Shakespeare

Shakespeare, Macbeth. 
Skill use. Comprehension and production.
<Read the text and answer the following questions

1. characters: who are the characters in the scene?
2. Setting: where and when does the action take place?
3. action: What are they doing respectively?
4. What’s strange about Lady Macbeth’s behaviour?
5. Does the doctor believe the Gentlewoman at first?
6. Language What words does the Doctor use to define Lady Macbeth’s behavior? Why?

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ACT V

SCENE 1. Dunsinane. A room in the castle

Enter a Doctor of Physics and a Waiting-Gentlewoman.

DOCTOR I have two nights watched with you, but can perceive no truth in your report. When was it she last walked?

GENTLEWOMAN Since his majesty went into the field, I have seen her rise from her bed, throw her night-gown upon her, unlock her closet, take forth paper, fold it, write upon it, read it, afterwards seal it, and again return to bed; yet all this while in a most fast sleep.

DOCTOR A great perturbation in nature , to receive at once the benefit of sleep and do the effects of watching! In this slumbery agitation, besides her walking and other actual performances, what, at any time have you heard her say?

GENTLEWOMAN That, sir, I will not report after her. (...)

Enter LADY MACBETH with a  taper

Lo, you! here she comes. This is her very guise; and , upon my life, fast asleep. Observe her; stand close.(...)

DOCTOR You see, her eyes are open.

GENTLEWOMAN Ay, but her sense is shut.

DOCTOR. What is it she does now? look, how she rubs her hands.

GENTLEWOMAN It is an accustomed action with her, to seem thus washing her hands. I have known her to continue in this a quarter of an hour.

LADY MACBETH Yet here’s a spot.

DOCTOR Hark! she speaks. I will set down what comes from her, to satisfy my remembrance the more strongly.

LADY MACBETH Out, damned spot out I say! One, two; why then, ‘tis time to do’t Hell si murky! Fie,my lord, fie, a soldier and afeard? What need we fear who knows it, when none can call our power to account? Yet who would have thought the old man to have so much blood in him?

DOCTOR Do you mark that?(...)

LADY MACBETH Here’s the smell of blood still: all the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand. Oh, oh, oh!

DOCTOR What a sigh is there! The heart is sorely charged.(...)

LADY MACBETH  Wash your hands, put on your night gown; look not so pale. I tell you yet again, Banquo’s buried; he cannot come out on ‘s grave,(...)

                        Exit

DOCTOR Will she now go to bed?

GENTLEWOMAN Directly.

DOCTOR Foul whisperings are abroad. Unnatural deeds do breed unnatural troubles; infected minds to their deaf pillows will disharge their secrets; more needs she the divine than the physician (...).

WHILE READING

7. Inference Why does Lady Macbeth wash her hands?
8. Context What Macbeth’s words do her words remind you of?
9. “What need we fear who knows it, when none can call our power to account” . What moment of the drama is she referring to? What is “our power”? These words by Lady Macbeth are full of bitter situational irony (unconsciously said by the character). Considering her present condition, what did not Lady Macbeth take into account when she chose the path of murder?
10. Yet who would have thought the old man to have so much blood in him, what is Lady Macbeth referring to?
11. Banquo’s buried; he cannot come out on ‘s grave,(...) Why, what happend to Banquo in your opinion? Di Macbeth think about it? why?

AFTER READING

12. Themes Why does Lady Macbeth behave the way she does?
13. What themes can you identify in her behaviour?
14. Unnatural deeds do breed unnatural troubles, what reference is here about the Renaissance weltaanshaung of order and disorder?
15. “More needs she the divine than the physician”, what does the doctor mean?

SCENE V

What does Macbeth compare life to? Why? What suggestions are there in the images?

SEYTON        The queen my lord is dead.

MACBETH     She should have died hereafter.

There would have been a time for such a word.

To-morrow, and to-morrow- and to-morrow,

Creeps in this petty pace from day to day,

To the last syllbale of recorded time;

And all our yesterday’s have lighted fools

The way to dusty death. Out, out brief candle! 

Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player

That struts and frets his hour upon the stage,

And then is heard no more; it is a tale

Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,

Signifying nothing.

image	metaphor	suggestion	implication
1	brief candle	brevity
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