Starter quiz
- In 'Macbeth', what happens to Lady Macbeth at the end of the play?
- She is murdered by Macbeth.
- She flees to England.
- She supports Macbeth in the final battle.
- She chooses to take her own life. ✓
- We are not told; she doesn't appear after 3.4.
-
- In 2.2 of 'Macbeth', Macbeth feels guilty about the regicide. He worries that an "ocean" won't clean the blood from his hands. Lady Macbeth responds with, "a little ______ clears us of this deed".
- 'water' ✓
- In Act 2, after killing King Duncan, what is Macbeth worried he will no longer be able to do?
- eat
- pray ✓
- sleep ✓
- fight
- love
-
- Which is the correct definition of foreshadowing?
- A device whereby we are given a hint of what will happen later in the character.
- A device whereby we are given a hint of what will happen earlier in the story.
- A device whereby we are given a hint of what won't happen later in the story.
- A device whereby we are given a hint of what has happened in the story.
- A device whereby we are given a hint of what will happen later in the story. ✓
-
- Which of these quotation from Lady Macbeth in Act 2, Scene 2 of 'Macbeth' foreshadows her demise in Act 5, Scene 1?
- "smear The sleepy grooms with blood"
- "Infirm of purpose!"
- "These deeds must not be thought...it will make us mad" ✓
- "My hands are of your colour"
- "Give me the daggers"
-
- Why would the first Jacobean audiences of 'Macbeth' consider regicide the worst crime you could commit?
- Because monarchs were men and it was a patriarchal society.
- Because people had tried to kill King James I.
- Because Macbeth has just been promoted: it's ungrateful.
- Because monarchs were thought to be appointed by God. ✓
- Because Lady Macbeth goaded Macbeth into it so it wasn't a brave decision.
-
Exit quiz
- In 'Macbeth', Macbeth worries about his salvation. What word means the opposite of salvation?
- blood
- guilt
- damnation ✓
- remorse
- madness
-
- At the beginning of Act 5 of 'Macbeth', what do the Doctor and Lady Macbeth's servant see Lady Macbeth doing?
- sleepwalking ✓
- sleeptalking ✓
- being a ghost
- obsessively cleaning her hands of blood ✓
- taking her own life
-
- In 5.1 of 'Macbeth', Lady Macbeth's language echoes that of Macbeth in 2.2. Which quotation most closely echoes Macbeth's "Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood Clean from my hand?".
- "smear/ The sleepy grooms with blood"
- "My hands are of your colour but I shame To wear a heart so white"
- "a little water clears us of this deed"
- "Out, damned spot! out, I say!-"
- "all the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand" ✓
-
- After the regicide in Act 2 of 'Macbeth', Macbeth worries that he will never sleep again, saying "the ______ sleep".
- 'innocent' ✓
- In Act 2 of 'Macbeth', Lady Macbeth warns Macbeth against giving in to feelings of guilt. She says, "You do unbend your noble strength, to think So ______ of things."
- 'brainsickly' ✓
- At the end of 'Macbeth', Lady Macbeth is presented as consumed by guilt. Why might Shakespeare have presented her in this way?
- To show the repercussions of subverting the status quo. ✓
- To show the repercussions of being a woman.
- To show the repercussions of committing regicide. ✓
- To show the repercussions of angering King James.
- To show the repercussions of being a monarch in Scotland.
-
Worksheet
Loading worksheet ...
Presentation
Loading presentation ...
Video
Lesson Details
Key learning points
- Lady Macbeth appears to be suffering from a psychological disorder that causes her to sleep-walk
- This psychological disorder could be interpreted as a result of her guilt
- Lady Macbeth's language echoes that of her husband in earlier scenes
- Lady Macbeth's language might be suggesting that there is no salvation for the crimes that she has committed
Common misconception
Lady Macbeth doesn't think guilt is a powerful emotion.
Lady Macbeth acknowledges that guilt can make people 'mad' or 'brainsickly' in 2.2. This is why she tries to reject the emotion.
Keywords
Salvation - In Christianity, salvation means you are delivered from sin and its consequences. The opposite of salvation is damnation.
Guilt - Guilt is an emotion you feel when you have done something bad. Guilt makes you feel worried and unhappy.
Symbol - If something is a symbol, it represents or expressed an idea. In 'Macbeth', blood is a symbol of guilt.
Echoes - If language echoes previous language in a text, it means it is similar. The slight differences help us notice something new.
Foreshadowing - Foreshadowing is a literary device. It gives the reader or audience a hint or indication of what might happen later in the story.
+