Question

multiple choice 2 points
in act ii of the tragedy of macbeth, lady macbeth declares, “my hands are of your color, but i shame / to wear a heart so white....” what does she most likely mean?
her hands are red with king duncan’s blood, and she will have to live with guilt over the murder for the rest of her life.
she is an accomplice to duncan’s murder; unlike her husband, she believes that the king deserved to die.
like macbeth, her hands are red with king duncan’s blood; unlike macbeth, she is not afraid of the consequences.
she and macbeth are of the nobility and can expect a bright future now that duncan is gone.
11
multiple choice 2 points
given her speech and actions in the tragedy of macbeth, act ii, choose the most reasonable prediction of lady macbeth’s feelings about the murder as the play continues.
she will confess to committing the murder in order to save macbeth.
she will suggest to macbeth that they flee to england or ireland.
she will kill macbeth because he is the only one who knows about her involvement in the crime.
she will develop intense feelings of guilt like the ones macbeth has already shown.

Explanation:

First Question (About Lady Macbeth's quote meaning):

To determine the meaning of Lady Macbeth's quote "My hands are of your color, but I shame / To wear a heart so white...", we analyze each option:

• Option 1 ("Her hands are red with King Duncan’s blood, and she will have to live with guilt over the murder for the rest of her life"): Lady Macbeth is initially more confident than Macbeth after the murder. She scolds him for being afraid and shows less immediate guilt, so this is incorrect.
• Option 2 ("She is an accomplice to Duncan’s murder; unlike her husband, she believes that the king deserved to die"): Lady Macbeth was a key accomplice, and her boldness here (shaming Macbeth for his guilt) suggests she sees the king's death as justified (to gain power), unlike Macbeth's initial remorse. This fits.
• Option 3 ("Like Macbeth, her hands are red with King Duncan’s blood; unlike Macbeth, she is not afraid of the consequences"): While she is less afraid initially, the quote's focus is more on her view of the king's deservingness and her boldness, not just fear of consequences. However, this is a close option, but Option 2 is more accurate about her belief in the king's fate.
• Option 4 ("She and Macbeth are of the nobility and can expect a bright future now that Duncan is gone"): The quote is about guilt and their actions, not their noble future. This is irrelevant.

To predict Lady Macbeth's feelings/actions after Act II:

• Option 1 ("She will confess to committing the murder in order to save Macbeth"): Lady Macbeth is devoted to hiding the crime, not confessing. Incorrect.
• Option 2 ("She will suggest to Macbeth that they flee to England or Ireland"): There's no indication she suggests fleeing; they try to cover up. Incorrect.
• Option 3 ("She will kill Macbeth because he is the only one who knows about her involvement in the crime"): Lady Macbeth is loyal to Macbeth (initially) and wants power with him, not kill him. Incorrect.
• Option 4 ("She will develop intense feelings of guilt like the ones Macbeth has already shown"): As the play progresses, Lady Macbeth's guilt grows (seen in her sleepwalking and "Out, damned spot!" scene), mirroring Macbeth's earlier guilt and then her own descent. This is the most reasonable prediction.

Answer:

B. She is an accomplice to Duncan’s murder; unlike her husband, she believes that the king deserved to die (assuming the options are labeled A - D with this as the second option, but based on the text, the correct option is the one stating she is an accomplice and believes the king deserved to die).

Second Question (About Lady Macbeth's future feelings/actions):