act 2 scene 2 events and quotes Flashcards
“Alack, I am afraid….
they have awaked, And ‘tis not done. The attempt and not the deed.”
What does Lady Macbeth mean by the “Alack, I am afraid” quote?
she is paranoid Macbeth either hasn’t gone through with the plan or it hasn’t worked- she doesn’t have faith in him
“He could not…
miss ‘em”
What does “He could not miss ‘em mean?”
She is trying to reassure herself as she has this level of doubt about Macbeth
“Had he not resembled…
my father as he slept, I had done’t”
What does it mean when Lady Macbeth speaks about her father?
she would have killed Duncan if he hadn’t looked like her father so much
What is the significance of Duncan looking like Lady Macbeth’s father?
It shows a level of vulnerability within herself- seems quite feminine in this part, whereas she is usually portrayed as a very masculine character- highlights the deeper meaning to Lady Macbeth
“I heard the…
owl scream and the crickets cry”
What is the significance of the owls screaming and the crickets crying?
She asks if Macbeth was quiet due to the idea that if she could hear such a quiet noise of owls/crickets, if Macbeth has made even the slightest noise, they would have been caught-links to their paranoia
What literary technique does Lady Macbeth use to describe the owls and the crickets?
personification
What is the significance of the screaming and the crying?
she believes those are the noises the people will make when they find out the kind is dead
The owls screaming and the crickets crying is unnatural and also?
an inversion of the natural order
The use of short sentences highlights?
Lady Macbeth’s urgency to know the answers and also Macbeth’s submissiveness answering her questions- very fast, rapid conversation- highlights the frantic, paranoid nature the two have.
“This is a…
sorry sight”
What does Macbeth mean when he says “This is a sorry sight?”
reflecting on himself and his character- he is a sorry sight
-his actions- he feels regret/remorse
-his hands (the blood on them)
