Macbeth, ACT V - Scene II quiz

Questions and answers

1. 1

   Question 1. Where is Act 5, Scene 2 of Macbeth set?

   • Inside Dunsinane Castle
   • Correct answer: The countryside near Dunsinane
   • The heath where the witches meet
   • The English court

   The scene takes place in the open countryside near Dunsinane, where the Scottish rebel forces are marching toward Birnam Wood to join Malcolm's army.

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2. 2

   Question 2. Which of the following nobles does NOT appear in Act 5, Scene 2?

   • Menteith
   • Correct answer: Ross
   • Angus
   • Caithness

   The four nobles who appear in this scene are Menteith, Caithness, Angus, and Lennox. Ross does not appear in this scene.

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3. 3

   Question 3. Who leads the English army that the Scottish rebels plan to join?

   • Donalbain, Siward, and Ross
   • Correct answer: Malcolm, Siward, and Macduff
   • Malcolm, Donalbain, and Lennox
   • Macduff, Banquo, and Siward

   Menteith reports that the English power is led by Malcolm, his uncle Siward, and Macduff, who burn with desire for revenge against Macbeth.

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4. 4

   Question 4. Where do the armies plan to meet?

   • At Dunsinane Castle
   • Correct answer: Near Birnam Wood
   • On the heath
   • At Inverness

   Angus says they will meet the English forces near Birnam Wood, a location significant because of the witches' prophecy about Birnam Wood moving to Dunsinane.

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5. 5

   Question 5. Is Donalbain marching with Malcolm's forces?

   • Yes, he leads a separate battalion
   • Yes, but only as an observer
   • Correct answer: No, Lennox confirms he is not with them
   • The scene does not mention Donalbain

   When Caithness asks about Donalbain, Lennox replies "For certain, sir, he is not" and says he has a complete roster of the gentry in the army.

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6. 6

   Question 6. What has Macbeth done in response to the approaching armies?

   • Fled to England
   • Correct answer: Strongly fortified Dunsinane
   • Sent ambassadors to negotiate
   • Marched out to meet them in battle

   Caithness reports that "Great Dunsinane he strongly fortifies," indicating Macbeth has chosen a defensive strategy, holing up in his castle.

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7. 7

   Question 7. What do some people say about Macbeth's mental state?

   • He is calm and confident
   • Correct answer: Some say he is mad; others call it valiant fury
   • He is deeply remorseful
   • He has become religious and prayerful

   Caithness reports that "Some say he's mad; others, that lesser hate him, / Do call it valiant fury," showing divided opinions about whether Macbeth is insane or courageously desperate.

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8. 8

   Question 8. In Angus's famous simile, Macbeth's title hangs loose about him like what?

   • A tattered flag on a broken pole
   • Correct answer: A giant's robe upon a dwarfish thief
   • A crown too heavy for a child's head
   • A borrowed cloak in a storm

   Angus says Macbeth's title hangs "like a giant's robe / Upon a dwarfish thief," meaning Macbeth is morally too small for the kingship he stole through murder.

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9. 9

   Question 9. According to Angus, why do Macbeth's remaining soldiers follow him?

   • Out of genuine love and loyalty
   • Because they fear the English more
   • Correct answer: Only in command, nothing in love
   • Because Macbeth pays them generously

   Angus says "Those he commands move only in command, / Nothing in love," meaning Macbeth's soldiers obey orders but feel no loyalty or affection for him.

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10. 10

    Question 10. Who does Caithness call "the medicine of the sickly weal"?

    • Macduff
    • Siward
    • Correct answer: Malcolm
    • Lennox

    Caithness refers to Malcolm as "the medicine of the sickly weal," meaning the cure for Scotland's diseased commonwealth, casting the rebellion as a healing act.

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11. 11

    Question 11. What dominant imagery pattern runs through Act 5, Scene 2?

    • Light and darkness
    • Correct answer: Disease and healing
    • Animals and hunting
    • Fire and water

    The scene is dominated by disease and healing imagery: Macbeth's "distempered cause," the "sickly weal," Malcolm as "medicine," and the country's "purge" all portray Scotland as a sick body in need of a cure.

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12. 12

    Question 12. What does Lennox mean by "dew the sovereign flower and drown the weeds"?

    • They will plant gardens after the war
    • Correct answer: They will nourish Malcolm's claim and destroy Macbeth
    • They will show mercy to Macbeth's followers
    • They will water the fields of Birnam Wood

    Lennox uses a gardening metaphor: the "sovereign flower" is Malcolm, the rightful king, and the "weeds" represent Macbeth. The rebels will support the true king and eliminate the usurper.

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