Macbeth and the Death of Lady Macbeth
by William Shakespeare from Macbeth
Act V, Scene 5 passage: This passage is a speech from Shakespeare’s tragedy "Macbeth." The title character Macbeth is a Scottish general who receives a prophecy that he would one day be King of Scotland. He becomes ambitious and eager to make the prophecy come true. He is encouraged by his wife, Lady Macbeth. He kills the reigning king and becomes king, but the resulting wars lead to more murders and death. The power that Macbeth and his wife desire eventually leads to their destruction. In this speech Macbeth is reacting to the news that his wife has died.
Reading Comprehension Passage
Macbeth and the Death of Lady Macbeth
by William Shakespeare from Macbeth
Reading Comprehension Questions
Vocabulary List
Vocabulary List
Each of the vocabulary words below are used in the reading passage. As you read the passage, pay attention to context clues that suggest the word’s meaning.
- hereafter
- petty
- struts
- frets
- signifying
Context Clues
Context Clues
Using context clues from the sentences in the passage, underline the correct meaning of the word in boldface.
1) “She should have died hereafter”
a. quietly or easily b. with medical care c. later; in the future d. someplace else; nearby
2) “Creeps in this petty pace from day to day”
a. minor; trivial b. joyful; happy c. touchy; anxious d. quickly; furiously
3) “a poor player /That struts and frets his hour upon the stage”
a. plays music b. dies or collapses c. toils; works hard d. walks proudly; parades
4) "a poor player /That struts and frets his hour upon the stage”
a. counts; watches b. uses a stringed instrument c. shows distress or emotion d. speaks
5) “full of sound and fury/Signifying nothing”
a. forgetting b. meaning; indicating c. remembering; recollecting d. excusing; justifying