature, which includes a rare combination of dauntless courage and the wisdom to act safely. This makes Banquo a unique threat; he is smart enough to suspect Macbeth and brave enough to act on it. Furthermore, Macbeth is tormented by the witches’ prophecy that Banquo’s children will be kings. He feels he has filed his mind and murdered the kind King Duncan only to hand a ‘fruitless crown’ and a ‘barren scepter’ to different successors. This paranoia drives him to conclude that his kingship is meaningless unless he can eliminate the threat posed by Banquo’s bloodline.
Q3. How does Macbeth manipulate the two murderers into agreeing to kill Banquo?
Ans. Macbeth employs sophisticated psychological manipulation to recruit the murderers, mirroring the tactics Lady Macbeth once used on him. Instead of simply offering money, he creates a personal vendetta by convincing them that Banquo is the source of all their poverty and misfortune. He tells them it was Banquo who kept them disadvantaged in the past, effectively making Banquo a scapegoat for their suffering. When the murderers respond that they are real men, Macbeth challenges their manhood by comparing types of men to different breeds of dogs. He suggests that if they have a rank worthy enough of manhood that is not the very lowest, they must prove it by taking revenge. By attacking their masculinity and reframing a cold-blooded murder as an act of righteous justice against an oppressor, Macbeth ensures their loyalty and desperation to complete the task.
Q4. What is the significance of Macbeth’s decision to include Fleance in the murder plot?
Ans. The decision to kill Fleance represents a critical turning point in Macbeth’s moral decay. While the murder of Duncan was a means to gain power, the ordered execution of a child like Fleance is an attempt to fight against fate itself. Macbeth is no longer killing out of immediate necessity; he is killing to secure a legacy and spite the witches’ prophecy. He explicitly tells the murderers that Fleance’s is as significant to him as Banquo’s. This highlights Macbeth’s total obsession with the fruitless crown. He believes that by killing Fleance, he can break the cycle of the prophecy and ensure that no different lineage takes away the scepter from his family. This act shows that Macbeth has become a full tyrant, willing to destroy the future of Scotland and the lives of the innocent to soothe his own personal insecurities.
Q5. How does the setting and atmosphere of the palace at Forres change during this scene?
Ans. In Act 3, Scene 1, the palace at Forres is transformed from a place of royal celebration into a site of dark conspiracy and profound isolation. At the start of the scene, the setting is formal and public as the new King and Queen host their court. The language is filled with talk of suppers and great feasts. However, beneath this ‘false face’, the atmosphere is thick with tension. Banquo’s opening soliloquy in the shadows sets a tone of distrust. Once the court departs, the palace becomes a confined space where Macbeth plots in secret with social outcasts. The shift from the bright, royal ceremony to the private hiring of assassins reflects the corruption of the Scottish throne. The palace, which should symbolize law and order, has become a place where the King masks the business from the common eye for various important reasons, signifying a regime built on lies.
LONG QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Q1. How does the dog metaphor used by Macbeth reflect his shifting view of humanity and social hierarchy?
Ans. When the murderers claim they are men, Macbeth responds with an elaborate analogy involving dogs, listing various breeds such as greyhounds, spaniels, and demi-wolves. Macbeth bitterly tells his murderers that even though they call themselves men, they are classified like various types of dogs, lacking true distinction, and will only become men when they kill Banquo, highlighting his dark manipulation and view of their worth. By using this ‘valued file’, Macbeth is doing more than just insulting the murderers; he is articulating a world-view where an individual’s value is defined solely by their utility and their capacity for violence. This metaphor reflects Macbeth’s own descent into a predatory mindset. He no longer views people as brothers or subjects but as tools to be categorized based on their ‘station in the file’ of manhood. By challenging them to prove they are not the worst rank, he forces them to define their humanity through their willingness to kill. This is a significant shift from Duncan’s reign, which was characterized by natural order and grace. Under Macbeth, the social hierarchy has become a catalogue of predators where the ‘swift, the slow, and the subtle’ are measured only by how well they serve the tyrant’s needs. This dehumanization of his subjects is essential for Macbeth to maintain power, as it allows him to treat his former friends and his citizens as replaceable animals in his struggle for survival.
Q2. In what ways does Macbeth’s conversation with Banquo before the ride demonstrate his mastery of false face?
Ans. At the start of the scene, Macbeth treats Banquo with a level of exaggerated hospitality that masks his murderous intent. He refers to Banquo as their chief guest and insists that his absence from the feast would be a gap in their great feast. This performance is a perfect execution of the false face theme introduced in Act 1. Macbeth is now a seasoned deceiver; he uses formal, royal language to create an illusion of security and friendship. He even asks for Banquo’s good advice during the day’s council, pretending to value Banquo’s wisdom while secretly plotting to permanently silence that same wisdom. The true chilling nature of this false face is revealed in Macbeth’s inquisitive questioning. He casually asks the whereabouts of his ride and if Fleance is going with Banquo. On the surface, these seem like the polite inquiries of a concerned host, but in reality, they are tactical intelligence-gathering. Macbeth is hiding the business from the common eye by using the social graces of a king to set an ambush. This interaction proves that Macbeth has fully adopted the serpent persona that Lady Macbeth once urged him to take. He is able to look Banquo in the eye and wish his horses swift and sure foot while simultaneously hiring men to intercept them on the road. This total separation between outward behavior and inner intent shows that Macbeth’s soul is now entirely consumed by cold-blooded calculation.
Q3. Why is the reference to Mark Antony and Octavius Caesar significant in Macbeth’s soliloquy?
Ans. Macbeth makes a historical allusion to the Roman Empire, stating that under Banquo, his own ‘Genius is rebuked, as, it is said, / Mark Antony’s was by Caesar’. This reference is deeply significant because it highlights Macbeth’s feelings of destined inferiority. In history and in Shakespeare’s own plays, Mark Antony was a brave and charismatic soldier, yet he was consistently overshadowed and defeated by the more calculated, politically astute Octavius Caesar. By comparing himself to Antony and Banquo to Caesar, Macbeth is admitting that he feels naturally subordinate to Banquo’s inherent nobility and royalty of nature. This allusion reveals that Macbeth’s fear is not just about physical safety, but about a cosmic or spiritual hierarchy. He senses that Banquo possesses a natural authority that he himself lacks, despite now wearing the crown. Even though Macbeth is King, he feels that Banquo’s presence shames his own spirit. This psychological burden is unbearable for a man who has sacrificed everything to be the highest power in the land. He cannot tolerate the existence of a man who makes him feel like a lesser spirit. By using this Roman analogy, Shakespeare emphasizes that Macbeth’s envy is of a total nature; he doesn’t just want Banquo’s life ended, he wants to erase the man who makes his own kingship feel like an imitation. It reinforces the idea that Macbeth’s tyranny is driven by a deep-seated, painful sense of personal inadequacy.
Q4. How does Macbeth’s justification for hiring murderers rather than executing Banquo legally reveal his political vulnerability?
Ans. Macbeth explains to the murderers that although he could with undisguised power simply kill Banquo from his sight using his royal authority, he must not do so. His reasoning is that they share certain friends whose loyalties he cannot afford to lose. He admits he would have to publicly mourn him even though he was the one who struck him down. This admission is a crucial revelation of Macbeth’s political instability. Unlike a secure monarch who can execute a traitor for cause, Macbeth is a usurper who knows his hold on the throne is fragile. He is trapped by the need to maintain the appearance of the gracious king while performing the acts of a bloody tyrant. This reveals that Macbeth is not a total dictator yet; he is still a politician who must manage the loves of the noblemen like Ross and Lennox. If he were to openly kill Banquo, a popular and respected general, he would risk a full-scale rebellion from the court. Therefore, he is forced to hide his motives and different reasons to hide his crimes. This reliance on hired killers demonstrates that Macbeth’s power is built on a foundation of lies. He is sickly as long as Banquo lives, but also because his power depends on the very people he is deceiving. This creates a cycle of paranoia where Macbeth must keep killing to cover up previous killings, all while pretending to be the victim of the tragedies he is creating.
Q5. What does the dialogue between Macbeth and the murderers reveal about the state of Scotland under Macbeth’s rule?
Ans. The interaction between the King and the two murderers serves as a grim state of the union for Scotland. The murderers describe themselves as men who have been afflicted and pulled with fortune to the point of being reckless. They are so weary with disasters that they are willing to set their life on any chance. This suggests that under Macbeth’s rising tyranny, the social and economic fabric of Scotland is already beginning to unravel. These are not professional criminals but desperate citizens who have been beggared and bowed to the grave. While Macbeth blames this on Banquo, the audience understands that the bitterness in the land is a result of Macbeth’s own violent ascent. The scene illustrates a Scotland where the King communicates with his subjects through lies, manipulation, and the encouragement of violence. Macbeth is essentially emotionally connecting to the assassins’ darker instincts to get what he wants. By recruiting these men, Macbeth is introducing a dark hour to the country where citizens are turned against one another for the sake of the King’s personal security. The fact that the King of Scotland is personally interviewing low-level thugs at the palace gates shows how degraded the royal office has become. It signals the beginning of a reign characterized by strange invention and cruel murder of King Duncan, where the King himself is the primary source of the nation’s disasters and vile blows, leading to a society of desperate men who no longer value their own lives.