Macbeth Quiz: Check Your Knowledge

Macbeth is introduced as a brave general, but when he hears from the witches that he will eventually become king, ambition overtakes him and his morals fall by the wayside.

Lady Macbeth manipulates Macbeth throughout the play by questioning his sense of masculinity. For example, when Macbeth is shaken after seeing Banquo's ghost, Lady Macbeth asks him, “Are you a man?”

In Macbeth, blood symbolizes guilt. Visions of blood are connected to Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s murderous acts throughout the play. As Lady Macbeth is driven increasingly insane by her guilt, her visions of blood become increasingly powerful.

Macbeth, who is worried that Banquo and his son are a threat to his claim to the crown, decides that he must kill Banquo. He asks the murderers he has hired to kill Banquo for him, and the murderers carry out the request.

Malcolm and Donalbain flee because they fear they might be the next targets of the murderer. Their departure ends up making them look guilty, and as a result, Macbeth is crowned King of Scotland.

After expressing his grief, Macduff, along with Malcolm, decides to avenge the murder of his family by bringing Macbeth down. "Macbeth is ripe for shaking,” declares Malcolm after Macduff has expressed his grief.