Guilt, Innocence and Paranoia

• What unchecked ambition causes the Macbeths' fall from grace?

  Amoral ambition
• What emotions break the Macbeths apart?

  Guilt and paranoia
• How does guilt affect the Macbeths after their deeds?

  It drives them insane
• What might have limited the Macbeths' murder spree?

  The absence of paranoia
• What significant event occurred when 'Macbeth' was first written?

  The death of Elizabeth I without an heir
• Who became the new king of England after Elizabeth I?

  James VI of Scotland
• What political event is associated with the tension during the time of 'Macbeth'?

  The Gunpowder Plot of 1605
• How does Shakespeare illustrate the consequences of regicide in 'Macbeth'?

  By showing the destruction of the Macbeths through guilt
• What was the religious context of Jacobean Britain?

  It was a very religious, Christian country
• What belief did people hold about God in Jacobean Britain?

  God was all-seeing and judged every sin
• How does Shakespeare depict the Macbeths' experience of guilt?

  As a form of hell despite no one knowing their crime
• What does the Renaissance belief in innate goodness suggest about the Macbeths?

  They are destroyed by their guilt, indicating their innate goodness
• Who is portrayed as a symbol of youthful innocence and virtue in 'Macbeth'?

  Malcolm
• How does Macbeth's guilt manifest after killing Duncan?

  It transforms into paranoia
• What does Shakespeare suggest about guilt and ambition through Macbeth's character?

  Guilt and conscience are more powerful than ambition
• What does Macbeth acknowledge about the afterlife when contemplating Duncan's murder?

  That he would sacrifice his life in Heaven
• What does Macbeth's inability to pronounce 'Amen' signify?

  His fear of being denied God's forgiveness
• How does Macbeth describe his fear after killing Duncan?

  As an intense fear of knowing himself
• What does Ross's statement about Scotland reflect about Macbeth's guilt?

  It shows how Macbeth's guilt has clouded the country in uncertainty
• How is paranoia depicted in 'Macbeth'?

  As a relentless and inescapable poison
• What happens to Macbeth's heroic qualities due to paranoia?

  He loses all his heroic qualities
• How does Lady Macbeth's guilt differ from Macbeth's?

  Her guilt leads her to weakness and insanity
• What does Lady Macbeth's desire to be 'unsexed' indicate?

  She wants to rid herself of guilt and remorse
• What does Lady Macbeth's statement about 'Nought’s had, all’s spent' suggest?

  She envies the dead for their peace of mind
• What does Lady Macbeth mean by 'What’s done, is done'?

  They cannot change their fate and must live with the consequences
• How does blood function as a symbol in 'Macbeth'?

  It symbolizes guilt and death
• What do hallucinations and ghosts represent in 'Macbeth'?

  They symbolize guilt and the existence of an afterlife
• How does Lady Macbeth react to the blood on her hands?

  She believes washing her hands will rid her of guilt
• How do Lady Macbeth and Macbeth react differently to the blood on their hands?

  Lady Macbeth believes washing their hands will remove both physical blood and mental guilt, while Macbeth is shocked and feels guilt beyond the literal blood.
• What does Lady Macbeth order Macbeth to do regarding the blood on his hands?

  She orders him to "Go get some water / And wash this filthy witness from your hand."
• What does "water" symbolize in Lady Macbeth's perspective?

  "Water" symbolizes purity and life for Lady Macbeth.
• What does Lady Macbeth's use of euphemisms like "filthy witness" and "deed" suggest about her ability to confront reality?

  It suggests she cannot confront the reality of her actions.
• How does Macbeth react to the blood on his hands?

  Macbeth is shocked and questions whether any ocean can wash the blood clean from his hands.
• What does Macbeth's reference to "Neptune" imply about his relationship with God?

  It implies he has turned his back on God.
• What does the dagger symbolize in Macbeth's hallucination?

  The dagger symbolizes the violence and guilt that will follow his actions.
• What does Macbeth mean when he questions if the dagger is "a false creation"?

  He suggests he is aware that he cannot trust everything he sees due to his guilt.
• How does Lady Macbeth initially respond to Macbeth's hallucinations?

  She is dismissive, suggesting they are merely "impostors to true fear."
• What does Lady Macbeth cry out in her final scene, indicating her guilt?

  She cries, "Out, damned spot!"
• What does the invisibility of the blood spot represent in Lady Macbeth's mind?

  It reflects how guilt does not have to be visible or known by others to be real.
• How does Shakespeare use sleep as a symbol in the play?

  Sleep symbolizes innocence and peace, which the Macbeths sacrifice after murdering Duncan.