Macbeth (AQA GCSE English Literature)

It maintains traditional gender roles.

It supports the established hierarchy.

It reverses traditional gender roles.

It confirms the superiority of women.

The prophecies are presented as absolute truths that cannot be changed.

The prophecies are vague, allowing for multiple interpretations.

The prophecies are intended to encourage Macbeth to abandon his ambitions.

The prophecies serve as a warning that Macbeth should avoid taking action.

It shows his growing paranoia and determination to secure his power at any cost. 

It indicates his reluctance to continue down a violent path and desire to seek peace.

It demonstrates his loyalty to Banquo, as he regrets considering such an action.

It highlights his belief that the witches’ prophecies are no longer relevant to his future.

It highlights her regret in pushing Macbeth towards a violent path and her desire to protect him.

 It indicates her fear that Macbeth’s hesitation will expose their plot and lead to their downfall. 

It demonstrates her understanding of Macbeth’s moral integrity and her respect for it.

It shows her belief that ruthless action is necessary to achieve and maintain power.

It shows her willingness to abandon her morals and embrace evil to achieve her goals.

It reveals her fear of the supernatural and reluctance to carry out her plans herself.

It demonstrates her belief in the power of the supernatural to protect her and Macbeth.

It highlights her intent to use the supernatural to cleanse her guilt and seek redemption.

Lady Macbeth’s ambition is rooted in fear, whereas Macbeth’s is driven by prophecy.

Lady Macbeth’s ambition is purely for her husband’s success, unlike Macbeth’s thirst for personal power.

Lady Macbeth’s ambition initially motivates Macbeth, while Macbeth’s ambition is more self-obsessed.

Lady Macbeth’s ambition remains constant, while Macbeth’s fluctuates as the play progresses.

Banquo’s trust in the witches’ prophecies suggests he is just as ambitious as Macbeth.

Banquo’s indifference to the witches shows that he does not believe in supernatural forces.

Banquo’s fear and apprehension of the witches reveals his own hidden ambitions and desires.

Banquo’s scepticism highlights his moral integrity, contrasting with Macbeth’s willingness to trust in evil.

It shows his increasing dependence on the supernatural to guide his actions and secure his power.

It indicates his growing confidence in ruling without the need for further guidance. 

It demonstrates his intention to seek forgiveness for his earlier crimes through the witches.

It highlights his belief that the witches can help him find peace and redemption.

It shows that Macbeth has already dismissed the witches’ prophecies as unimportant.

It highlights Macbeth’s growing duplicity and foreshadows his betrayal of Banquo.

It suggests that Macbeth and Banquo have different views on the witches’ prophecies.

It implies that Macbeth is trying to protect Banquo from the dangerous influence of the witches.

Both Macbeth and Malcolm are ambitious, but only Macduff’s ambition remains focused on personal revenge.

Macbeth’s ambition is noble but misunderstood, whereas Malcolm and Macduff’s ambition is entirely righteous.

Macbeth’s ambition is self-serving and leads to tyranny, while Malcolm and Macduff seek justice and order.

Malcolm and Macduff lack ambition, acting solely out of duty and loyalty to Scotland.

Macbeth’s ambition leads him to murder, while Banquo remains cautious and morally grounded.

Macbeth’s ambition drives him to seek power, whereas Banquo is incurious about the witches’ prophecies.

Banquo’s ambition is reflected in his loyalty, contrasting with Macbeth’s treachery.

Both characters are ambitious, but Banquo hides his desires better than Macbeth does.

Shakespeare’s use of religious imagery highlights Macbeth’s awareness of the moral and religious consequences of regicide, yet his overwhelming ambition forces him to proceed, illustrating his internal conflict. 

The religious imagery in Macbeth’s soliloquy suggests that he is more concerned with the consequences of the murder for Duncan's soul than for his own, downplaying any internal conflict about his ambition.

Shakespeare’s use of religious references in the soliloquy indicates that Macbeth is attempting to rationalise his actions by focusing on Duncan’s fate, rather than reflecting any deep moral struggle.

The religious language in Macbeth’s soliloquy is a deliberate exaggeration to show how little Macbeth actually fears the consequences, with his ambition leaving no room for true moral conflict.

Shakespeare’s use of tragic elements means Macbeth’s ambition is portrayed as justified rather than destructive.

Shakespeare uses tragic elements and Macbeth’s downfall to demonstrate the destructive results of unchecked ambition.

Shakespeare uses tragic elements sparingly, focusing more on the supernatural to convey the play’s message of the consequences of ambition.

Shakespeare’s portrayal of tragedy is overshadowed by the play’s emphasis on political power struggles, making the theme of ambition secondary.

The witches’ role is symbolic, representing the internal conflict within Macbeth rather than directly influencing his downfall.

The witches are the primary cause of Macbeth’s downfall, as they control his actions through supernatural means.

The witches serve as external forces that set Macbeth on a path of destruction, but his own ambition ultimately seals his fate.

The witches are largely bystanders, with Macbeth’s downfall being entirely due to his personal choices and moral failings.

Shakespeare appears to support this idea by illustrating how Macbeth’s lack of experience with power leads to increasingly tyrannical and reckless behaviour.

Shakespeare appears to challenge this notion by portraying Macbeth as a competent ruler who is eventually overthrown due to external betrayal.

Shakespeare neither supports nor challenges this idea, as Macbeth’s downfall seems more influenced by fate than by his handling of power.

Shakespeare suggests that Macbeth’s downfall is inevitable, regardless of his experience with power, emphasising the role of destiny alone.