Lady Macbeth

• What quote captures Lady Macbeth’s assertiveness and influence over Macbeth?

  "When you durst do it, then you were a man; And, to be more than what you were, you would / Be so much more the man."
• How does Lady Macbeth challenge Macbeth’s masculinity in her quote?

  She suggests that true manhood is achieved by pursuing ambition without hesitation.
• What does Lady Macbeth's manipulation of Macbeth demonstrate about her character?

  It demonstrates her power and determination in shaping his choices.
• What role does Lady Macbeth play in Macbeth's decisions?

  She acts as a catalyst and instigator behind major choices, including Duncan's murder.
• How does Lady Macbeth's character evolve throughout the play?

  She evolves from domineering to emasculating and callous.
• What does Lady Macbeth's descent into madness signify in the play?

  It highlights her importance and the consequences of neglecting morality.
• What is Lady Macbeth's role in the Great Chain of Being?

  Her actions ignore her role in the Great Chain of Being.
• What does Lady Macbeth wish to do to herself in relation to her femininity?

  She wishes to "unsex" herself to rid herself of femininity.
• How does Lady Macbeth's character challenge Jacobean stereotypes?

  She defies the male-dominated power dynamic of her society.
• What themes does Shakespeare explore through Lady Macbeth's character?

  He examines the effects of violating one's position in the Great Chain of Being and pursuing ambition without morality.
• How does Lady Macbeth's ambition affect her mental state?

  Her ambition leads to dire consequences for her state of mind.
• How does Lady Macbeth's character differ from Macbeth's in terms of ambition?


  Lady Macbeth is presented as more ambitious than Macbeth.
• Why is Macbeth considered a true tragic hero compared to Lady Macbeth?

  Macbeth is initially brave and loyal, with redeeming qualities, while Lady Macbeth lacks sympathy at the play's outset.
• What happens to Lady Macbeth's control over Macbeth as the play progresses?

  She has less and less authority over him as the play progresses.
• How does Lady Macbeth's hubris contribute to her downfall?

  Her overconfidence leads her to commit shocking crimes and ultimately results in her guilt and fear.
• What does Lady Macbeth's suicide signify in the play?

  It marks her surrender to her sins and underscores the importance of natural order.
• How does Shakespeare portray Lady Macbeth's language throughout the play?

  Her language reflects her complex and changing character, from formal iambic pentameter to disjointed prose.
• What does Lady Macbeth's "unsex me" soliloquy reveal about her character?

  It aligns her with evil supernatural forces and reflects her desire for power.
• What are the key characteristics of Lady Macbeth?

  • Strong
  • Ambitious
  • Determined
  • Vulnerable
• What are the main themes associated with Lady Macbeth in the play?

  • Ambition
  • Gender roles
  • Corruption of nature
  • Guilt and paranoia
• What is Lady Macbeth's role in the plot of Macbeth?

  • Wife of Macbeth
  • Plots the murder of Duncan
  • Plagued by guilt and remorse
  • Commits suicide
• How does Shakespeare explore gender roles through Lady Macbeth's character?

  • Subverts typical female characteristics
  • Displays authority over Macbeth
  • Role reversal in husband-wife dynamics
  • Gradual return to societal norms
• What moral message might Shakespeare convey through Lady Macbeth's actions?

  • Disruption of the Christian order leads to consequences
  • Violating the Great Chain of Being results in punishment
  • Comparison to witches as disruptors of natural order
• How does Lady Macbeth's character arc reflect themes of duality and morality?

  • Rejection of morality leads to downfall
  • Contrast between ambition and guilt
  • Cautionary tale for Jacobean audiences
• What does Lady Macbeth call upon when she says, ‘Come, you spirits… unsex me here… come’?

  She calls upon dark spirits to strip her of her femininity.
• What does the imperative verb ‘come’ signify in Lady Macbeth's speech?

  It shows her deliberate turn to the forces of evil and her embrace of their power.
• How does the repetition of ‘come’ in Lady Macbeth's speech affect its tone?

  It makes her sound as if she is casting a spell, linking her to the witches.
• How would a Jacobean audience likely react to Lady Macbeth's invocation of evil spirits?

  They would find it deeply disturbing due to their superstitious beliefs.
• What does Lady Macbeth mean by ‘Look like the innocent flower/ but be the serpent under’t’?

  She urges Macbeth to deceive others while planning the king’s murder.
• What does the enjambment and the word ‘but’ signify in Lady Macbeth's line about the flower and the serpent?

  It highlights her slyness and the contrast between appearance and reality.
• What does the imperative verb ‘look’ reveal about Lady Macbeth's relationship with Macbeth?

  It highlights her power over him as she gives commands.
• How does the imagery of the serpent relate to contemporary perceptions of women in the Jacobean era?

  It links Lady Macbeth to the biblical serpent that tempted Eve, portraying her as manipulative and sinful.
• What does Lady Macbeth say she would do instead of acting cowardly like Macbeth?

  She would kill her nursing baby.
• What does the verb ‘pluck’d’ in Lady Macbeth's speech emphasize?


  It emphasizes the violence of her words and her ambition.
• How would a Jacobean audience react to Lady Macbeth's violent imagery regarding motherhood?


  They would find it shocking as women were expected to be nurturing.
• What does Lady Macbeth reflect on when she says, ‘Had he not resembled my father as he slept, I had done it. My husband?’

  She reflects on her inability to kill Duncan herself.
• What does the short interrogative sentence ‘my husband?’ reveal about Lady Macbeth's state of mind?

  It reflects her nervousness and uncertainty.
• How does Macbeth's behavior change towards Lady Macbeth after he becomes king?

  He begins to confide less in her and plans murders on his own.
• What does the term ‘chuck’ imply about Lady Macbeth's status in her relationship with Macbeth?

  It suggests that he no longer values her as highly as before.
• What does Lady Macbeth mean when she says, ‘All the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand’?


  It means that nothing can erase her guilt.