In Act 2, Scene 2, the audience might interpret some aspects of Lady Macbeth's characterisation as vulnerable
The exploration of Lady Macbeth's guilt in this scene foreshadows her demise in Act 5
Act 5, Scene 1 is her final appearance in the play and in it, she is consumed by guilt

Keywords

Diminishes - If something diminishes, it reduces in importance.
Demise - A demise sees the end of something that was previously considered powerful.
Guilt - Guilt is an emotion you feel when you have done something bad to someone else. Guilt makes you feel worried and unhappy.
Foreshadowing - Foreshadowing is a literary device. It gives the reader or audience a hint or indication of what might happen later in the story.
Vulnerability - If you are vulnerable, you are in a position where you could be hurt easily.

Common misconception

Lady Macbeth's rejection of guilt in 2.2 means 5.1's characterisation is inconsistent.

The language in 2.2 foreshadows what is to come.

Consider watching 5.1 (it is a very short scene) so students can hear the language. 5.1's language has direct parallels in 2.2.

Teacher tip

Equipment

You need access to a copy of William Shakespeare's 'Macbeth'.

Content guidance

Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour
Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
Depiction or discussion of serious crime

Supervision

Adult supervision required

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Worksheet

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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.

In the run up to the regicide in 'Macbeth', which adjectives best describe how Lady Macbeth feels?

vulnerable

Correct answer: determined

Correct answer: unwavering

chaste

Correct answer: ambitious

Q2.

What happens to Lady Macbeth at the end of 'Macbeth'?

She is hung, thought to be a witch.

She and Macbeth split up.

Correct answer: She chooses to kill herself.

We don't find out; after Act 5, Scene 1, she is never mentioned again.

She is killed when the English army storm the Macbeths' castle.

Q3.

In Act 1, Scene 5 of 'Macbeth', Lady Macbeth gives a soliloquy in which she asks spirits to 'stop up the access and passage to remorse'. What feeling is she trying to get rid of?

femininity

chastity

Correct answer: guilt

obedience

kindness

Q4.

In order to commit the regicide in 'Macbeth', Macbeth and Lady Macbeth need to get past King Duncan's guards. How do they do this?

Macbeth kills them.

Lady Macbeth kills them.

Macbeth drugs them.

Correct answer: Lady Macbeth drugs them.

Macbeth kills Duncan when the guards are asleep.

Q5.

In Act 1 of 'Macbeth', Macbeth brutally kills an enemy soldier. How did he feel after this deed and why?

Correct answer: Proud because he defended King Duncan.

Confident in his ability to use this prowess to kill Duncan.

Hesitant about his own brutality.

Guilty for displaying the head on the battlements for all to see.

Correct answer: Loyal to Scotland.

Q6.

In Act 1, Scene 5 of 'Macbeth', Lady Macbeth has a soliloquy. She asks 'thick night' to do two things for her. What are they?

Correct answer: To not allow the heavens to see her commit the regicide.

To unsex her.

To fill her with cruelty.

Correct answer: To hide the knife wound she makes in King Duncan.

To turn her breastmilk to poison.

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.

How might you describe the change in Lady Macbeth's characterisation from Act 1 to Act 5 of 'Macbeth'?

From demise to dominant.

From diminished to dominant.

Correct answer: From dominant to diminished.

From dominant to demise.

From demise to diminished.

Q2.

In Act 2 of 'Macbeth', what reason does Lady Macbeth give for not killing King Duncan?

She is too 'drunk' to do it.

She was frightened by the screeching owl and left his chamber.

The spirits didn't 'unsex' her.

Correct answer: He resembled her father.

She was too 'bold' to do it.

Q3.

is a literary device. It gives the reader or audience an indication of what might happen later in the story.

Correct Answer: Foreshadowing, foreshadowing

Q4.

After the regicide, in Act 2, Scene 2 of 'Macbeth', Lady Macbeth orders Macbeth to stop thinking about the regicide: 'These deeds must not be thought After these ways, so it will make us '.

Correct Answer: mad, 'mad'

Q5.

In Act 5, Scene 1 of 'Macbeth', why does Lady Macbeth say, 'Here's the smell of blood still.'?

She has blood on her hands.

She enjoys having Duncan's blood on her hands.

Correct answer: She believes she has blood on her hands.

She trying to reassure Macbeth by showing she also has blood on her hands.

She's telling the Doctor why she feels unwell.

Q6.

After the regicide, in Act 2, Scene 2 of 'Macbeth', Macbeth worries, 'Will all great Neptune's ocean wash this blood Clean from my hand?'. What might this foreshadow?

Correct answer: The over-whelming power of guilt.

The quantity of blood after Duncan's brutal murder.

Macbeth will be convinced there is blood on his hands for the rest of the play.

Correct answer: Lady Macbeth's pre-occupation with the idea of bloody hands in 5.1.

The gods' anger at Macbeth's regicide.