1. How does Macduff react to the discovery of Duncan’s body? 2. (a) What reason does Macbeth offer for killing the chamberlains? (b) What is his real motive?
3. Why do you think Lady Macbeth faints in this scene?
4. Looking at the reaction of all the characters to the news of Duncan’s murder, do you think he was a good king? Refer to the scene in your answer.
5. Why do Malcolm and Donalbain ‘shift away’?
6. In what way are the reports at the beginning of the scene of unnatural weather phenomena relevant?
7. Find a quotation from the scene for each of the following ideas: (a) The Porter provides some humour. (b) Strange weather has occurred in the night. (c) Macbeth says that life is drained of meaning now that Duncan is dead. (d) Donalbain is suspicious of his relatives.