Question

What secrets does Lady Macbeth reveal as she walks in her sleep in Act V Scene i? What changes do you notice in her from the Banquet scene in Act III?

Incorporate the following details and write your answer in a short paragraph of 100-150 words.

• Utterances in sleepwalking
• Her conduct in the Banquet scene and the Sleepwalking scene

Answer 1

Lady Macbeth’s sleepwalking in Act V, Scene i shows how guilty she feels and how much it hurts her. What she says shows that she was involved in killing Duncan, Banquo, and Lady Macduff. She can’t stop washing her hands with made-up blood while screaming, “Out, damned spot!” This is very different from how calm and manipulative she was at the dinner in Act III, where she skillfully took the focus off of Macbeth’s crazy behavior. She acts like she is in charge during the dinner and even tells Macbeth off for “starting.” In the sleepwalking scene, however, her mind shows how she really feels: regret, guilt, and fear. This shows how badly her and Macbeth’s actions have hurt her mental health. She isn’t the strong, driven woman who planned everything anymore; now she’s a broken person who feels guilty all the time.