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Quizzes > Literature & Language > Books & Literature

Macbeth Acts I-III Quiz: Think You Can Ace It?

Ready for a Shakespeare trivia quiz? Tackle Macbeth Acts I-III plot questions now.

Difficulty: Moderate
2-5mins
Learning OutcomesCheat Sheet
Paper art illustration of Macbeth dagger witches crown and scroll on dark blue background for quiz prompt

This Macbeth quiz helps you recall key moments from Acts I - III and spot what you missed. Answer quick questions on plot, motives, and prophecies to prep for class or a quiz while having a bit of fun. Need a refresh? Revisit the witches in Act I , then follow Macbeth's unraveling in Act III.

Who is the king of Scotland at the start of Macbeth?
Macbeth
Duncan
Banquo
Malcolm
At the beginning of Shakespeare's Macbeth, Duncan is established as the ruling King of Scotland. Macbeth and Banquo serve as his loyal generals in battle. Duncan's reign sets up the central conflict as Macbeth's ambition drives him to usurp the throne.
Who utters the line "Fair is foul, and foul is fair"?
Lady Macbeth
The Three Witches
Macbeth
Banquo
This paradoxical line is chanted by the Weird Sisters in Act I, Scene i, establishing the play's theme of deceptive appearances. It suggests that what seems good is actually bad, and vice versa. The line foreshadows the moral confusion that follows.
What title is bestowed on Macbeth by King Duncan early in the play?
Earl of Leicester
Thane of Glamis
Thane of Fife
Thane of Cawdor
After Macbeth's victory in battle, Duncan rewards his valor by naming him Thane of Cawdor. Macbeth already holds the title Thane of Glamis. This promotion triggers the witches' prophecies and Macbeth's ambition.
Where is Macbeth's castle located?
Dunsinane
Birnam Wood
Inverness
Fife
Macbeth's seat is at Inverness, where Duncan is assassinated in Act II. Dunsinane is another stronghold, but Macbeth's home base is Inverness. The castle's remote setting enhances the play's atmosphere of isolation and betrayal.
What prophecy do the witches give to Banquo?
He will be Thane of Cawdor
He will die that night
He will be king himself
His sons will become kings
The Weird Sisters foretell that although Banquo will not be king, his descendants will inherit the throne. This prophecy haunts Macbeth, since it undermines his hopes for a lasting dynasty. Banquo's line thus becomes central to Macbeth's fears.
Which character persuades Macbeth to murder King Duncan?
Macduff
Malcolm
Banquo
Lady Macbeth
Lady Macbeth questions Macbeth's courage and ambition in Act I, Scene vii, coercing him into murdering Duncan. She plans the details and challenges his sense of manhood to ensure he follows through. Her manipulation drives the central crime.
Who discovers King Duncan's body?
Ross
Donalbain
Malcolm
Macduff
In Act II, Scene iii, Macduff goes to wake Duncan and instead finds his chamber doors locked. Upon entering, he discovers the murdered king. His shock propels the play into deeper chaos.
What vision distracts Macbeth before he murders Duncan?
An owl
A floating dagger
A crown
A bloody child
In Act II, Scene i, Macbeth hallucinates a dagger pointing toward Duncan's chamber, symbolizing his guilt and wavering resolve. The apparition blurs reality and foreshadows the murder.
What unnatural event occurs in nature following Duncan's murder?
Birds begin singing at night
Rivers run backward
Day turns to night at noon
Flowers wilt instantly
Shakespeare describes the sky darkening at midday to mirror the moral darkness unleashed by regicide. This supernatural darkness underscores the chaos in Scotland.
How does Lady Macbeth manipulate Macbeth into going through with the murder?
She promises a pardon
She threatens to reveal his secret
She questions his courage
She offers him gold
In Act I, Lady Macbeth challenges Macbeth's masculinity, accusing him of cowardice if he fails to kill Duncan. Her taunts exploit his ambitions and insecurities.
Why does Macbeth view Banquo as a threat?
Banquo plans to kill him
Banquo is loved by Duncan
Banquo's heirs will be kings
Banquo has greater titles
The witches prophesy that Banquo's descendants will inherit the throne, threatening Macbeth's hopes for an unbroken dynasty. This drives Macbeth to plot Banquo's murder.
In Act I, what does Lady Macbeth mean by "too full o' the milk of human kindness"?
Macbeth is generous with food
Macbeth is too compassionate to kill
Macbeth is infertile
Macbeth loves children
Lady Macbeth fears Macbeth lacks the ruthless ambition necessary to seize the crown by murder. She scorns his kindness as an obstacle to their plans.
What reason does Macbeth give for killing Duncan's guards?
They killed Banquo
They plotted with Malcolm
They insulted him
He was in a rage
Macbeth claims he murdered the sleeping guards in a fit of grief-stricken fury after discovering Duncan's body. This fabricated justification diverts suspicion from himself.
Which character flees to England after Duncan's murder?
Fleance
Donalbain
Macduff
Malcolm
Fearing for their lives, Duncan's sons split up: Malcolm escapes to England while Donalbain flees to Ireland. This decision marks them as suspicious in others' eyes.
Who is Hecate in Macbeth?
A Scottish noblewoman
Duncan's advisor
Macbeth's cousin
Goddess of witchcraft
Hecate, introduced in Act III, is the queen of the witches and orchestrates their enchantments. She reproaches the Weird Sisters for meddling with Macbeth's fate. Her presence emphasizes the supernatural manipulation at work.
What primary concern does Macbeth express in his soliloquy beginning "To be thus is nothing"?
He plans to abdicate
He regrets killing Duncan
His crown yields no heirs
He fears Banquo's military strength
In Act III, Scene i, Macbeth laments that being king means nothing if he leaves no descendants, referencing the witches' prophecy favoring Banquo's line. His obsession with securing his lineage drives the next murders.
How does Banquo's ghost appear at the banquet?
Seated as king
Carrying a crown
Draped in white
Armored and bloodied
In Act III, Scene iv, Banquo's ghost returns in the same bloody battle armor he wore when murdered. Its sudden appearance symbolizes Macbeth's overwhelming guilt and fear.
What does Macbeth mean by a "fruitless crown"?
His crown produces no heirs
His reign is prosperous
He wears a crown of fruit
His royal fruit is rotten
Macbeth laments that, despite being king, he cannot secure a royal line - echoing the prophecy that Banquo's descendants will inherit the throne. This deepens his tyranny.
What ultimately happens to Fleance after the attempt on his life?
He escapes the murderers
He becomes king immediately
He joins the witches
He is killed hiding
The assassins fail to kill Banquo's son Fleance; he flees into the night. His survival preserves the witches' prophecy and continues to threaten Macbeth's security.
What line symbolizes Macbeth's loss of peace after murdering Duncan?
"Macbeth shall sleep no more"
"Something wicked this way comes"
"Out, damned spot"
"Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow"
After the murder, Macbeth hears a voice lamenting he will never sleep again, reflecting his tormented conscience and insomnia. This line captures the psychological cost of his crime.
How do the witches mislead Macbeth?
By telling him Banquo is alive
By using ambiguous prophecies
By giving false names
By changing his appearance
The Weird Sisters speak in riddles and half-truths, creating prophecies that seem reassuring but conceal dire meanings. Macbeth's literal interpretation leads him into deeper peril.
What plan does Macbeth form at the end of Act III?
Reveal his crimes to the court
Return to the witches for further prophecies
Abdicate the throne
Flee Scotland
Frightened by Banquo's living heir and the incomplete prophecy, Macbeth decides to revisit the Weird Sisters to learn more about his fate. This decision sets the stage for further tragedy.
What dramatic irony is present when Duncan praises Macbeth's castle hospitality?
Macbeth has already left the castle
Duncan calls it a pleasant seat, unaware it's a trap
Lady Macbeth insists Duncan stay elsewhere
Macbeth openly reveals his plan to kill Duncan
Duncan's praise of Inverness as an inviting and honorable seat stands in stark contrast to Macbeth's secret plot to murder him there. This dramatic irony heightens the audience's tension as the king unknowingly enters danger.
Which natural image reflects Scotland's moral decay after Duncan's death?
Darkness at midday
Clear skies
Singing birds
Blooming flowers
Shakespeare employs the unnatural darkness that falls at noon following Duncan's murder to mirror the kingdom's moral upheaval. Nature itself seems to rebel against the crime.
What is the thematic purpose of the porter scene in Act II?
Macbeth's confession
Comic relief and a metaphorical entrance to hell
Banquo's death is announced
The witches reveal new prophecies
The drunken porter's gatekeeping monologue provides comic relief after the tension of Duncan's murder. His references to the gates of hell thematically align Macbeth's castle with damnation and moral descent.
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Study Outcomes

  1. Recall Key Plot Points -

    Demonstrate your understanding of the major events in Macbeth Acts I - III, from the witches' prophecies to King Duncan's murder and its aftermath.

  2. Analyze Character Motivations -

    Examine the psychological drivers behind Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, exploring how ambition and fear propel their actions.

  3. Interpret Symbolic Elements -

    Identify and explain key motifs - such as the supernatural, blood imagery, and darkness - and their role in shaping the tragedy.

  4. Evaluate Themes of Ambition and Guilt -

    Assess how Shakespeare weaves central themes through dialogue and plot twists, revealing the moral and ethical consequences of unchecked desire.

  5. Identify Significant Quotations -

    Recall and contextualize pivotal lines from Acts I - III, enhancing your appreciation of Shakespeare's language and dramatic effect.

  6. Strategize for Quiz Success -

    Apply critical reading techniques and plot insights to excel in the Macbeth Acts I - III quiz, the Shakespeare trivia quiz, and related Macbeth plot quizzes.

Cheat Sheet

  1. Witches' Prophecies and Dramatic Irony -

    In Act I, Scene 3, the Weird Sisters ignite the central conflict by prophesying Macbeth's rise to power with "All hail, Macbeth, that shalt be king hereafter." This creates dramatic irony as viewers know Macbeth's fate before he does, a key point for any Macbeth Acts I-III quiz question. Use the mnemonic HIS (Hail, Impact, Suspense) to remember how each witch prophecy moves the plot and heightens tension.

  2. Macbeth's Ambition and Moral Descent -

    Macbeth's vaulting ambition surfaces after hearing the prophecy and is famously described as "o'er-leap" in Act I, Scene 7. As you prep for your Macbeth plot quiz, note how Shakespeare charts his shift from loyal thane to regicide through soliloquies that reveal inner turmoil. A simple formula - Ambition + Opportunity = Downfall - can help you recall his tragic arc.

  3. The Regicide of Duncan and Blood Imagery -

    In Act II, Scene 2, Macbeth murders King Duncan, a turning point that unleashes recurring images of blood and guilt. As noted by the Folger Shakespeare Library, the line "Will all great Neptune's ocean wash this blood" underscores his realization that no penance can erase his crime. For your Shakespeare trivia quiz, link this scene to the broader motif of staining that haunts Lady Macbeth and Macbeth alike.

  4. Guilt, Hallucinations, and the Supernatural -

    Following Duncan's murder, Macbeth experiences vivid hallucinations such as the floating dagger ("Is this a dagger which I see before me?") and later encounters Banquo's ghost in Act III, Scene 4. These supernatural elements externalize his guilt and foreshadow his unraveling, a key point in many Acts I II III Macbeth questions. Remember the acronym DAGGER (Delusion, Ambition, Guilt, Gaze, Eerie Reaction, Rising tension) to track these eerie visions.

  5. Banquo's Foil and the Theme of Loyalty -

    Banquo serves as a moral foil to Macbeth in Acts I - III by responding to the witches with cautious skepticism and emphasizing honor over ambition. His prophecy - that his descendants will inherit the throne - heightens Macbeth's paranoia and is critical for Macbeth quizzes focusing on character dynamics. Recall "BANQUO" (Belief, Ancestry, Noble, Questioning, Uncanny calm, Opposition) to differentiate his steadiness from Macbeth's spiraling ambition.

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