Act 5

Question 1

‘Out, damned spot, out I say’

Answer 1

• ‘out’ imperative verbs, connotes with LM being powerful and she is ordering the spot to be gone
• however in this case, LM is sleepwalking which implies a loss of sense
• she is speaking in prose, contrasts again iambic pentameter or blank verse
• use of exclamation emphasises the control she thinks she has which is ironic as she has no control over her sleep, reinforced by her repeating ‘out’
• goes against when she said ‘a little water can clear us off this deed’

Question 2

‘What’s done cannot be undone’

Answer 2

• echoes her previous statement of ‘what’s done is done’
• shows the impact of the murder of Duncan on her, so the guilt is always present, despite the amount of courage she put in

Question 3

‘All the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand’

Answer 3

• cannot conceal the smell
• ‘little hand’ is quite feminine which suggests she is contradicting herself as she wants any female attributes of herself removed, shown when she states ‘unsex me here’

Question 4

‘i cannot taint with fear’

Answer 4

• MACBETH

- he wants to remain in power for as long as he can

Question 5

‘I’ll fight till from my bones my flesh be hacked’

-m

Answer 5

• he is going to remain powerful
• ironic as the phrase almost seems as if he is loyal and would do anything for his country but the audience knows what his desire is

Question 6

‘I have almost forgot the taste of fears’

Answer 6

-he’s been in control for so long

Question 7

Macbeth compares his life to what images ?

Answer 7

-candle losing its flame
‘Out, our brief candle’

-poor player (actor)
‘Struts and frets his hour upon the stage’

Question 8

‘She should’ve died hereafter’

Answer 8

• suggests she should’ve died later

- this is an inconvenience for him and he has no time to mourn for her (If he still has these emotions???)

Question 9

Macduff says ‘I have no words; my voice is in my sword’

Answer 9

-he doesn’t have time to speak with him, he just wants revenge

Question 10

I will not yield

Macbeth

Answer 10

• he is defiant
• usually uses prophecies as proof to support his actions but even though Macduff has openly admitted to being excluded from this prophecy, Macbeth ignores this and still continues to fight, showing his courage has remained and nothing else
• would fight to death rather than accept humiliation and the audience is moved by his helplessness