ISC Class 11 English Drama Macbeth Act 1 Scene 7 Important Question Answers
Macbeth Act 1 Scene 7 Question Answer: Looking for ISC Class 11 English Drama Macbeth Act 1 Scene 7 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 7 now. The questions listed below are based on the latest ISC exam pattern.
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ISC Class 11 English Drama Macbeth Act 1 Scene 7 Textbook Questions
ASSIGNMENT
Question 1
Choose the correct options for the following questions:
1. What is referred to by ‘it’ in ‘it were done when ’tis done’?
(a) Banquo’s murder
(b) Duncan’s murder
(c) Macdonwald’s murder
(d) None of the above.
Ans. (b) Duncan’s murder
2. ‘He’s here in double trust’. Who is ‘He’ referred to in this line?
(a) Duncan
(b) Macduff
(c) Banquo
(d) Malcolm
Ans. (a) Duncan
3. Why did Macbeth feel that Duncan should be protected and not killed?
(a) Duncan is his cousin, his king and his guest
(b) Duncan has bestowed on him the title of Thane of Cawdor’.
(c) Duncan is a weak king
(d) None of the above.
Ans. (a) Duncan is his cousin, his king and his guest
4. What did Macbeth conclude after viewing the proposed murder of Duncan in all its aspects?
(a) He should carry forward his plan at the earliest
(b) He should rethink about its consequences
(c) He should not go ahead with the crime
(d) All of the above.
Ans. (c) He should not go ahead with the crime
5. Which, according to Macbeth, is his only cause for murdering King Duncan?
(a) The prophecy of the witches
(b) His ambition
(c) The title bestowed on him by Duncan
(d) None of the above.
Ans. (b) His ambition
6. Who would disclose Macbeth’s heinous crime to the whole world?
(a) Pity in the form of a heavenly angel
(b) His own friends
(c) His crime itself
(d) None of the above.
Ans. (a) Pity in the form of a heavenly angel
7. According to Macbeth, who would speak loudly in Duncan’s defence to the whole world?
(a) His subjects
(b) His soldiers
(c) His virtues
(d) His sons.
Ans. (c) His virtues
8. Lady Macbeth compared Macbeth in this scene with whom of the following?
(a) Criminal
(b) Coward
(c) Conspirator
(d) Drunkard
Ans. (b) Coward
9. Which reason did Macbeth believe as the only reason to commit the murder of King Duncan?
(a) Lady Macbeth’s desire
(b) His excessive ambition
(c) His wavering mind
(d) None of the above.
Ans. (b) His excessive ambition
10. Which characteristic trait of Lady Macbeth is revealed in her arguments to make Macbeth go ahead with the plan of murdering Duncan?
(a) Ruthlessness
(b) Irresolution
(c) Confusion
(d) None of the above.
Ans. (a) Ruthlessness
11. According to Macbeth which form will pity take?
(a) New-born baby
(b) Heaven’s angel
(c) Horse
(d) Both (a) and (b)
Ans. (d) Both (a) and (b)
12. Which can be worn now in their newest gloss’ what is referred to here?
(a) Honour bestowed
(b) Kingship
(c) Murder
(d) Both (b) and ©
Ans. (a) Honour bestowed
Questions 2
Complete the following sentences by providing a reason for each:
1. Macbeth says that he is not bothered about the life to come in the next world because_____________________________________________.
Ans. Macbeth says that he is not bothered about the life to come in the next world because he would risk eternal damnation if he could be sure that the murder would ‘trammel up the consequence’ and guarantee that all earthly punishment would be avoided.
2. Macbeth drops the plan to murder Duncan because_____________________________________________.
Ans. Macbeth drops the plan to murder Duncan because Duncan has recently ‘honored me of late,’ and he does not want to quickly ‘cast aside’ the ‘Golden opinions’ and the high public esteem he has just earned.
3. In his soliloquy Macbeth is hesitant to murder Duncan because_____________________________________________.
Ans. In his soliloquy Macbeth is hesitant to murder Duncan because he fears the concept of ‘even-handed justice,’ believing that the ‘bloody instructions’ one teaches by committing violence will inevitably ‘return / To plague th’ inventor’ in this life.
4. Lady Macbeth appears as a ruthless person in this scene because of the declaration that_____________________________________________.
Ans. Lady Macbeth appears as a ruthless person in this scene because of the declaration that she would have ‘plucked my nipple from his boneless gums / And dashed the brains out’ of her own smiling infant, had she sworn an oath to commit the deed as he did.
5. The credit for the fateful decision of murdering King Duncan goes to Lady Macbeth because_____________________________________________.
Ans. The credit for the fateful decision of murdering King Duncan goes to Lady Macbeth because she successfully overcomes Macbeth’s moral fears by ruthlessly mocking his courage, shaming him into keeping his oath, and providing a foolproof, detailed plan to ensure they will not fail.
6. According to Macbeth, judgements of our deeds are given out in this world only because_____________________________________________.
Ans. According to Macbeth, judgements of our deeds are given out in this world only because the concept of ‘even-handed justice’ dictates that the violence one uses ‘bloody instructions’ will inevitably be taught to others and then used against the original perpetrator.
7. Duncan’s virtues plead against his murder because_____________________________________________.
Ans. Duncan’s virtues plead against his murder because he has been such a meek and virtuous king that his goodness will cry out like ‘angels, trumpet-tongued,’ ensuring that his murder will bring down ‘deep damnation’ upon his killer.
ISC Class 11 English Drama Macbeth Act 1 Scene 7 Extra Question and Answers
Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
Q1. What fear does Macbeth express regarding the murder, which he refers to as ‘judgment here’?
A. That he will lose his new title, Thane of Cawdor
B. That the ‘bloody instructions’ he teaches will ‘return / To plague th’ inventor.’
C. That the Scottish nobles will immediately suspect him
D. That the witches will revoke their prophecies
Ans. B. That the ‘bloody instructions’ he teaches will ‘return / To plague th’ inventor’.
Q2. What was Macbeth’s driving force to kill King Duncan?
A. Blind loyalty
B. His love for Lady Macbeth
C. Vaulting ambition
D. The desire for a larger kingdom
Ans. C. Vaulting ambition
Q3. Macbeth lists three roles he holds that should protect Duncan. Which of the following is NOT one of those roles?
A. Kinsman
B. Subject
C. Host
D. Co-conspirator
Ans. D. Co-conspirator
Q4. What is referred to by the phrase ‘Golden opinions’ that Macbeth wants to wear ‘in their newest gloss’?
A. The crown he seeks to steal.
B. The praise and high esteem he has recently earned from the King and the public.
C. The gold reward he received for defeating Macdonwald.
D. The wealth he will inherit upon Duncan’s death.
Ans. B. The praise and high esteem he has recently earned from the King and the public.
Q5. Which old proverb related to an animal did Lady Macbeth compare Macbeth’s hesitation?
A. A dog chasing its tail
B. A poor cat that wants fish but fears getting its paws wet
C. A timid sheep avoiding the slaughterhouse
D. A raven that croaks itself hoarse
Ans. B. A poor cat that wants fish but fears getting its paws wet
Q6. How does Lady Macbeth attempt to secure Macbeth’s commitment after he falters?
A. By threatening to leave him and find a braver lord
B. By recalling the witches’ prophecies and their power
C. By promising him Banquo’s death as well
D. By questioning and attacking his manhood
Ans. D. By questioning and attacking his manhood.
Q7. Lady Macbeth illustrates her own fierce resolve by declaring she would have murdered whom, if she had sworn to do it?
A. The captain who brought Macbeth news
B. Her own father
C. Her own infant child
D. Banquo’s son, Fleance
Ans. C. Her own infant child
Q8. What is the first step in Lady Macbeth’s plan to make the murder happen without suspicion?
A. To get all the servants drunk.
B. To get Duncan’s chamberlains drunk and intoxicated
C. To arrange for Macbeth to be far away from the castle
D. To blame the Norwegian forces
Ans. B. To get Duncan’s chamberlains drunk and intoxicated
Q9. After the murder is committed, whom do Macbeth and Lady Macbeth plan to frame for the crime?
A. Malcolm and Donalbain
B. Banquo and Fleance
C. Duncan’s chamberlains
D. The visiting Scottish Thanes
Ans. C. Duncan’s chamberlains
Q10. What key theme is emphasized in Macbeth’s final line, ‘False face must hide what the false heart doth know’?
A. Fate vs. Free Will
B. Ambition’s corruption
C. Appearance vs. Reality
D. Divine right of kings
Ans. C. Appearance vs. Reality
Fill Up Sentences
Complete the following sentences by providing a reason for each:
1. Macbeth says he would ‘jump the life to come’ if the assassination could trammel up the consequence because________________________.
Ans. Macbeth says he would ‘jump the life to come’ if the assassination could trammel up the consequence because he primarily fears the immediate, earthly judgment of his actions.
2. Macbeth declares that ‘even-handed justice’ will ensure the ‘bloody instructions’ he teaches will return to plague the inventor because________________________.
Ans. Macbeth declares that ‘even-handed justice’ will ensure the ‘bloody instructions’ he teaches will return to plague the inventor because he understands that violent deeds set a precedent that will eventually be used against the perpetrator.
3. Macbeth lists his three obligations i.e. kinsman, subject, and host to show that________________________.
Ans. Macbeth lists his three obligations i.e. kinsman, subject, and host to show that his murder of Duncan is a profound breach of triple trust, making the crime unnatural and unforgivable.
4. Macbeth concludes his soliloquy by stating that his only motivation is vaulting ambition________________________.
Ans. Macbeth concludes his soliloquy by stating that his only motivation is vaulting ambition because he can find no just or rational reason to justify killing the virtuous King Duncan.
5. Macbeth tells Lady Macbeth, ‘We will proceed no further in this business’ because________________________.
Ans. Macbeth tells Lady Macbeth, ‘We will proceed no further in this business’ because he wants to preserve the ‘Golden opinions’ i.e. high honors and public respect he has recently acquired from the King.
6. Lady Macbeth attacks her husband’s manhood because________________________.
Ans. Lady Macbeth attacks her husband’s manhood because she knows that questioning his masculinity is the most effective way to shame him into action and restore his resolve.
7. Lady Macbeth provides a shocking illustration of her determination by saying she would have dashed the brains out of her own smiling infant because________________________.
Ans. Lady Macbeth provides a shocking illustration of her determination by saying she would have dashed the brains out of her own smiling infant because she wants to show Macbeth that her commitment to an oath is absolute and superior to his wavering resolve.
8. Lady Macbeth’s plan relies on making the two chamberlains drunk and intoxicated because________________________.
Ans. Lady Macbeth’s plan relies on making the two chamberlains drunk and intoxicated because this action will render their ‘memory’ useless and allow Macbeth to commit the murder without them being able to defend themselves or recall the event.
9. The couple plans to smear the King’s blood on the chamberlains and use their very daggers because________________________.
Ans. The couple plans to smear the King’s blood on the chamberlains and use their very daggers because this action will shift the blame onto the guards, making them appear guilty of the murder.
10.Macbeth finally declares, ‘I am settled’ because________________________.
Ans. Macbeth finally declares, ‘I am settled’ because Lady Macbeth has successfully removed the last obstacle, the fear of failure, by providing a detailed, practical, and seemingly foolproof plan.
Extra Questions
SHORT QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Q1. Why does Macbeth initially decide against killing Duncan?
Ans. Macbeth’s initial decision to abandon the murder is based on several key reasons, which he expresses in his soliloquy. Firstly, he fears the consequences on earth, recognizing that ‘even-handed justice’ will ensure the violent ‘bloody instructions’ he teaches will ‘return / To plague th’ inventor’. Secondly, he acknowledges his multiple duties to Duncan: he is the King’s kinsman, his subject i.e. loyal servant, and his host. As host, he should be protecting Duncan, not bearing the murder weapon. Finally, he respects Duncan’s virtues and meekness as a ruler, believing that the King’s goodness will cause widespread grief and damnation for the killer. He concludes his only motivation is ‘vaulting ambition’, which he admits is reckless and dangerous.
Q2. What is the central argument Lady Macbeth uses to persuade Macbeth to proceed with the murder?
Ans. Lady Macbeth’s central argument is a relentless and vicious attack on Macbeth’s manhood and courage. She mocks his hesitation, calling his sudden retreat ‘green and pale’ and comparing him to the ‘poor cat i’ th’ adage’ i.e. a cat that wants fish but fears wetting its paws. She asserts that if he goes back on his oath, he will be a coward in his own esteem and unworthy of the crown, which she calls ‘the ornament of life’. She claims that true manhood lies not just in daring to undertake the act but in having the strength of will to follow through on one’s ambition. By equating his love and his courage with this single act, she successfully shames him into confirming his commitment.
Q3. What specific plan does Lady Macbeth propose for the assassination?
Ans. Lady Macbeth devises a practical and deceptive plan that shifts the guilt away from her and Macbeth. The plan has three main steps: First, she will use ‘wine and wassail’, drink to heavily intoxicate Duncan’s two chamberlains, rendering their memory and reason useless. They will fall into a ‘swinish sleep’, appearing as if dead. Second, while the King is ‘unguarded’ and asleep, Macbeth will use the chamberlains’ daggers to kill Duncan. Third, in the aftermath, they will smear the King’s blood on the two sleeping officers to frame them, while they themselves will ‘make our griefs and clamor roar’ upon discovering the King’s death, thereby deflecting suspicion.
Q4. Explain the meaning and significance of Macbeth’s famous line: ‘I have no spur / To prick the sides of my intent, but only / Vaulting ambition.’
Ans. This line, which closes Macbeth’s initial soliloquy, is crucial for understanding his tragic flaw. The ‘spur’ is a metaphor for a compelling, just, or necessary reason to commit the murder, a reason he cannot find. He has no grievances against Duncan. His only drive is ‘vaulting ambition’, which is a metaphor comparing his overreaching desire to a horseman trying to leap onto a saddle but overshooting the mark. It signifies a reckless, dangerous, and unsustainable desire that will only lead to a fall. The line defines Macbeth as a man who is not driven by external circumstance or revenge, but by a pure, internal, and ultimately self-destructive hunger for power.
Q5. How does the imagery in Macbeth’s soliloquy emphasize the profound moral wrong of the murder?
Ans. Macbeth uses vivid, powerful imagery to express the cosmic horror of the deed. He first speaks of ‘even-handed justice’ forcing him to drink from his own ‘poisoned chalice’, showing his fear of divine retribution. More dramatically, he personifies the moral outrage by saying Duncan’s virtues will ‘plead like angels, trumpet-tongued, against / The deep damnation’. The most famous imagery is of ‘pity, like a naked newborn babe / Striding the blast’, or a cherub mounted on the air, whose wails will be so loud that the ‘tears shall drown the wind’. This imagery suggests the murder is an act so monstrous that nature and heaven themselves will protest, making it impossible for the deed to be hidden from any eye.
LONG QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Q1. Analyze the rhetorical techniques Lady Macbeth employs to dismantle Macbeth’s moral objections and secure his commitment to the murder.
Ans. Lady Macbeth employs a masterful and brutal combination of rhetorical strategies to manipulate Macbeth. Her primary and most effective technique is the ad hominem attack, where she directly assaults his character, specifically his manhood. She begins by questioning if his ‘hope’ was ‘drunk’ when he conceived the idea, implying his ambition was fleeting and irrational. She then forcefully equates his hesitation with cowardice, asking, ‘Art thou afeard / To be the same in thine own act and valor / As thou art in desire?’ By repeatedly challenging his masculinity, most explicitly with, ‘When you durst do it, then you were a man’, she forces him into a psychological bind where he must choose between proving his worth as a man or retaining his moral conscience. Furthermore, she uses hyperbole and shocking, vivid imagery to illustrate her own unnatural commitment, setting a bar of determination Macbeth cannot possibly match. Her chilling declaration that she would have ‘dashed the brains out’ of her own smiling infant if she had sworn to do it is a grotesque emotional bludgeon. This extreme statement is not merely an illustration of resolve; it serves as a crushing moral comparison, implying that Macbeth’s failure to keep his oath to a king is weaker than even her maternal instincts. Finally, she uses logic and pragmatic reassurance to counter his ultimate fear: failure. By immediately providing a watertight plan for intoxicating the chamberlains and framing them, she removes the element of risk and turns the abstract, terrifying act into a concrete, achievable task. Through this combination of psychological abuse, emotional shock, and practical planning, she systematically strips away his defenses.
Q2. Discuss the function and significance of Macbeth’s soliloquy at the beginning of the scene in establishing his character and the play’s moral theme.
Ans. Macbeth’s opening soliloquy is critically important as it provides the audience with a deep, unfiltered look into his conscience and establishes the central moral conflict of the play: the destructive nature of unchecked ambition. The speech’s conditional structure ‘If it were done when ’tis done…’ immediately reveals his anxiety and divided mind, showing he is attempting to find a way to commit the ‘assassination’ that would ‘trammel up the consequence’, a wish that is clearly impossible. This highlights the theme of fate versus free will; he hopes the murder can be a ‘be-all and the end-all here’, suggesting he longs for absolute certainty and an escape from supernatural judgment. The soliloquy then shifts to the profound moral implications, emphasizing the theme of retributive justice. His recognition that ‘even-handed justice / Commends th’ ingredience of our poisoned chalice / To our own lips’ articulates the core moral law of the tragedy, violent deeds inevitably ‘return / To plague th’ inventor.’ He is not just afraid of getting caught, but of moral corruption and eternal damnation. By listing his three roles of kinsman, subject, and host, he reveals the full extent of the betrayal, painting the murder as a cosmic offense. Ultimately, the speech culminates in his declaration that he has no true justification, only ‘vaulting ambition’. This self-diagnosis defines his fatal flaw, a desire so vast it has no natural boundary, destined to result in a devastating fall.
Q3. Analyze the significance of the contrast between the quiet domestic setting of Duncan’s dinner party and the dark, violent nature of the plot being hatched.
Ans. The opening stage direction is Hautboys. Torches. Enter a Sewer and divers Servants with dishes and service, establishing a stark and highly significant contrast between the public appearance of peace and hospitality and the private, insidious violence of Macbeth’s thoughts. The sounds of the hautboys and the visible presence of servants carrying food ‘dishes and service’ signal a formal, celebratory, and trusting environment. This setting is the epitome of civilized order and royal hospitality, where the King should be safest. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s plot occurs literally backstage from the feast. This physical arrangement highlights the theme of appearance versus reality. While Duncan is enjoying the warmth and loyalty of his host, Macbeth stands aside, meticulously dissecting the details of his murder. Macbeth himself acknowledges this betrayal when he states his duty as ‘his host, / Who should against his murderer shut the door, / Not bear the knife myself.’ The domestic setting amplifies the moral crime, transforming a political assassination into an act of unholy murdering of a father figure that violates the sacred bonds of kinship and hospitality. The contrast emphasizes that the evil lies not in a chaotic outside world, but within the heart of the seemingly loyal and honorable host, making the treachery far more shocking and damning.
Q4. Explain the meaning of ‘the poor cat i’ th’ adage’ and how Lady Macbeth uses this literary reference to motivate her husband.
Ans. The phrase ‘the poor cat i’ th’ adage’ is a classical literary reference that Lady Macbeth uses as a devastatingly effective taunt. The adage she refers to is the proverb, ‘The cat would eat fish, but would not wet her paws.’ The cat represents Macbeth: he desires the ‘fish’ i.e. the crown, the ‘ornament of life’, but he is unwilling to take the necessary, morally ‘wet’ action i.e. the murder to get it. By comparing her husband to this proverbially timid animal, Lady Macbeth successfully infantilizes and emasculates him. She is essentially saying that Macbeth is a pathetic figure whose desire is constantly paralyzed by his fear. This comparison is highly effective because it bypasses any intellectual or moral argument. Instead of debating the merits of the murder, she attacks his self-image and challenges his honor. This is a critical turning point in the persuasion because Macbeth cannot stand to be seen as a weakling, especially by the woman he loves and who has just demonstrated her own shocking ruthlessness. The reference neatly sums up her view of him as a hollow man who is only ‘full of the milk of human kindness’ when he needs to be full of ‘serpent’s venom’, forcing him to agree to the deed to prove he is not a contemptible ‘poor cat’.
Q5. Analyze the impact of Lady Macbeth’s final lines on Macbeth’s state of mind, culminating in his statement: ‘I am settled and bend up / Each corporal agent to this terrible feat.’
Ans. Lady Macbeth’s plan and her final forceful questions are the definitive factors that turn Macbeth from a hesitant philosopher into a resolute murderer. Her detailed strategy for framing the chamberlains, particularly the practical logic of using their own daggers and relying on their drugged state, provides the certainty Macbeth lacked. When she triumphantly asks, ‘What cannot you and I perform upon / Th’ unguarded Duncan? What not put upon / His spongy officers, who shall bear the guilt / Of our great quell?’ She offers him a clear path to both success and impunity. This logic is far more persuasive than her earlier emotional appeals. The immediate effect is a shift in Macbeth’s language. His prior speeches were filled with doubt and conditional clauses; his response, ‘Bring forth men-children only, / For thy undaunted mettle should compose / Nothing but males,’ is an outburst of reverent admiration for her strength. He acknowledges that her ‘undaunted mettle’ is fit only for producing warrior sons, fully accepting her definition of valor. This praise signifies his psychological surrender and his complete adoption of her amoral worldview. His final declaration, ‘I am settled and bend up / Each corporal agent to this terrible feat’, demonstrates his resolve. The phrase ‘bend up’ suggests the taut, coiled preparation of an archer drawing a bow. He has gathered every ounce of physical and mental energy for the single, violent act, confirming that Lady Macbeth has successfully redirected his ambition from internal debate to concrete action.