Appearance Vs Reality

Question 1

“Stars hide your fires, let not light see my black and deep desires” Macbeth

Answer 1

Dark and light imagery:contrast between ominous connotations associated with “black” and bright imagery linked to “light” highlights macbeths dichotomous character

Macbeth wants to shroud his sinister motives in metaphorical darkness.

Rhyming couplet:rhymes “desires” and “fires” in this couplet has a resemblance to the spell casting technique employed by the witches.

Emphasises Macbeth’s descent into a malevolent trajectory

Question 2

“Sleep no more! Macbeth does murder sleep” Macbeth

Answer 2

Recurring motif of sleep: makes sleep synonymous with innocence. Macbeth’s troubled by guilt, experiences a disturbed sleep pattern, symbolises his departure from innocence.

Macbeths descent into madness is evident as he no longer uses imperative commands.

Exclamative sentences: “sleep no more!” emphasises the irreversible nature of Macbeth’s loss of sleep and innocence

Question 3

“Fair is foul and foul is fair” the witches

Answer 3

Speak in paradoxes: Introduces a moral ambiguity, whilst heightening a sense of contradiction and disorientation. Nothing is as it seems from the start

Foreshadows play, witches’ deceitful natures

Teachaic tetrameter : distinct from iambic pentameter that the noble characters speak throughout the play, gives eerie quality, makes it easier for them to employ oral deceptions

Question 4

“Look like th’innocent flower, but be the serpent under’t” lady Macbeth

Answer 4

Biblical allusions: Lady Macbeth employs biblical allusions by using the term “serpent” paralleling to Genesis narrative depicting the fall of mankind.

Lady Macbeth highlights the effectiveness of deception when cloaked in an “innocent” facade.

Question 5

“Make our faces vizards to our hearts” act 3

Answer 5

• “vizards” suggests they should wear masks to conceal their true evil nature.
• closely resembles “look like th’innocent flower” he is a marionette of evil nature

Question 6

“I think not of them” about witches to Banquo

Answer 6

• Banquo is honest, characterising him as moral to amplify Macbeth’s dishonesty to his friend and deception. Perhaps Shakespeare is ingratiating himself to James