Question

At the start of Act II, Scene 2, Lady Macbeth is worriedly wondering about the murder of Duncan without knowing when or if her husband has committed it.

How does Shakespeare's decision to depict Lady Macbeth in this way affect the play?

A) By having Lady Macbeth not participate in the murder, Shakespeare shows her to be a coward whose inability to take action will later doom her husband

B) By having Lady Macbeth on stage alone at this moment, Shakespeare slows the pace of the play, making audiences and readers rethink their sympathies for her.

C)By showing her uncertainty and her fear, Shakespeare makes Lady Macbeth a more complex and layered character while also raising the tension in the play.

D)By depicting the disconnect between Lady Macbeth and her husband at this key moment, Shakespeare introduces an important conflict within the play. ​

Answer 1

C)By showing her uncertainty and her fear, Shakespeare makes Lady Macbeth a more complex and layered character while also raising the tension in the play.

Step-by-step explanation:

It quickly and firmly establishes Lady Macbeth as a figure of great ambition and foreshadows her role in convincing her husband to assassinate Duncan.