Lady Macbeth Act 3 Quotations

Question 1

Analyse the quotation - “_________ had, all’s ______”

Answer 1

Nought’s, spent

This declarative sentence clearly indicates how Lady Macbeth has realised how pointless the struggle against God and the natural order has been, as she knows it will all have been pointless if Banquo’s kin will take Macbeth’s place, showing how she has become more aware of the dangers of sin as the play goes on.

Question 2

Analyse the quotation - “What’s ____ is done”

Answer 2

done

This quotation demonstrates Lady Macbeth’s mental strength, perhaps drawing from her lack of femininity since females are more emotional than men typically, but she seems more stoic than Macbeth at this point.

Question 3

Analyse the quotation - “My _____ lord”

Answer 3

royal

This adjective she uses when talking about Macbeth intends to flatter him and affirm typical gender roles, by demonstrating Macbeth’s masculinity in the presence of others. The dramatic irony of this being that she, in private, demonstrates her lack of femininity and shows on a deep level that the Macbeth household masks their true intentions by changing the power dynamic between them in private and in public.

Question 4

Analyse the quotation - “Are you a ___?”

Answer 4

man

This rhetorical question is asked to Macbeth in private, after Macbeth’s extremely adverse reaction to the appearance of the ghose of Banquo. The questioning of Macbeth’s masculinity by his wife would be viewed as abnormal and disrespectful by a Jacobean audience.

Question 5

Analyse the quotation - “What, _____ in _________ folly?”

Answer 5

quite, unmanned

This question demonstrates the reversed gender roles in the Macbeth household, as it is commonplace for the wife to question the husband, which wouldn’t be the norm in Jacobean England.

Question 6

Analyse the quotation - “Stand not upon the _____ of your going but __ at once”

Answer 6

order, go

This dismissal of the lords is normally done by the King, but since Macbeth is unable, Lady Macbeth assumes the right and capability to do so, this demonstrates her ambition and lack of femininity, on a deeper level hinting the abnormality of the Macbeth household from a contemporary standpoint.