Lady Macbeth

Question 1

1. “come to my women’s breasts and take my milk for gall.” a1 s5

Answer 1

1. Intense desire for power
2. Desires to rid herself of feminine qualities to be more effective in her pursuit of power
3. Trying to supress feelings of guilt, shows she feels guilty
4. She sees her femininity as a weakness that stops her doing it
5. Despite her initial bravado, she is later plagued by madness.

Question 2

2. “Look like th’innocent flower, But be the serpent under’t.” a1 s6

Answer 2

1. Advises Macbeth to adopt a deceptive facade, willingness to use deception
2. Contrast shows he is telling Macbeth to embrace his immoral side, showing her acceptance of hers.
3. Traditional gender expectations by embracing a more assertive role
4. Foreshadows her moral descent.

Question 3

3. “When you durst do it, then you were a man.” a1 s6

Answer 3

1. She implies that true masculinity is shown through using violence to achieve one’s goal
2. Preys on his insecurities, desire for validation and exploits his fears of looking weak
3. She emasculates him
4. Subverts gender roles.

Question 4

4. “tis the eye of childhood that fears the painted devil.” a2 s2

Answer 4

1. She dismisses his fears as childish, attempts to belittle them, manipulative nature
2. Little concern for his emotional wellbeing, callous disregard for the moral implications of their actions
3. Unwavering commitment to their murderous plots

Question 5

5. “Out damned spot.” a5 s1

Answer 5

1. Profound sense of guilt and torment
2. Symbolises the bloodstains of Duncan’s murder, inability to wash away the guilt that plagues her
3. Mental deterioration
4. Has been consumed be her guilt
5. Ironic “a little water clears us of this deed.”
6. Cautionary tale of unchecked ambition

Question 6

6. “All the perfumes of sweet Arabia will not sweeten this hand.”

Answer 6

1. Despite, her earlier attempts to rationalise her guilt, she now realises the futility of her efforts to absolve herself of guilt
2. Desperate desire to find relief, longs for an unattainable solution
3. Mental anguish, her fixation on guilt makes her unable to distinguish between reality and illusion
4. Symbolises her irreparable moral and spiritual contamination.