Macbeth

Question

by William Shakespeare



LADY MACBETH.

That which hath made them drunk hath made me bold.

What hath quenched them hath given me fire.

Hark! Peace!

It was the owl that shrieked, the fatal bellman,

Which gives the stern’st good night. He is about it.

The doors are open, and the surfeited grooms

Do mock their charge with snores. I have drugged their possets,

That death and nature do contend about them,

Whether they live or die.



From Macbeth by William Shakespeare



Question
What interpretation could be made about the owl that Lady Macbeth claims to hear?(1 point)
Responses

Lady Macbeth is trying to convince her husband that the murder never actually occurred.
Lady Macbeth is trying to convince her husband that the murder never actually occurred.

Lady Macbeth hears her husband shriek in terror when he has a vision of a dagger.
Lady Macbeth hears her husband shriek in terror when he has a vision of a dagger.

Lady Macbeth is beginning to lose her sanity and only thinks she hears an owl shrieking.
Lady Macbeth is beginning to lose her sanity and only thinks she hears an owl shrieking.

Lady Macbeth actually hears Duncan shriek as her husband approaches him with his dagger.

Answer 1

The most fitting interpretation of the owl that Lady Macbeth claims to hear is:

Lady Macbeth actually hears Duncan shriek as her husband approaches him with his dagger.

In this context, the owl serves as an ominous symbol, representing death and foreboding. Lady Macbeth references the owl to indicate that the act of murder is imminent and highlights the severity of their actions. The "fatal bellman" is a metaphor for the owl's call, which aligns with the themes of death and dark omens present in the play.