Question 1: What is the main mood of Macbeth's speech?

Answer: The mood is reflective, somber, and nihilistic, expressing despair about life's meaning.

Question 2: Identify a literary device used in the phrase 'Life’s but a walking shadow'.

Answer: Metaphor.

Question 3: What Greek or mythological idea can be linked to Macbeth’s view of life as a 'brief candle'?

Answer: The idea of life's fleeting nature, similar to the myth of the flame representing the soul or life force, which is temporary and fragile.

Question 4: Explain the significance of the phrase 'told by an idiot' in the context of the speech.

Answer: It suggests that life is chaotic, meaningless, and perhaps incomprehensible, like a foolish story told without logic or purpose.

Question 5: Identify the poetic structure of this soliloquy (e.g., rhyme scheme, meter).

Answer: It is written in blank verse, with unrhymed iambic pentameter.

Question 6: How does Macbeth's view of life compare to the mythological concept of fate or destiny?

Answer: Students should explore how Macbeth's nihilism reflects a loss of control over his destiny, similar to mythological stories where fate is predetermined by gods, suggesting life's struggles are beyond human control.

Question 7: Describe a modern situation that reflects Macbeth's feeling that life is 'a tale told by an idiot'.

Answer: A possible answer is feeling hopeless about life when faced with constant chaos, like a person overwhelmed by meaningless news or events that seem to have no purpose.

Question 8: Identify and explain one example of imagery in the excerpt.

Answer: The image of a 'brief candle' symbolizes life's fragility and fleeting nature.

Question 9: Compare Macbeth’s nihilistic view to the concept of the Underworld in mythology.

Answer: Students should analyze how Macbeth’s view of life as pointless mirrors mythological ideas of the Underworld as a shadowy, eternal place of the dead, emphasizing themes of death and the afterlife.

Question 10: Creative Prompt: Write a short monologue from the perspective of a mythological hero who is contemplating their fate. Use poetic devices and imagery similar to Macbeth’s soliloquy.

Answer: Students should craft a poetic, reflective monologue incorporating metaphors, imagery of eternity or mortality, and a tone that considers themes of destiny and mortality.