ISC Class 11 English Drama Macbeth Act 2 Scene 1 Important Question Answers
Macbeth Act 2 Scene 1 Question Answer: Looking for ISC Class 11 English Drama Macbeth Act 2 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 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 2 Scene 1 now. The questions listed below are based on the latest ISC exam pattern.
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ISC Class 11 English Drama Macbeth Act 2 Scene 1 Textbook Questions
ASSIGNMENT
Choose the correct options for the following questions:
1 What does thunder, lightning and rain in the opening scene suggest?
(a) Beginning of a battle
(b) Arrival of angels
(c) Commotion in nature
(d) None of the above.
Ans. (c) Commotion in nature
2. When do the witches plan to meet Macbeth?
(a) After the sunset
(b) After the end of battle
(c) Before the sunrise
(d) Before the storm.
Ans. (b) After the end of battle
3. Which of the following is correct about the witches?
(a) They have a soft corner for Macbeth
(b) They tempt men with their goodness
(c) They have knowledge of future events
(d) None of the above.
Ans. (c) They have knowledge of future events
4. What do the witches symbolise in the play?
(a) Desire in man’s mind to do wrong
(b) Temptation in man to work for himself
(c) Desire in man to control others
(d) Temptation to harm others.
Ans. (a) Desire in man’s mind to do wrong
5. What is the purpose of the witches in the play?
(a) To lure their victims
(b) To guide the nobility of their impending death
(c) To tempt their victims with riches in the forest
(d) To bring about the doom of their victims.
Ans. (d) To bring about the doom of their victims.
6. What do the witches use to deceive people?
(a) Gestures
(b) Songs
(c) Riddles
(d) All of the above.
Ans. (c) Riddles
7. What do the witches keep as their assistants?
(a) Birds
(b) Animals
(c) Wizards
(d) All of the above.
Ans. (b) Animals
8. This scene does not give any information about
(a) a battle
(b) a future meeting
(c) Macbeth
(d) a murder.
Ans. (d) a murder.
9. Who is referred to as Paddock’ by the Second Witch in this Scene?
(a) Cat
(b) Rat
(c) Toad
(d) Dog.
Ans. (c) Toad
10. The fog and filthy air’ in this scene depicts an atmosphere in which
(a) witches use their magic
(b) deceitful evil operates
(c) battles begin
(d) witches kill their victims.
Ans. (b) deceitful evil operates
11. Which of the following chants of the witches describes the theme of the play?
(a) Fair is foul and foul is fair
(b) Falsehood must be hidden
(c) Foul is fair and fair is false
(d) Foul and fair a day.
Ans. (a) Fair is foul and foul is fair
12. Who are the ‘three’ referred to in the first line of the opening scene?
(a) The three rebels
(b) The three witches
(c) The three familiars
(d) The three nobles.
Ans. (b) The three witches
13. Which of the following themes is reflected in the opening scene of the play?
(a) Trust and Deceit
(b) Inversion of faith
(c) Inversion of values
(d) Poetic justice.
Ans. (c) Inversion of values
14. Why do the witches want to meet Macbeth?
(a) To deliver a prophecy about his future
(b) To make him aware of his reign
(c) To punish him for his evil acts
(d) To congratulate him on his victory.
Ans. (a) To deliver a prophecy about his future
15. What do the witches mean by ‘hurlyburly’s done?
(a) The hurry to meet Macbeth
(b) The bad weather is over
(c) The din and tumult of battle is over
(d) None of the above.
Ans. (c) The din and tumult of battle is over
Questions 2
Complete the following sentences by providing a reason for each:
1. The heath is a befitting place for the witches to meet because________________________________.
Ans. The heath is a befitting place for the witches to meet because it is a wild, desolate, and stormy location, which reflects their unnatural, chaotic, and sinister nature and helps establish the play’s ominous and supernatural atmosphere.
2. The three witches plan to meet again because________________________________.
Ans. The three witches plan to meet again because they intend to meet Macbeth upon the heath there to deliver their powerful prophecies about his future, which will initiate his tragic downfall and the central conflict of the play.
3. The three witches want to meet Macbeth because________________________________.
Ans. The three witches want to meet Macbeth because they know he is a valiant but deeply ambitious warrior who will be easily tempted by their predictions of him becoming Thane of Cawdor and King of Scotland, making him the perfect target for their mischief.
4. The three witches along with their familiars are used because________________________________.
Ans. The three witches along with their familiars are used because the familiars i.e. the cat Graymalkin and the toad Paddock are traditional representations of demons or evil spirits in animal form, immediately signaling the supernatural, wicked, and unholy nature of the witches’ activities.
5. The theme fair is foul, and foul is fair’ as used by the witches to portray the theme of inversion of values because________________________________.
Ans. The theme ‘fair is foul, and foul is fair’ as used by the witches to portray the theme of inversion of values because it is a paradoxical statement that signifies the complete blurring of moral boundaries, suggesting that what seems good is actually evil , and vice versa, which sets the tone for the moral chaos that will consume the characters and Scotland.
6. The witches and their familiars reflect the unnatural inversion because________________________________.
Ans. The witches and their familiars reflect the unnatural inversion because they exist outside the natural, human, and divine order, embodying chaos, deceit, and the subversion of traditional values, suggesting that the play will explore the dark and corrupt side of human nature and ambition.
7. The witches stand for psychological representation of the evil because________________________________.
Ans. The witches stand for psychological representation of the evil because they are often interpreted not just as external supernatural beings but as the external manifestation of Macbeth’s own dark, repressed ambition, representing the innate human desire for power that leads to corruption and sin.
8. Macbeth is introduced to the audience because ________________________________.
Ans. Macbeth is introduced to the audience because the entire opening scene is structured to immediately connect the supernatural evil of the witches with the main character, establishing that he is the focus of their wicked attention and foreshadowing his entanglement with their prophecies and the moral consequences that follow.
ISC Class 11 English Drama Macbeth Act 2 Scene 1 Extra Question and Answers
Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
Q1. What time of night is it when Banquo and Fleance first appear?
A. Noon
B. Late evening, before the King went to bed
C. Past midnight
D. Just before dawn
Ans. C. Past midnight
Q2. Banquo says he cannot sleep because he is fighting off ‘cursed thoughts’ about what?
A. The recent battle
B. The three Witches’ prophecies
C. Lady Macbeth’s strange behavior
D. His fear of being assassinated
Ans. B. The three Witches’ prophecies
Q3. What gift does Banquo give to Macbeth’s wife, Lady Macbeth, from King Duncan?
A. A sword
B. A ring
C. A diamond
D. A title
Ans. C. A diamond
Q4. What lie does Macbeth tell Banquo when Banquo mentions dreaming of the Witches?
A. That he doesn’t believe in them anymore
B. That he doesn’t think of them
C. That the prophecies are clearly false
D. That they should forget the whole thing
Ans. B. That he doesn’t think of them
Q5. What condition does Banquo set for considering Macbeth’s proposal for a future alliance?
A. That Fleance must be included
B. That the plan benefits the country
C. That he loses no honour and keeps his allegiance clear
D. That Lady Macbeth agrees to the terms
Ans. C. That he loses no honour and keeps his allegiance clear
Q6. What does Macbeth see floating in the air before him during his soliloquy?
A. A crown
B. A dagger
C. A ghost
D. A bottle of poison
Ans. B. A dagger
Q7. How does Macbeth initially describe the dagger he sees?
A. Heavy and old
B. Made of gold
C. A false creation of his heat-oppressèd brain
D. A sign from heaven
Ans. C. A false creation of his heat-oppressèd brain
Q8. What appears on the blade and handle of the dagger as Macbeth stares at it?
A. Frost
B. Gouts of blood
C. Scratches
D. Rust
Ans. B. Gouts of blood
Q9. To what ancient Roman tyrant does Macbeth compare the stealthy pace of ‘withered murder’?
A. Julius Caesar
B. Brutus
C. Nero
D. Tarquin
Ans. D. Tarquin
Q10. What signal does Lady Macbeth give to Macbeth to tell him that his drink is ready and he can proceed with the murder?
A. A cough
B. The ringing of a bell
C. A loud knock
D. A flickering light
Ans. B. The ringing of a bell
Fill Up Sentences
Complete the following sentences by providing a reason for each:
1. Banquo is fighting the urge to sleep because ________________________.
Ans. Banquo is fighting the urge to sleep because he is tormented by ‘cursed thoughts’ regarding the prophecies; he fears that in his sleep, his subconscious mind will give way to the wicked ambitions stirred up by the Witches.
2. King Duncan sends a diamond to Lady Macbeth because________________________.
Ans. King Duncan sends a diamond to Lady Macbeth because he is in ‘measureless content’ and wants to thank her for her exceptional hospitality; this act of generosity highlights the immense trust and goodwill Macbeth is about to betray.
3. Macbeth claims that he does not think of the Witches because________________________.
Ans. Macbeth claims that he does not think of the Witches because he must conceal his true obsession and his plan to murder Duncan; he lies to Banquo to prevent suspicion and to gauge Banquo’s loyalty.
4. Banquo agrees to future consultation with Macbeth only if________________________.
Ans. Banquo agrees to future consultation with Macbeth only if he can maintain his ‘bosom franchised and allegiance clear’; he sets this condition to ensure he does not compromise his personal honor or his loyalty to King Duncan for any potential gain.
5. Macbeth tells his servant to have Lady Macbeth strike the bell when his ‘drink is ready’ because _______________________.
Ans. Macbeth tells his servant to have Lady Macbeth strike the bell when his ‘drink is ready’ because this is their prearranged, secret signal to confirm the staff are dealt with and the time is right for the murder; the mundane command masks a deadly intention.
6. The ‘dagger of the mind’ appears to Macbeth because________________________.
Ans. The ‘dagger of the mind’ appears to Macbeth because his mind is ‘heat-oppressèd’ and the vision is a psychological manifestation of his guilt and terror; the hallucination externalizes the conflict between his ambition and his conscience.
7. The handle of the spectral dagger is pointed toward Macbeth’s hand because________________________.
Ans. The handle of the spectral dagger is pointed toward Macbeth’s hand because it symbolizes that the murderous action is entirely his own choice and not compelled by external force; the path to regicide is self-willed and immediate.
8. The dagger changes from a mere vision to one covered with ‘gouts of blood’ because________________________.
Ans. The dagger changes from a mere vision to one covered with ‘gouts of blood’ because it foreshadows the bloody reality of the deed Macbeth is about to commit; the vision reflects his subconscious awareness of the violence and guilt awaiting him.
9. Macbeth fears the ‘sure and firm-set earth’ might hear his steps because________________________.
Ans. Macbeth fears the ‘sure and firm-set earth’ might hear his steps because he desperately wants his wicked act to remain secret and shrouded in the silent darkness; he does not want anything in nature to betray his movements to the sleeping King.
10. Macbeth resolves to act immediately when the bell rings because________________________.
Ans. Macbeth resolves to act immediately when the bell rings because he recognizes the sound as the final, irrevocable signal for the murder; he sees it not as a domestic chime, but as a ‘knell’ summoning Duncan to his death.
Extra Questions
SHORT QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Q1. What does Banquo reveal about his current state of mind and his dreams?
Ans. Banquo is uneasy and struggling to sleep. He tells his son, Fleance, that a ‘heavy summons lies like lead upon me’, indicating a great weariness, yet he doesn’t want to succumb to sleep. He prays to ‘merciful powers’ to ‘Restrain in me the cursed thoughts that nature gives way to in repose’. This reveals that he is actively fighting against wicked or tempting thoughts that arise in his dreams. When Macbeth enters, Banquo admits that he ‘dreamt last night of the three Weïrd Sisters’, suggesting that the prophecies are weighing heavily on his conscience and tempting him, even if he hasn’t acted on them. He is wary of the dark impulses the witches have stirred up.
Q2. How does Macbeth respond when Banquo brings up the Witches’ prophecies?
Ans. Macbeth pretends to be completely uninterested in or forgetful of the Witches’ prophecies. When Banquo says, ‘I dreamt last night of the three Weïrd Sisters. To you they have showed some truth’, Macbeth quickly replies, ‘I think not of them’. This is a lie, as he is clearly obsessed with the idea of becoming king. He then attempts to lure Banquo into an alliance by suggesting they discuss the prophecies later, saying, ‘If you shall cleave to my consent, when ’tis, it shall make honor for you’. He is testing Banquo’s loyalty and subtly trying to see if Banquo will join his treasonous plan. Macbeth’s feigned indifference aims to keep his wicked intentions secret.
Q3. What condition does Banquo set for agreeing to talk with Macbeth later about the ‘business’?
Ans. When Macbeth suggests they talk later and implies a future honor if Banquo ‘cleave to my consent’, Banquo immediately expresses a condition to maintain his integrity. He replies, ‘So I lose none in seeking to augment it, but still keep my bosom franchised and allegiance clear, I shall be counseled’. In simple terms, Banquo will only agree to discuss the matter or join Macbeth in any future endeavor if he can do so without losing any of his personal honor or compromising his clear loyalty to King Duncan. He is determined to keep his conscience free and his loyalty to the king. This response serves as a direct refusal to participate in any treasonous act.
Q4. Describe the hallucination Macbeth experiences after Banquo and Fleance leave.
Ans. Macbeth’s famous soliloquy begins with him seeing a terrifying vision about a ‘dagger of the mind’. He sees a bloody dagger floating in the air, with its handle pointing toward his hand, beckoning him toward King Duncan’s chamber. He tries to clutch the weapon, saying, ‘Come, let me clutch thee’, but he cannot grasp it because it is not real. The vision then changes, and the dagger becomes covered with ‘gouts of blood’, signifying the murder he is about to commit. Macbeth realizes the dagger is a symptom of his feverish, guilt-oppressed mind, acknowledging that ‘It is the bloody business which informs thus to mine eyes’. The vision is a physical manifestation of his internal struggle and his overwhelming ambition.
Q5. What final action and words signal Macbeth’s resolution to commit the murder?
Ans. Macbeth resolves to murder Duncan when he hears the bell ring, which is the signal Lady Macbeth agreed upon. He views the bell as an invitation and immediately accepts his dark fate. His final lines before exiting solidify his determination and mark the point of no return. He quotes, ‘I go, and it is done. The bell invites me’. He then addresses the sleeping king directly, acknowledging the fatal nature of the sound, ‘Hear it not, Duncan, for it is a knell that summons thee to heaven or to hell’. This metaphor casts the bell as a death knell, showing that Macbeth has fully embraced the murderous act. The time for thought is over; it is time for action.
LONG QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Q1. How does the interaction between Banquo and Macbeth in this scene reveal the growing difference in their moral integrity and how they are handling the Witches’ prophecies?
Ans. The brief exchange between Banquo and Macbeth starkly contrasts their moral paths following the prophecies. Banquo opens the scene with profound moral anxiety, admitting his struggle with ‘cursed thoughts’ that plague his sleep, clearly indicating the Witches’ promises of kingship for his descendants have tempted him. He actively prays for strength to resist these dark impulses. When he mentions the Witches, Macbeth instantly lies, claiming he ‘think not of them’. This is the first significant demonstration of Macbeth’s moral decay, he has already chosen the path of deceit and murder, and his lie is a necessary shield. Macbeth then proposes an alliance, saying if Banquo ‘shall cleave to my consent’, it ‘shall make honor for you’. This is a veiled invitation to treason. Banquo’s response is the crux of the scene’s moral difference: he immediately sets a non-negotiable condition, declaring he will only participate if he can ‘keep my bosom franchised and allegiance clear’. This means he will not sacrifice his free conscience or his loyalty to King Duncan for personal gain. While Macbeth chooses a path paved with lies and murder, driven by his ambition, Banquo chooses to uphold his honor and allegiance, actively resisting the seductive power of the prophecies and establishing himself as Macbeth’s moral foil.
Q2. Analyze the symbolism and psychological significance of the ‘dagger of the mind’ soliloquy for Macbeth’s state before the murder.
Ans. The ‘dagger of the mind’ soliloquy is a pivotal moment that grants the audience deep insight into Macbeth’s deteriorating psychological state right before the act of regicide. The floating, bloody dagger is a hallucination, signifying the immense mental pressure, guilt, and terror that the impending murder is inflicting upon him. Psychologically, it is the visible manifestation of his overwhelming ambition colliding with his conscience. He questions the dagger’s reality, asking, ‘Art thou not, fatal vision, sensible / To feeling as to sight? Or art thou but / A dagger of the mind, a false creation / Proceeding from the heat-oppressèd brain?’ This demonstrates his awareness that his mind is fracturing under the stress. The dagger’s direction, ‘The handle toward my hand’, symbolizes the fact that the bloody deed is entirely his own choice; the path to murder is self-directed and imminent. When the dagger transforms, showing ‘gouts of blood’, it foreshadows the bloody reality of the act and the guilt that will follow, proving that his subconscious is already grappling with the horror. The vision is not an external command, but an internal imperative, urging him forward and confirming that the ‘bloody business’ has already taken over his senses.
Q3. Explain the role of Banquo and Fleance’s entrance and exit in building tension and providing a moral counterpoint to Macbeth’s actions.
Ans. The brief presence of Banquo and Fleance serves several critical dramatic and thematic purposes immediately preceding the murder. Dramatically, their entry and conversation create an intense, last-minute hurdle for Macbeth. Their presence reminds the audience that King Duncan is safe in his chamber and that Macbeth is surrounded by loyal company, raising the stakes and suspense of the coming crime. Thematically, Banquo provides the crucial moral counterpoint. He establishes a clear line of conduct by admitting he is tempted but actively fighting the ‘cursed thoughts’ the Witches planted. His vow to keep his ‘bosom franchised and allegiance clear’ sets him up as the honorable man who refuses to compromise his virtue for ambition, standing in sharp contrast to Macbeth, who is plotting the ultimate betrayal. Fleance’s presence, merely holding a torch, symbolizes the line of kingship that Banquo’s prophecy promises, directly challenging Macbeth’s desire to secure the crown for himself. Once Banquo and Fleance exit, taking their torchlight with them, Macbeth is left in the literal and metaphorical darkness, free to embrace his bloody purpose, highlighting that his choice to murder is a conscious step away from honor, light, and loyalty.
Q4. How does Macbeth’s language and imagery shift during his soliloquy to reflect his descent into the mindset of a murderer?
Ans. Macbeth’s language during his soliloquy undergoes a dramatic transformation, moving from the rational observation of a hallucination to the dark, supernatural imagery of a committed murderer. Initially, he uses interrogative and analytical language to try and understand the dagger’s reality, ‘Art thou not… Or art thou but…?’. However, as he accepts the vision’s psychological source, ‘It is the bloody business which informs / Thus to mine eyes’, his language becomes steeped in the horror he is about to enact. He personifies the night as a time when ‘Nature seems dead’, and ‘wicked dreams abuse / The curtained sleep’. He invokes the dark forces of witchcraft, mentioning ‘Pale Hecate’s off’rings’, aligning his actions with the supernatural evil he previously found terrifying. Most chillingly, he compares himself to ‘withered murder’, who moves ‘With Tarquin’s ravishing strides’. The reference to Tarquin, a Roman tyrant famous for a brutal, stealthy rape, is a deliberate use of loaded imagery, equating his intended act of murder, the violation of natural and divine order with a crime of profound stealth and wickedness. His final rhyming couplet, ‘Whiles I threat, he lives. / Words to the heat of deeds too cold breath gives’, dismisses all further thought and signals his final, lethal resolve to act.
Q5. What is the significance of the natural and domestic details like the moon, the bell, and the diamond that appear in this scene?
Ans. The seemingly mundane details in Act 2, Scene 1 are strategically used by Shakespeare to underscore the extraordinary violation of order that is about to occur. The initial lines focus on the time and the dark, ‘The moon is down… Their candles are all out’. This ‘husbandry in heaven’ meaning heaven was saving light emphasizes the profound darkness that allows Macbeth’s evil to operate, suggesting that even the heavens have withdrawn their light to avoid witnessing the deed. The diamond presented to Lady Macbeth by Banquo, a gift from Duncan ‘By the name of most kind hostess’, is a potent symbol of the King’s trust, gratitude, and measureless contentment, making Macbeth’s impending act a betrayal of the highest degree, a murder of a guest, a relative, and a monarch who showered him with honors. Finally, the bell, rung by Lady Macbeth to signal that the servants are drugged and all is prepared, is transformed by Macbeth into a ‘knell / That summons thee to heaven or to hell’. The sound shifts from a domestic signal for service to a spiritual death chime, marking the precise, irrevocable moment that Macbeth crosses the threshold from ambitious thoughts to bloody, tyrannical action, making the familiar details unsettling harbingers of doom.