Identify speakers A and B, their location, and explain the significance of key quotes and themes in the provided extract from Macbeth.

Here are the answers to question 1:

a)

• Speaker A is Lady Macbeth.
• Speaker B is Macbeth.
• They are in Macbeth's castle at Inverness, specifically in the area near Duncan's bedchamber.

b)

i) "That which hath made them drunk hath made me bold" (line 1): The alcohol that intoxicated the guards has made Lady Macbeth courageous and daring.

ii) "Possets" (line 6): These are warm drinks, often curdled milk with wine or ale, which Lady Macbeth drugged for the grooms.

iii) "They have awaked." (line 10): The guards have woken up.

iv) "I had done't." (line 14): I had committed the murder (of King Duncan).

c)
One theme revealed in this extract is guilt. This is illustrated by Macbeth's immediate and profound remorse after the murder, as he laments, "Alack, I am afraid they have awaked, / And 'tis not due. The attempt and not the deed / Confound us." His inability to say "Amen" also highlights his overwhelming sense of guilt.

d)
Two character traits of speaker A (Lady Macbeth) are:

1. Bold and Ruthless: She states, "That which hath made them drunk hath made me bold; / What hath quenched them, hath given me fire." This shows her unwavering determination and lack of fear in orchestrating the murder.
2. Strong-willed and Practical: When Macbeth is distraught, she takes charge, saying, "I laid their daggers ready; / He could not miss 'em. Had he not resembled / My father as he slept, I had done't." She focuses on the practicalities of the crime and shows a firm resolve to complete the plan.

e)
One literary device used is imagery, specifically in the line "It was the owl that shrieked the fatal bellman." This creates a vivid and ominous auditory image, effectively conveying a sense of dread and foreshadowing the death of King Duncan. The owl's shriek acts as a "bellman" announcing death, emphasizing the unnatural and horrific nature of the deed.

f)
The scene from which this extract is taken is Act 2, Scene 2.

• Before the extract: Lady Macbeth waits anxiously for Macbeth to return after killing Duncan. She has drugged the guards and reveals that she would have committed the murder herself if Duncan had not resembled her father as he slept. She hears a noise and fears the attempt has failed.
• After the extract: Macbeth, deeply disturbed and covered in blood, refuses to return the daggers to the sleeping guards. Lady Macbeth, disgusted by his weakness, takes the daggers herself to smear the guards with Duncan's blood, intending to frame them. While she is gone, a loud and persistent knocking begins at the castle gate. Macbeth is terrified by the sound and wishes it could wake Duncan. Lady Macbeth returns, her hands also bloody, and urges Macbeth to wash his hands and put on his nightgown to avoid suspicion. They exit as the knocking continues.