Question

1.1.8 quiz: analyze how shakespeare develops character
read this passage:
macbeth. hes here in double trust:
first, as i am his kinsman and his subject,
strong both against the deed; then, as his host,
who should against his murderer shut the door,
not bear the knife myself.
— william shakespeare, macbeth, act i, scene vii
which translation of the passage best explains macbeths reasoning for not murdering duncan?
a. duncan is a guest in my house and i should be protecting him, not harming him myself.
b. duncan will be too easy to kill because he is so trusting and believes everything people tell him.
c. people will automatically suspect that i am the murderer because they know i want to be king.
d. people are happy to have duncan remain as their king and will be upset if he is murdered.

Explanation:

To solve this, we analyze Macbeth's lines: "as his host, Who should against his murderer shut the door, Not bear the knife myself." This means as host, Macbeth should protect Duncan (his guest) instead of killing him. Let's evaluate each option:

• Option A: Matches the host - guest protection idea from the passage.
• Option B: The passage doesn't talk about Duncan being easy to kill due to trust; it's about Macbeth's role as host/kinsman/subject. Eliminate B.
• Option C: The passage doesn't mention people suspecting Macbeth because he wants to be king. Eliminate C.
• Option D: The passage focuses on Macbeth's personal reasons (kinsman, subject, host) not people's happiness about Duncan. Eliminate D.

Answer:

A. Duncan is a guest in my house and I should be protecting him, not harming him myself.