Macbeth: Act 2

1. In your opinion, is Lady Macbeth a cold-blooded murderer? Why or why not?

Lady Macbeth isn't a cold-blooded murderer, despertation to be queen just clouded her proper judgement. I believe she just wants success and kingship for her husband because she says "my brave words will overcome the scruples standing between you and the golden circle.." she was willing to sacrifice her "humanity" in order to do the hard things to get her husband.  She also refers to him as "her dearest partner in greatness." I don't thing that her actions were sadistically motivated but she just wanted him to be king.  

2. Lady Macbeth has her own antics throughout the play. Why does Lady Macbeth faint in Act II? Does it serve its purpose? Explain

She faints in Act II to keep up the facade that her and Macbeth are innocent, an average woman's stomach would turn if she heard someone describing murder so vividly. "Oh, gentle lady, my words are not for your ears. No woman could survive the telling. Lady Macbeth was playing the part of an innocent woman that became sick at the sound of a killing so it would appear like she has nothing to do with the death of Duncan. Therefore when they described his dead body she said "Help me, please." pretending to suffer at the lose of the king instead of secretly benefiting from it.

3. How does Macbeth's attitude toward Duncan change after the murder?

His attitude toward Duncan changes because at first he knew he had to fight for him and his country, but after his death, he discovered his definite loyalty is more to himself and his wife not to Duncan. "I'm settled on it then. All my faculties shall be devoted to this terrible deed" He killed him and then lied about it to the officials, to cover for his wife "Who could hold back (from killing the servants) that had the loving heart to show it?" And  after, he was made king. He realized the positive repercussions of his actions and he liked them, therefore, even though he felt bad and guilty, he knew he had to keep the act up like his wife. 

4. If so pressuring on Macbeth, why didn't Lady Macbeth kill the king instead of Macbeth?

Lady Macbeth didn't do the killing herself because Macbeth didn't want to take what he wanted, he was fine with waiting for it while Lady Macbeth believed they had to act right away in order to get the throne. "You won't lose a moment's enjoyment through ignorance of the greatness that is in store for you." By convincing Macbeth to do the killing, he would be just as motivated and hungry for the crown and therefore enjoy that he made it. She wanted to be the puppet master, not the puppet. She says, "Are you afraid to match your actions with your ambitions? Can you want the glittering prize - the crown - yet be a self confessed coward?" She wanted to convince him that the crown was his to take, not hers to get for him.  

5. Now that Macbeth has killed the king, do you think he must do anything else to reign as king? Explain your answer.

With any big lie, the truth will start to come out and people will start connecting the dots, how Macbeth got all this power and he was conveniently at the place where Duncan died. Therefore I think that he will start killing people that question his rise to the thrown or his wife will convince him that the only way to stay king is too keep killing people so no one will find out he was the one that murdered the king in the first place.