Act 1

Question 1

1;1
“Fair is foul, and foul is fair”

Answer 1

•Moral confusion by paradoxical language
- May foreshadow events of the play
•Alliteration creates an uneasy tone
•Trochaic meter makes their speech seem magical and mysterious

Question 2

1;2
“Brave Macbeth”

Answer 2

•Positive depiction of Macbeth
-Wants audience to get impressions of him before meeting him

Question 3

1;2
“Bellona’s Bridegroom”

Answer 3

•Bellona was the goddess of war
-Classic metaphor depicts Macbeth as a noble, archetypal hero
•Alliterative ‘b’ sound creates a striking image
-Demonstrates his power

Question 4

1;2
“As sparrows eagles or hare the lion”

Answer 4

•Animalistic imagery presents him as a predatory, ruthless killer
-Eagle, the king of the skies, signifies his high status and role
-Lion, the king of the animal kingdom, foreshadows his desires to be at the top of the chain

Question 5

1;5
“Unsex me here”

Answer 5

•Rejects her femininity in the play which allows her to pursue her ambition
•Summons spirits to do so which aligns with witchcraft
-Associated with women who challenged the status quo/authority of men
-Maybe all-powerful women are in line with the devil

Question 6

1;5
“Too full of the milk of human kindness”

Answer 6

•Metaphor of milk, associated with comfort and soothing, indicates Macbeth’s inner weakness
-Cannot achieve his potential
•Becomes clear Lady Macbeth is the driving force of the play as she urges Macbeth to commit regicide

Question 7

1;5
“Look like thy innocent flower, but be the serpent under’t”

Answer 7

•Junxtaposing images indicate their deceptive natures
•Biblical imagery of the serpent shows her devilish and inhumane nature

Question 8

1;7
“Only vaulting ambition”

Answer 8

•His ambition is a dangerous leap rather than a sensible jump
-Recognises his hamartia
•A horse rider may over estimate their ability to try clear an obstacle and fall
-Foreshadows his own tragic end