Excerpt 1: Read the excerpt from act 1, scene 7 of The Tragedy of Macbeth. Macbeth, who is alone in his castle, is contemplating whether to kill Duncan. Macbeth: If it were done when ’tis done, then ’twere well It were done quickly; if the assassination Could trammel up the consequence, and catch With his surcease success; that but this blow Might be the be-all and the end-all here, But here, upon this bank and shoal of time, We’d jump the life to come. But in these cases We still have judgment here; that we but teach Bloody instructions, which, being taught, return To plague the inventor; this even-handed justice Commends the ingredients of our poison’d chalice To our own lips. Excerpt 2: Read the excerpt from act 2, scene 2 of The Tragedy of Macbeth. Macbeth, who has just killed Duncan, is speaking to Lady Macbeth. Macbeth: Methought I heard a voice cry "Sleep no more! Macbeth does murder sleep,” the innocent sleep, Sleep that knits up the ravell’d sleave of care, The death of each day’s life, sore labour’s bath, Balm of hurt minds, great nature’s second course, Chief nourisher in life’s feast,— Lady Macbeth: What do you mean? Macbeth: Still it cried, "Sleep no more!” to all the house: "Glamis hath murder’d sleep, and therefore Cawdor Shall sleep no more, Macbeth shall sleep no more!” How does Shakespeare most develop the universal themes "the quest for power” and "the consuming power of guilt” in these excerpts?
Answer
A
through Lady Macbeth’s external conflict with Macbeth
B
through Macbeth’s external conflict with Duncan
C
through Lady Macbeth’s inner conflict about killing Duncan
D
through Macbeth’s inner conflict about killing Duncan
Explanation
In the first excerpt, Macbeth debates with himself about killing Duncan, worrying that the consequences will return to punish him. This inner conflict shows how his desire for power is competing with his conscience. In the second excerpt, after the murder, Macbeth hears that he will “sleep no more,” showing guilt consuming him. The best choice is Macbeth’s inner conflict about killing Duncan.
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