ACT 4: LM quotes and analysis

Question 1

Lady Macbeth’s absence in Act 4 (4)

Answer 1

• Lady Macbeth does not appear in act 4, hence it makes her fall from grace even more rapid.
• She is classified as a tragic heroine (Macbeth is a tragic hero) as her beginning status was that of success and power, yet her absence foreshadows her impending doom.
• Her mental insanity and demise commence during Act 4, only the audience see the consequences in act 5.
• Act 4 exposes the tyrannical rule of Macbeth whilst also highlighting how his tyrannical rule will be put to an end. Significantly, Lady Macbeth’s demise is aligned with Macbeth’s demise of honourability and nobility.