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William Shakespeare

Macbeth

Act 1, Scene 7:
More challenging questions!

Keith Tankard
Knowledge4Africa.com
Updated: 23 January 2014
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We are now inside Macbeth's castle. Some hours have passed.

There is, however, a dramatic contrast to the last time we saw Macbeth. The good side of him is again momentarily revealed before Lady Macbeth takes command once more, both persuading and bullying him to her point of view.



NATURE vs EVIL

In Shakespearian times, nature was considered to be God's playground, a place of peace and holiness.

Within this holiness lies human nature itself. A holy king -- like Duncan or Edward of England -- was seen to have had the gift of healing in his hands.

Evil, however, can destroy all of this -- and evil comes into human nature through the devil. Once corrupted, human nature will then wreak havoc in nature itself.

Shakespeare uses a clever counterbalance of good and evil in these scenes. While Act 1, Scene 6 presents the holiness of nature, Act 1, Scene 7 reveals the exact opposite: the triumph of evil in the person of Lady Macbeth.

Macbeth has thought out the logic of his loyalty to Duncan and how he should be defending the king and not murdering him. He is then confronted with a bullying wife who humiliates him into submission.

Lady Macbeth takes the perfect example of woman's nature -- a mother's natural instinct while suckling her baby -- and overturns it: "I would, while it was smiling in my face, have plucked my nipple from his boneless gums, and dashed the brains out, had I so sworn as you have done to this."

The audience is left aghast at this barefaced barbarity -- and then one witnesses Macbeth crumble to become Lady Macbeth's lapdog once again.

Have you looked at the questions
in the right column?
TEST YOURSELF!
Read the left column and then answer
the following questions:



In the opening section of Macbeth's soliloquy, what fears does Macbeth reveal which cause him to hesitate in murdering Duncan? ("If it were done . . . to our own lips.") (10)

[Need help?]




Eventually Macbeth comes to the realisation that he should not be murdering Duncan at all.
  • Why not? (4)

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  • What tactics does Lady Macbeth use to change her husband's mind? (4)

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  • Explain how Lady Macbeth intends to help Macbeth prepare for the murder of Duncan. (4)

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"Lady Macbeth's arguments against her husband reveal a total reversal of all the natural instincts of womanhood."
  • Would you like to comment? (6)

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"Scene 7 reveals a side of Macbeth which is noble and honourable. At the same time, it portrays his wife as a woman who has deliberately allied herself to the powers of evil."
  • Would you like to comment? (10)

[Need help?]




"Bring forth men-children only!"
  • Macbeth appears to show great relief in being able to succumb to Lady Macbeth's persuasion. Why is he thus relieved? (4)

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  • He also perceives a way by which they will be able to hide their part in the murder. What is this way? (2)

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