Question

The American woman explains why some characters in the play are not guilty of Macbeth’s murder. What reasons does she provide to prove that Malcom, Donalbain, Macbeth, and Lady Macbeth are innocent? Does she have an understanding of Shakespeare’s play? Explain your answer

Answer 1

Alack, I am afraid they have awakedAnd ‘tis not done. The attempt and not the deedConfounds us. Hark! I laid their daggers ready.He could not miss ‘em. Had he not resembledMy father as he slept, I had done’t (Act II, Scene 2).

This whole speech by Lady Macbeth is intended to "humanize" her. It shows that she is not nearly as confident as she has been acting with her husband. She is good about hiding her fears, worries, and guilt from other people, but she is still human. Shakespeare usually tried to show that all his characters were mixtures of good and bad, strength and weakness. That was why he showed the wicked King Claudius at prayer in Hamlet. It is the only way an author can create the illusion that his characters are real people.

When Shakespeare has Lady Macbeth say "Had he not resembled / My father as he slept, I had done’t," the purpose is consistent with everything else he has her say in this speech. It shows she has a tender side to her nature. She loved her father, as most daughters do. She is not a complete monster.

Answer 2

In The Macbeth Murder Mystery, the american woman says she doesn't think any of these characters were guilty of Macbeth's murder when she claims that no character who seems to be guilty in the first minute is in fact the murderer.

She thinks that would be too easy and says about Macbeth: "I don't think for a moment that he killed the King" and continues: "I don't think the Macbeth woman was mixed up in it, either. You suspect them the most, of course, but those are the ones that are never guilty or shouldn't be, anyway."

On the other hand, she thinks that Malcom and Donalbain are innocents because they look "much too suspicious" and that "when they flee, they're never guilty".

She had a reason, she thinks that it would be too easy for the audience to discover who did it if they let the first impressions to lead their thinking. She says Shakespeare is too smart to spoil the play like that and she remembers her partner that people never completely figured out Hamlet, so it would be so not like Shakespeare to make this play so easy to understand.