ISC Class 11 English Drama Macbeth Act 1 Scene 4 Important Question Answers
Macbeth Act 1 Scene 4 Question Answer: Looking for ISC Class 11 English Drama Macbeth Act 1 Scene 4 question answers? Look no further! Our comprehensive compilation of important questions will help you brush up on your subject knowledge. Practising ISC Class 11 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 1 Scene 4 now. The questions listed below are based on the latest ICSE exam pattern.
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ISC Class 11 English Drama Macbeth Act 1 Scene 4 Textbook Questions
ASSIGNMENT
Question 1
Choose the correct options for the following questions:
1. Who is ‘he’ referred in the line given below?
That very frankly he confess’d his treasons
(a) Macbeth
(b) Banquo
(c) Macdonwald
(d) None of the above
Ans. (d) None of the above
2. According to the reference in this scene, in what manner did Macdonwald take his execution?
(a) As if it were something insignificant
(b) As a punishment for his deeds
(c) As a deliverance from his wrong doings
(d) As something ordained by destiny.
Ans. (a) As if it were something insignificant
3. ‘As ’twere a careless trifle’. What is referred to as a careless trifle?
(a) Cawdor’s life
(b) Cawdor’s title
(c) Cawdor’s wealth
(d) All of the above
Ans. (a) Cawdor’s life
4. For whom did Duncan say that he was a ‘gentleman’ on whom he had complete faith?
(a) The King of Norway
(b) The Thane of Cawdor
(c) The Sergeant
(d) None of the above
Ans. (b) The Thane of Cawdor
5. To whom does Duncan refer to as ‘worthiest cousin?
(al Banquo
(b) Fleance
(c) Macduff
(d) Macbeth
Ans. (d) Macbeth
6. Duncan speaks of which of his ‘sin’ in this scene?
(a Ingratitude of not rewarding Macbeth
(b) Executing Macdonwald
(c) Trusting Macdonwald
(d) None of the above
Ans. (a Ingratitude of not rewarding Macbeth
7. According to Duncan, who deserves as much as Macbeth?
(a) Malcolm
(b) Banquo
(c) Macduff
(d) Donalbain
Ans. (b) Banquo
8. Which title does Duncan bestow on Malcolm?
(a) Prince of Cawdor
(b) Prince of Glamis
(c) Prince of Cumberland
(d) None of the above.
Ans. (c) Prince of Cumberland
9. For in my way it lies’. What is it’ in the given line as referred to by Macbeth?
(a) Macdonwald who was the Thane of Cawdor
(b) Nomination of Malcolm to the throne.
(c) Banquo, who is no less than him
(d) None of the above.
Ans. (b) Nomination of Malcolm to the throne.
10. Why does Macbeth call upon the stars to hide their light?
(a) To carry out his evil design
(b) To mislead Duncan, who was on his way to Macbeth’s castle
(c) To hide his shameful face after executing his evil plan
(d) None of the above.
Ans. (a) To carry out his evil design
11. Which literary device is used when Duncan says that one can be deceived by external appearance?
(a) Parallelism
(b) Satire
(c) Dramatic Irony
(d) None of the above
Ans. (c) Dramatic Irony
12. Duncan says that Macbeth’s praise of him is like a banquet to him. Here, banquet symbolises which of the following:
(a) Macbeth’s love for Duncan
(b) A cover up for Macbeth’s evil designs
(c) A feast for him
(d) None of the above.
Ans. (d) None of the above.
13. According to Macbeth what is the reward for doing one’s duty?
(a) Satisfaction of doing one’s duty
(b) Love and praise of the ruler
(c) Obtaining titles from the ruler
(d) Performance of duty is its own reward
Ans. (d) Performance of duty is its own reward
14. Banquo says, “There if I grow”; where does he want to grow?
(a) In the garden of Duncan’s heart
(b) In the ranks of the army
(c) In terms of honour and ranks
(d) All of the above
Ans. (a) In the garden of Duncan’s heart
15. Which of the following reflects the irony of action?
(P) More is thy due than more than all can pay.
(Q) That is a step, on which I must fall down.
(R) Stars, hide your fires.
(S) True, worthy Banquo; he is full so valiant.
(a) (P) and (Q)
(b) (P) and (S)
(c) (Q) and (R)
(d) (Q) and (S)
Ans. (b) (P) and (S)
Question 2
Complete the following sentences by providing a reason for each:
1. Duncan, his sons and lords were waiting to receive Macbeth and Banquo because ____________________.
Ans. Duncan, his sons and lords were waiting to receive Macbeth and Banquo because Macbeth and Banquo were the victorious generals who had heroically saved Scotland from rebel and foreign invaders, and Duncan wished to personally thank and reward them for their valor.
2. Macbeth feels insecure after Malcolm is declared as the heir to the throne because _________________________.
Ans. Macbeth feels insecure after Malcolm is declared as the heir to the throne because Malcolm, as the Prince of Cumberland, is now a legitimate, legal obstacle that stands between Macbeth and the crown, forcing Macbeth to take criminal action rather than simply relying on fate to make him king.
3. King Duncan says that the sin of ingratitude weighs heavy on him because ____________.
Ans. King Duncan says that the sin of ingratitude weighs heavy on him because he believes he has not yet found a great enough reward to match the enormous and rapidly accumulating service and loyalty that Macbeth has shown through his incredible success in battle.
4. The soliloquy of Macbeth reflects that he was far advanced in crime because______________.
Ans. The soliloquy of Macbeth reflects that he was far advanced in crime because he immediately recognizes the need to commit the murder of the king and then calls upon the darkness to conceal his ‘black and deep desires,’ showing he is fully aware of the evil nature of the murder he is contemplating.
5. There is an irony when Duncan says that one can be deceived by external appearances because _____________.
Ans. There is an irony when Duncan says that one can be deceived by external appearances because the man he is speaking of i.e. the former Thane of Cawdor, has just been executed for treason, and the man he praises next i.e. Macbeth, the new Thane of Cawdor, is the one who will immediately betray him next.
ISC Class 11 English Drama Macbeth Act 1 Scene 4 Extra Question and Answers
Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
Q1. What news does Malcolm bring to King Duncan at the start of the scene?
A. The execution of the former Thane of Cawdor is complete
B. Macbeth has been fatally wounded in battle.
C. Norway has launched a second attack
D. Lady Macbeth has sent word inviting the King to Inverness
Ans. A. The execution of the former Thane of Cawdor is complete
Q2. What major character flaw of King Duncan is highlighted by his reflection on the executed Thane of Cawdor?
A. His tendency toward tyranny.
B. His excessive cruelty.
C. His inability to judge a person’s inner character.
D. His lack of gratitude.
Ans. C. His inability to judge a person’s inner character.
Q3. Which line spoken by Duncan perfectly captures his trusting nature and the theme of appearance vs. reality?
A. ‘Is execution done on Cawdor?’
B. ‘I have begun to plant thee, and will labor / To make thee full of growing.’
C. ‘He was a gentleman on whom I built / An absolute trust.’
D. ‘It is a peerless kinsman.’
Ans. C. ‘He was a gentleman on whom I built / An absolute trust.’
Q4. What honor does King Duncan bestow upon his son Malcolm in this scene?
A. Duke of Fife
B. Thane of Glamis
C. Lord of Ross
D. Prince of Cumberland
Ans. D. Prince of Cumberland
Q5. How does Banquo respond to Duncan’s praises, using the ‘planting and growing’ metaphor?
A. ‘I will fight for you until I die.’
B. ‘The service and the loyalty I owe, / In doing it, pays itself.’
C. ‘There’s no art / To find the mind’s construction in the face.’
D. ‘There, if I grow, / The harvest is your own.’
Ans. D. ‘There, if I grow, / The harvest is your own.’
Q6. When Macbeth hears the news about Malcolm, he calls the Prince of Cumberland a ‘step / On which I must fall down, or else overleap.’ What does ‘overleap’ imply that Macbeth is considering?
A. A peaceful negotiation for the throne
B. Committing treason and murder
C. Waiting patiently for his turn
D. Asking the witches for a new prophecy
Ans. B. Committing treason and murder
Q7. What is Macbeth asking the ‘Stars’ to do when he says, ‘Stars, hide your fires, / Let not light see my black and deep desires’?
A. To guide his journey home to Inverness
B. To provide him with an omen of victory
C. To conceal his evil, murderous intentions
D. To bring an end to the darkness of the night
Ans. C. To conceal his evil, murderous intentions
Q8. Which literary device is used when audience is awared that Macbeth is thinking of killing Duncan while Duncan is praising him as a ‘peerless kinsman’ ?
A. A Soliloquy
B. A Metaphor
C. Dramatic Irony
D. Foreshadowing
Ans. C. Dramatic Irony
Q9. What main purpose does Duncan’s decision to visit Macbeth at his castle in Inverness serve?
A. Offer Macbeth a direct, private warning.
B. Allow him to personally inspect Macbeth’s fortifications.
C. Provide an immediate opportunity for Macbeth to act on his dark thoughts.
D. Give Malcolm time to assume his new title.
Ans. C. Provide an immediate opportunity for Macbeth to act on his dark thoughts.
Q10. How does Macbeth justify the duties of the Thanes to King Duncan?
A. They are simply doing what they should, like children and servants.
B. Their service is the only way to earn riches and land.
C. They owe him their lives for the victory.
D. They are only loyal out of fear of treason.
Ans. A. They are simply doing what they should, like children and servants.
Fill Up Sentences
Complete the following sentences by providing a reason for each:
1. Malcolm was able to provide a full report on the execution of the Thane of Cawdor because _________________.
Ans. Malcolm was able to provide a full report on the execution of the Thane of Cawdor because he had spoken with an attendant who actually witnessed the death and reported the traitor’s deep repentance.
2. King Duncan immediately placed his ‘absolute trust’ in Macbeth because______________________________.
Ans. King Duncan immediately placed his ‘absolute trust’ in Macbeth because he believed that one could not judge ‘the mind’s construction in the face,’ and since Macbeth was a great hero, he trusted his outward appearance of loyalty.
3. Macbeth used a humble and loyal tone when addressing the King because______________________________.
Ans. Macbeth used a humble and loyal tone when addressing the King because he was carefully masking his ‘black and deep desires’ and had to perform the duties expected of a loyal subject and kinsman.
4. Duncan announced that he would establish his estate upon Malcolm, naming him the Prince of Cumberland, because ___________________________.
Ans. Duncan announced that he would establish his estate upon Malcolm, naming him the Prince of Cumberland, because it was necessary to secure the royal lineage and publicly name an heir to the Scottish throne.
5. Macbeth was suddenly forced to reconsider how he would achieve the crown because _____________________.
Ans. Macbeth was suddenly forced to reconsider how he would achieve the crown because Malcolm’s new title, Prince of Cumberland, created a major legal obstacle that blocked his path to the kingship.
6. Duncan’s ‘plenteous joys’ caused him to weep and seek to ‘hide themselves in drops of sorrow’ because _____________________.
Ans. Duncan’s ‘plenteous joys’ caused him to weep and seek to ‘hide themselves in drops of sorrow’ because his extreme happiness and gratitude for his loyal subjects’ victory was so overwhelming that it was expressed through tears.
7. Macbeth chose to ride ahead of the King and the royal party to Inverness because ________________________.
Ans. Macbeth chose to ride ahead of the King and the royal party to Inverness because he wanted to be the ‘harbinger’ to his wife, Lady Macbeth, and prepare her for the King’s arrival so they could quickly plan the murder.
8. Banquo responded to Duncan’s praise by saying, ‘The harvest is your own,’ because ______________________.
Ans. Banquo responded to Duncan’s praise by saying, ‘The harvest is your own,’ because he acknowledged that any success or ‘growth’ he achieved was ultimately a result of the King’s nurturing and royal favor.
9. Macbeth begged the ‘Stars’ to ‘hide your fires’ because ______________________________.
Ans. Macbeth begged the ‘Stars’ to ‘hide your fires’ because he wished for darkness and secrecy to conceal his murderous intentions and prevent ‘light’ from revealing his evil thoughts to the world.
10. The King’s decision to visit Macbeth’s castle created powerful dramatic irony because __________________.
Ans. The King’s decision to visit Macbeth’s castle created powerful dramatic irony because Duncan, believing he was strengthening the bonds of friendship, was unknowingly placing himself directly into the home of the man who immediately resolved to murder him.
Extra Questions
SHORT QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Answer the questions briefly in about 100-150 words.
Q1. How does the execution of the original Thane of Cawdor set a theme for the scene?
Ans. The scene opens with the execution of the original Thane of Cawdor, who betrayed King Duncan. Malcolm, the King’s son, reports that Thane confessed his treason, asked for pardon, and died with dignity, showing a deep repentance. This event immediately establishes the theme of deception versus true loyalty. King Duncan reflects that ‘There’s no art / To find the mind’s construction in the face’, meaning it’s impossible to tell a person’s true intentions just by looking at them. Duncan admits he completely trusted the former Cawdor. This dramatic irony is crucial because Duncan then greets Macbeth, the new Thane of Cawdor, showering him with praise and trust, completely unaware that Macbeth has already been tempted by the Witches’ prophecy and is considering betraying him too. The former Thane’s outwardly noble ending ironically mirrors Macbeth’s own hidden, treacherous thoughts.
Q2. How does King Duncan try to reward Macbeth and what does his language reveal about his feelings?
Ans. King Duncan’s language shows his deep gratitude and genuine affection for Macbeth’s battlefield service. He calls Macbeth ‘worthiest cousin’ and feels that the ‘sin of my ingratitude’ is heavy on him because no reward could ever be enough. Duncan uses a powerful metaphor, saying Macbeth is so far ahead in his deserving that even the ‘swiftest wing of recompense is slow / To overtake thee’. He declares that Macbeth’s due is ‘more than all can pay’. To reward him, Duncan says he has ‘begun to plant thee’, comparing Macbeth to a tree that he will nurture and help to grow, a symbol of prosperity and establishment. This sincere, loving language from Duncan makes Macbeth’s subsequent plotting seem even more vile and ungrateful to the audience.
Q3. What is the significance of King Duncan naming Malcolm as the Prince of Cumberland?
Ans. King Duncan publicly announces that he will establish his kingdom upon his eldest son, Malcolm, naming him the Prince of Cumberland. In the Scottish monarchy, this title was traditionally given to the heir to the throne. This announcement is a pivotal plot point that directly thwarts Macbeth’s own ambitions. Up to this moment, Macbeth might have hoped that fate, or a claim to the throne through military success, would elevate him. However, Duncan’s clear action establishes a lawful barrier between Macbeth and the crown. The royal succession is no longer open to chance. For Macbeth, this development forces him to take action, changing his path from passively waiting for the prophecy to actively plotting.
4. What does Macbeth’s aside about the Prince of Cumberland reveal about his state of mind and intentions?
Ans. Macbeth’s speech, which only the audience could hear, reveals his turbulent internal conflict and dark ambition. He immediately recognizes that Malcolm, the newly named Prince of Cumberland, is a major obstacle. He states, ‘The Prince of Cumberland—that is a step / On which I must fall down, or else overleap, / For in my way it lies’. This confirms he now sees the King’s heir as something that must be overcome or eliminated. He then desperately calls upon darkness to hide his thoughts: ‘Stars, hide your fires, / Let not light see my black and deep desires’. This confirms that his ambition has solidified into a murderous intention. He wants the deed to be done before his ‘eye fears, when it is done, to see’, showing that he knows his desires are horrific and something he should be ashamed of.
Q5. How do Macbeth’s public words of loyalty contrast with his private thoughts in this scene?
Ans. Macbeth masterfully presents himself as the loyal, humble subject to King Duncan. When Duncan expresses his immense gratitude, Macbeth replies that his ‘service and the loyalty I owe, / In doing it, pays itself.’ He compares himself and all the Thanes to ‘Children and servants’ who do nothing more than their duty to keep the King safe and honored. This is a public display of absolute servitude and devotion. However, as soon as he finds out Malcolm is the Prince of Cumberland, his loyalty crumbles into deadly ambition in his aside. His words ‘Stars, hide your fires, / Let not light see my black and deep desires’ show his true intention: to murder the King and the heir. The shocking contrast between his spoken loyalty and his hidden, murderous thoughts highlights his duplicity and growing evil.
LONG QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Answer the questions briefly in about 200-250 words.
Q1. What is the significance of King Duncan’s reflection on the former Thane of Cawdor, and how does this relate to Macbeth?
Ans. King Duncan’s reflection on the executed former Thane of Cawdor is important because it highlights his naïveté and trusting nature, which is a critical flaw that will lead to his downfall. When he hears that Cawdor confessed his treason and died nobly, he comments, ‘There’s no art / To find the mind’s construction in the face. / He was a gentleman on whom I built / An absolute trust’. This shows that Duncan is easily deceived by appearances; he believes a person’s outward look and noble status accurately reflect their inner morality, only to be betrayed. The moment Macbeth enters immediately after this line creates intense dramatic irony. The audience knows of the witches’ prophecy that Macbeth is the new Thane of Cawdor and is already contemplating about killing the king but Duncan, unaware of Macbeth’s ‘black and deep desires,’ immediately heaps praise upon him and places his complete trust in this second Cawdor. Duncan’s inability to see Macbeth’s ambition or treasonous thoughts foreshadows his own murder, as he makes the same mistake of trusting a traitor for the second time. The King’s goodness and trusting heart are contrasted sharply with the deceit and evil brewing in his kingdom, making his eventual betrayal all the more tragic. His words establish the central theme of appearance versus reality that runs throughout the entire play.
Q2. How does Macbeth react to the news that Malcolm is named the Prince of Cumberland, and what does this reveal about his state of mind?
Ans. Macbeth reacts to the announcement that Malcolm will be the heir to the throne, the Prince of Cumberland, with immediate and profound frustration, revealing that his ambition has already taken root and is driving him toward an immoral path. Prior to this, Macbeth was hailed as a hero and rewarded with the title Thane of Cawdor, which matched the witches’ first prophecy. Now, Duncan’s public declaration of Malcolm as his successor places a massive, legal obstacle between Macbeth and the crown. Macbeth reveals his private turmoil in an aside which is spoken only to the audience, stating, ‘The Prince of Cumberland—that is a step / On which I must fall down, or else overleap, / For in my way it lies’. This shows he views Malcolm not as his King’s son, but as a barrier to be either overcome or destroyed. His subsequent lines, ‘Stars, hide your fires, / Let not light see my black and deep desires’, confirm that he is already considering a dark deed of murder to seize the throne. This reveals his mind is consumed by his ambition, and he is aware of the moral depravity of his intentions, begging the natural world to conceal his evil thoughts and actions. The moment transforms Macbeth from a loyal, honored soldier into a man actively plotting treason.
Q3. Explain the meaning and use of the ‘planting and growing’ metaphor used by King Duncan in this scene.
Ans. King Duncan uses a powerful metaphor of ‘planting and growing’ to express his role as a king and his feeling of gratitude towards Macbeth and Banquo. He tells Macbeth, ‘I have begun to plant thee, and will labor / To make thee full of growing’, and Banquo echoes this sentiment, saying, ‘There, if I grow, / The harvest is your own’. This metaphor portrays kingship as a nurturing and benevolent role. Duncan sees himself as a gardener who rewards and cultivates the talents, loyalty, and service of his subjects, expecting them to flourish under his care and protection. He is saying that he has given Macbeth the initial honor, the ‘planting’ of the title Thane of Cawdor and will continue to foster his success ‘labor / To make thee full of growing’. Banquo accepts this idea, suggesting any success he achieves is ultimately for the King’s benefit ‘The harvest is your own’. This metaphor emphasizes Duncan’s goodness and his belief in a natural, moral order of the world where loyalty is rewarded with growth and honor. This makes the later events i.e. Macbeth’s decision to destroy the King who ‘planted’ him as an act that is not only treasonous but also a violation of nature and the proper order of things.
Q4. What is the dramatic irony in Macbeth’s seemingly loyal speech to King Duncan?
Ans. The dramatic irony in Macbeth’s speech to King Duncan is profound, as the audience knows he is entertaining treasonous thoughts, while his words express complete and utter loyalty. When Duncan thanks him profusely for his heroism, Macbeth responds by saying, ‘The service and the loyalty I owe, / In doing it, pays itself’. He continues to describe his duties and those of his fellow Thanes as being like Children and servants to the King and the state, emphasizing that their actions are simply what they should do out of love and honor. The irony lies in the stark contrast between his polite, humble, and loyal public words and his private, dark thoughts that the audience just heard him utter in the preceding scene with the witches, and which he will reveal again in his subsequent aside. His description of his duty as ‘doing every thing safe toward your love / And honor’ is particularly ironic, as his next major act will be plotting the King’s death, which is the ultimate act of unsafe disloyalty. His smooth, perfect display of loyalty shows his duplicity and his ability to conceal his ‘black and deep desires’ behind a mask of virtue, setting up the key theme of false appearance.
Q5. What crucial decision does Macbeth make in this scene, and how does it change his course of action?
Ans. The crucial decision Macbeth makes in Act 1, Scene 4 is to acknowledge that he must take an active, criminal step to seize the throne because Malcolm’s appointment as Prince of Cumberland has blocked his passive path to kingship. After the witches’ prophecy, Macbeth was open to the possibility of becoming king through fate, saying earlier, ‘If chance will have me king, why, chance may crown me, / Without my stir’. However, when Duncan names Malcolm as his heir, Macbeth realizes that fate alone is no longer enough. The crown will not simply fall into his lap; he has a choice: ‘The Prince of Cumberland—that is a step / On which I must fall down, or else overleap’. He decides to ‘overleap’ the obstacle, which in this context means committing the murder of the king. This decision changes his course from passively awaiting fate to actively plotting a dark, criminal act. His concluding aside is a resolution to murder: ‘Stars, hide your fires, / Let not light see my black and deep desires. / The eye wink at the hand; yet let that be / Which the eye fears, when it is done, to see’. This confirms he has now chosen ambition over morality, and the next step in his action is to communicate with Lady Macbeth to plan the murder, which is facilitated by Duncan’s announced visit to his castle.