Macbeth

Question 1

Alliteration evokes lady macbeths machiavellion nature- lady macbeth

Answer 1

‘Murdering ministers’

Question 2

Almost dehumanising macbeth, undermines his power as a male in jacobean society- lady macbeth

Answer 2

‘Screw your courage’

Question 3

Interpreted as lady macbeths head being filled by ‘direst cruelty’, an ambiguous quote- lady macbeth

Answer 3

‘Crown’

Question 4

Colour imagery reflects the fatalistic mood- macbeth

Answer 4

‘Black and deep desires’

Question 5

The imperative simple sentence, disposing of lady macbeths femininity- lady macbeth

Answer 5

‘Unsex me here’

Question 6

The noun raven implicates death, the biblical reference may mimic duncans trust for macbeth- lady macbeth

Answer 6

‘The raven himself is hoarse’

Question 7

Physiological effect of guilt, hallucinations? Literal dagger which ties into the theme of supernatural- macbeth

Answer 7

‘Is this a dagger i see before me’

Question 8

Plans to murder banquo, speaking down to lady macbeth echoes evil depicting lady macbeth as powerless- macbeth

Answer 8

‘Be innocent of the knowledge, dearest chuck, till thou applaud the deed’

Question 9

Warns macbeth about the witches, showing banquo as an insightful character- banquo

Answer 9

‘Be warned… the instruments of darkness tell us truths’

Question 10

Rephrased quote earlier spoke by the witches may be the breakthrough of evil in macbeth as witches are of supernatural being- macbeth

Answer 10

‘So foul and fair a day i have not seen’

Question 11

First sign of weakness lady macbeth exhibits- lady macbeth

Answer 11

‘Had he not resembled my father as he slept, i had done’t’

Question 12

Links to death foreshadow the destiny of the couple at the end of the play- malcom

Answer 12

‘Of this dead butcher and his fiend like queen’

Question 13

It is implied lady macbeth dies offstage, undermining her loss of power at the end of the play- stage direction

Answer 13

‘A cry of women within’

Question 14

Implies there is trust between duncan and macbeth, making the regicide even more horrific, divine right of kings- duncan

Answer 14

‘Valiant cousin’

Question 15

Change in tone as he is now arrogant and demanding when addressing the witches- macbeth

Answer 15

‘Secret, black and midnight hags’

Question 16

Second apparition(bloody child), macbeth is unaware macduff is a caesarean born- witches

Answer 16

‘None of women born shall harm macbeth’

Question 17

Possible threat, first apparition

Answer 17

‘Beware macduff’

Question 18

Fate being spoke by the sisters however macbeth cant leave it to fate seeing as his fatal flaw(harmatia) is his ‘vaulting ambition’

Answer 18

‘Wyrd sisters’

Question 19

Macbeth progressively becomes a tyrant which foreshadows his own just end when beheaded by Macduff

Answer 19

‘Blood will have blood’

Question 20

Antics say once you have killed once it is easier to repeat. Motivation is despiration for security ruined by insecurities and brutality. Promotes belief in the divine right of kings, macbeth is adhered as a poor king. Macbeth is filled with hubris.

Answer 20

‘Till from my bones my flesh be hacked’

He has a moment of anagnorisis ‘To doubt th’ equivocation of the fiend that lies like the truth’

Question 21

Lexical field associated with time, coupled with iambic pentameter may intensify the influence of the witches. Alternatively the juxtaposition subtly outlines insecurity within the character.

Answer 21

‘Thy letters have transported me beyond this ignorant present, and i feel now the future in the instant’

Question 22

Enchanted by predictions, ‘raptus’ in latin is kidnapped or seized, interestingly the same word used for rape, clues you into the way women were seen as property- mystogny. Macbeth seized out of his control- paranormal.

Answer 22

‘Rapt withal’

Question 23

Banquo is suspicious, he refers to the prophicies as a tune, something which may please the ear but in this instance is ominous

Answer 23

‘Neither beg nor fear’

Question 24

Ambitios but anxiously ambitious

Answer 24

‘Neither beg nor fear, your favours nor your hate’

Question 25

Macduff discovers that duncans been mudered, when lady macbeth enters he says ‘gentle lady’ advocating that her womans nature is too gentle to bear the sight of duncan, dramatic irony and irony of the initial emotions of the two.

Answer 25

‘O horror’ ‘Most sacreligious murder’

Question 26

Emotional when discovering duncan, triple ‘horror’ abstract noun, he believes kings get the power directly from god- reference to the great chain of being

Answer 26

‘Lords annointed temple’

Question 27

Reference to ‘gorgon’- the idea that seeing duncan dead will freeze people with the ‘horror’ a link to the gorgon medussa who turned people to stone if they looked directly into her eyes

Answer 27

Mythological creatures perhaps emphasising macduffs despair, as the creature has links to instant death

Question 28

The earlier ‘ring’ the alarum bell, warning and almost echoes the ‘knocking’ at the gate

Answer 28

This is hugely significant and acts as a symbol for the outside world intruding the murder