Who tells Macbeth to 'screw his courage to the sticking point'?

• A. Macbeth
• B. Lady Macbeth
• C. Banquo
• D. Macduff

Answer: (B)

Tightening resolve under pressure and the persuasive power one person can exert over another is what this moment is testing. In this scene, Macbeth hesitates about killing Duncan, and Lady Macbeth steps in to drive him toward action. She challenges his courage, dismisses his excuses, and reframes the idea of bravery as something to be pushed to the absolute limit. When she says to “screw your courage to the sticking point,” she means harden his resolve to the point where he won’t back down, essentially wiring him to act despite his doubts. This shows her as the catalyst for the plan, using blunt, practical rhetoric to override his hesitation and take control of the scheme. It also illuminates the dynamic between them, with her pushing hard for power while he wavers, at least in this moment. Banquo and Macduff aren’t part of this exchange, and Macbeth isn’t the speaker of this line, so the line clearly comes from Lady Macbeth.