Welcome to our blog post ISC Macbeth Workbook Answers : Act 3, Scene 2 of William Shakespeare’s timeless masterpiece, “Macbeth.” As dedicated learners and educators, we recognize the importance of unraveling the nuances of Shakespearean literature, which is why we’ve curated this comprehensive guide specifically tailored to the ISC curriculum.
Within this blog, we’ll explore Act 3, Scene 2, utilizing the meticulously crafted workbook provided by Morning Star publishers. Our objective is to not only present multiple-choice questions (MCQs) and detailed answers but also to foster a deeper comprehension of the play’s themes, characters, and linguistic complexities.
While our responses are structured based on the workbook, we encourage students to use this resource as a springboard for their own exploration. Shakespeare’s works offer rich layers of interpretation, inviting individual analysis. Therefore, feel empowered to adapt and personalize our insights to suit your unique learning style and needs.
Whether you’re striving for academic excellence or simply eager to unravel the depths of “Macbeth,” join us on this enlightening journey through Act 3, Scene 2. Let’s embark on an adventure where Shakespeare’s words transcend time, captivating minds across generations.
Table of Contents
Workbook Summary :
Lady Macbeth, the newly crowned queen, makes her entry on stage. Lady Macbeth is disillusioned with life and is fast sinking into depression. She feels that her crown has not brought her the desired happiness of being Queen and that by killing Duncan they have lost their peace of mind. She envies the dead Duncan lying peacefully in his grave and regretfully says that it is better to die than to live in such doubtful joy.
Macbeth enters and on seeing her beloved husband’s troubled face, she promptly hides her own mental anguish and melancholy mood. She asks him why he appears so distant and aloof, obsessed with wretched thoughts and dismal memories. She appeals to him to shake off the past for what ‘s done is done.
Expressing deep regret, Macbeth says that he has scotch’d the snake, not kill’d it and fears that if the snake lives, it will gradually heal and rise against them as menacing as ever, but he is determined not to let that happen. They have killed Duncan to secure power for themselves, but his sons are alive who could take revenge for the brutal killing of their father. Macbeth too echoes the same wish as his wife has just made- that he would prefer to die than to live a life in which they cannot eat or sleep in peace.
Lady Macbeth, realising that his anguish is far greater than hers, is concerned about her husband’s condition. She advises him to smooth the expression on his face and adopt a jovial and gay exterior in front of the guests invited to the Banquet that night. They think that by doing so they would be able to keep their position safe.
Macbeth takes his wife into confidence and hints at his fears regarding Banquo and his son and even indicates to her about ‘a deed of dreadful note is about to take place that evening.
Then in brilliantly poetic language, he invokes the night to close the eyes of the compassionate day so that it may not look upon the deed that is to be done under the cover of darkness. He concludes that his position gained by committing one major crime might be strengthened by further crimes.
Workbook MCQs :
1. Lady Macbeth- Nought’s had, all’s spent, Where our desire is got without content
Why does Lady Macbeth feel that they have gained nothing?
a. As it has brought no contentment to their soul
b. Has put rancours in his vessel of peace
c. Has made Banquo King
d. Has made Banquo his enemy
Answer :- a. As it has brought no contentment to their soul
2. Why does Macbeth fear that they have only scorch’d the snake ?
1. They have not burnt it
2. They have not killed it
3. It will recoil itself to its former strength4. They have not buried it
a. 1 and 2
b. 1 and 3
c. 2 and 3
d. 1 and 4
Answer :- c. 2 and 3
3. Macbeth: We have scorch’d the snake, not kill’d it;
What is the literary device used in the words spoken by Macbeth?
a. Simile
b. Imagery
c. Metaphor
d. Personification
Answer :- c. Metaphor
4. According to Macbeth they have sent Duncan to his grave to only
a. gain peace for himself free of malice and treason
b. to shake them every night by appearing as a ghost
c. to take revenge on Macbeth
d. to bring about the death of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth
Answer :- a. gain peace for himself free of malice and treason
5. “Treason has done his worst”
What is the literary device used in the above lines ?
a. simile
b. personification
c. metaphor
d. hyperbole
Answer :- b. personification
6. What does Lady Macbeth urge her husband to do?
a. look happy among the guests that night
b. please all the guests by designating the with high posts
c. not to have a look of anger
d. compliment and reward each guest
Answer :- a. look happy among the guests that night
7. What instructions does Macbeth give to his wife about her behaviour in the Banquet?
a. to ignore Banquo throughout the Banquet
b. to insult Banquo
c. to pay all her attention on Banquo
d. to flatter Banquo
Answer :- c. to pay all her attention on Banquo
8. Why does Macbeth feel that their position as King and Queen is unsafe?
a. they are unfit for the position
b. they have incurred the wrath of everyone by Killing King Duncan
c. they are under suspicion for killing the King
d. long as they do not flatter everyone and win their favour
Answer :- d. long as they do not flatter everyone and win their favour
9. What are Macbeth’s fears?
a. King Duncan will be resurrected from his grave
b. Banquo and his son Fleance lives
C. the lease of life granted to him is not eternal
d. that the heinous deed of their murdering the King will be exposed
Answer :- b. Banquo and his son Fleance lives
10. Who is Black Hecate?
a. First Witch
b. Second Witch
с. Third Witch
d. Goddess of the Witches
Answer :- d. Goddess of the Witches
11.”O! full of scorpions”
What do the above lines mean?
a. mind full of poisonous creatures
b. mind full of poison
c. mind full of painful and bitter thoughts
d. mind full of hatred
Answer :- c. mind full of painful and bitter thoughts
12. What are the evil creatures referred to by Macbeth?
a. Graymalkin and the First Witch
b. Paddock and the Second Witch
c. the beetle and the bat
d. the snake and it’s egg
Answer :- c. the beetle and the bat
13. “Ere the bat hath flown
His cloister’d flight”
Where does the bat begin it’s cloistered flight?
a. among the cloisters of the church
b. in the countryside
c. among the graves
d. among the trees at night
Answer :- For Full Answers Get The Workbook Answers PDF – View
14. Whose summons do the beetle and the bat listen to ?
a. the three witches
b. Hecate
c. Macbeth
d. King Duncan in his grave
Answer :- For Full Answers Get The Workbook Answers PDF – View
15. Which fact does Macbeth find comfort in?
a. they do not have a long lease of life granted to them
b. they are assailable
c. they have many enemies who will kill them
d. being the enemies of the witches they may be killed
Answer :- For Full Answers Get The Workbook Answers PDF – View
16. What does the shard born beetle’s humming do?
a. induces sleep
b. is a source of disturbance
c. causes all evil creatures to attack
d. tempts man to commit a crime
Answer :- For Full Answers Get The Workbook Answers PDF – View
17. What does Macbeth addresses the night to do?
a. to sew up the eye of day
b. to sew up it’s own eye
с. to sew up everyone’s eye
d. to sew up Hecate’s eye
Answer :- For Full Answers Get The Workbook Answers PDF – View
18. What does Macbeth address Lady Macbeth as?
a. dearest wife
b. beloved wife
c. dearest chuck
d. dearest love
Answer :- For Full Answers Get The Workbook Answers PDF – View
19. What does Macbeth implore night with it’s terrible hand to do?
a. kill Malcolm and Donalbain
b. cancel and tear to pieces the lease of life given to Banquo and Fleance
c. kill all who will revolt against him
d. spread the darkness of evil
Answer :- For Full Answers Get The Workbook Answers PDF – View
20. The lease of life given to Fleance
a. makes Macbeth pale with fear and anxiety
b. encourages Macbeth to kill more people
c. makes Macbeth happy and secure
d. gives Macbeth a new lease of life
Answer :- For Full Answers Get The Workbook Answers PDF – View
21. What happens when night thickens?
a. the crow flies to the rooky wood
b. the crow flies to the churchyard
c. the crow flies into it’s nest
d. the crow call out to the other birds
Answer :- For Full Answers Get The Workbook Answers PDF – View
22. On which creatures does night have an adverse effect on?
a. bright and good creatures who grow faint and drowsy
b. bright and good creatures who stop doing good deeds
C. bright and good creatures who embark on a career of crimes
d. bright and good creatures who are roused to capture their prey
Answer :- For Full Answers Get The Workbook Answers PDF – View
23. What evil trait of Macbeth’s character is revealed in this scene?
a. avarice
b. dishonesty
c. being devoid of conscience
d. jealousy
Answer :- For Full Answers Get The Workbook Answers PDF – View
24. What does Macbeth justify to Lady Macbeth about “things bad begun”?
a. They eventually have a happy ending
b. They can be made secure by doing worse deeds
c. They never have an unsuccessful end
d. They always have a specific purpose in hand.
Answer :- For Full Answers Get The Workbook Answers PDF – View
25. What does Macbeth tell his wife at the end of the scene?
a. “So, pr’ ythee, go with me”
b. “So, pr’yhee do not go with me”
c. “So, pr’ythee be with me”
d. “So, pr’ ythee keep my plan a secret”
Answer :- For Full Answers Get The Workbook Answers PDF – View
Contextual Questions :
(I) Lady Macbeth expresses her regret by uttering “Nought’s had, all’s spent” because she is disillusioned with life and is sinking into depression.
(II) On seeing Macbeth brooding about the past, Lady Macbeth advises him that it is of no use to do so because being obsessed with wretched thoughts of dismal memories.
(III) Macbeth feels that they have put themselves in danger by not killing the snake because if the snake lives it will rise against them any time and (bite them) cause a problem.
(IV) Macbeth envies King Duncan as the latter lies in his grave because peacefully whereas they are living in constant fear and anxiety.
(V) Macbeth advises Lady Macbeth to use abundant flattery towards the guests especially Banquo in the Banquet because he feels unsafe in his position and for him winning the favour of his guests is essential.
(VI) Macbeth utters “O! full of scorpions is my mind, dear wife!” because his mind is tormented by painful and bitter thoughts as if it were full of scorpions.
(VII) Macbeth calls upon night to “scarf up the tender eye of pitiful Day because Answer :- For Full Answers Get The Workbook Answers PDF – View
(VIII) According to Macbeth the good things begin to decline and fade away as night sets in because Answer :- For Full Answers Get The Workbook Answers PDF – View
(IX) Macbeth fears the existence of Banquo and his son Fleance because Answer :- For Full Answers Get The Workbook Answers PDF – View
(X) Macbeth is not happy with the fruits of his Act because Answer :- For Full Answers Get The Workbook Answers PDF – View
(XI) Macbeth wants to indulge in a second act of murder because Answer :- For Full Answers Get The Workbook Answers PDF – View
(XII) There is a note of despair in the words of Macbeth because Answer :- For Full Answers Get The Workbook Answers PDF – View
Question Answers :
(I) With reference to Act III Scene 2 show how the scene depicts the drifting away of Macbeth and his wife who were supposed to be “partners in crime” throughout the play. Write your answer in a short paragraph of 100-150 words.
Answer :- The scene clearly depicts how far Macbeth and Lady Macbeth have drifted away from each other. Lady Macbeth discovers in the depth of her soul that her crown is gemmed with bloody drops. She trembles to think that they committed the heinous crime on that night as criminality is not in her nature. Now, she recoils from murder. Macbeth on the other hand, feels unsafe due to his mental agony. Without taking Lady Macbeth in confidence, he starts on the career of crime. Macbeth is surprised to see the change in Lady Macbeth. When he compares himself to her, she appears as a child who is not to be told much of men’s doings. He addresses her as ‘dearest chuck’. He feels no need to share his plans with her.
(II) State instances in the scene which show that Macbeth is filled with a feeling of remorse and guilt. Write your answer in a short paragraph of 100-150 words.
Answer :- For Full Answers Get The Workbook Answers PDF – View
(III) (a) Act III Scene 2 exposes the world of Macbeth which is essentially a dark, desolate worldwide everything is ‘black’. Elucidate. Write your answer in about 200-250 words.
Answer :- Act III, Scene 2 plunges Macbeth into a psychological abyss, where his world becomes a desolate, pitch-black void of paranoia and despair. Having seized the throne through murder, he now finds no joy in his power—only gnawing insecurity and dread. The “black” world he describes reflects his moral and mental decay:
Haunted by Threats: He fears Malcolm and Donalbain, who might return to avenge Duncan. The witches’ prophecy about Banquo’s descendants torments him (“Upon my head they placed a fruitless crown”). Even Banquo and Fleance, once allies, are now enemies to be eliminated.
Loss of Peace: His “mind is full of scorpions”—guilt and anxiety strip him of rest. Sleep, once restorative, is now replaced by “terrible dreams”.
Trapped in Darkness: He admits “We have scorched the snake, not killed it”, realizing his crimes have only multiplied his dangers. With no way back, he resolves to “wade further in blood”, sinking deeper into tyranny.
This scene reveals Macbeth’s spiritual desolation—a king who rules a hell of his own making, where every shadow threatens and no light of redemption remains.
(b) Discuss the significance of the words “Nought’s had, all’s spent, When our desire is got without content” in Lady Macbeth’s soliloquy in the beginning of the scene. Write your answer in 200-250 words.
Answer :- For Full Answers Get The Workbook Answers PDF – View
Essay Question :
Q. Write a brief comment on the dramatic significance of the conversation between Macbeth and his wife in the scene before the murder of Banquo.
Answer : The conversation between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth reveals how far the two lives are drifting apart. Lady Macbeth discovers in depth of her own soul that her crown is gemmed with bloody drops. She sends for Macbeth and believing that his mental agony is akin to hers she tries to ease his nerves like how she did before. But Macbeth has started on a new path in life which Lady Macbeth is unaware of. Lady Macbeth trembles now as she thinks of the heinous crimes they committed on that night, as criminality is no more in her nature. For Full Answers Get The Workbook Answers PDF – View
