Summary

• We meet Lady Macbeth

• She reads a letter from Macbeth, telling her about his encounter with the witches

• She finds out that Macbeth and King Duncan are on their way

• She has a soliloquy talking about how she will do anything for the prophecy to come true

Quotes

‘My dearest partner of greatness'

• Suggests that Macbeth views Lady Macbeth as his equal, rather than the stereotypical husband of the Jacobean times, who saw their wives - and other women - as inferior.

• The adjective ‘dearest’ amplifies his love for her.

• The possessive pronoun ‘my’ highlights that he still may view her as his.

Themes - gender

‘too full o’ th’ milk of human kindness’

• Suggests that Lady Macbeth feels Macbeth is too kind and loyal to Duncan to go through with the murder.

• The noun ‘milk’ has connotations of femininity, showing she is comparing Macbeth to a woman, and saying he is not manly enough to murder.

‘Art thou not without ambition’

• She knows Macbeth’s hamartia is ambition.

• She plans to use his flaws against him during manipulation.

‘pour my spirits in thine ear’

• Metaphor

• Implies that Lady Macbeth is plotting to manipulate Macbeth into doing the murder for her - she believes he is not capable of doing so without influence.

• The quote links to another play by Shakespeare, called Hamlet, where a character dies due to poison being poured into his ear whilst he slept - at his most vulnerable. This exhibits that Lady Macbeth will manipulate (poison) him at his most vulnerable, which might lead to something terrible (foreshadowing the death of Macbeth).

‘raven’

• Bird which has connotations of evil and ill omen - foreshadowing the tragic fate of the King

‘croaks the fatal entrance of Duncan’

• Nature is telling her to kill Duncan - potentially even announcing the murder before it happens.

‘tend on my mortal thoughts’

• Lady Macbeth wants the witches to accompany her dark desires.

‘make thick my blood’

• Something that usually kills people.

• Lady Macbeth wants to be dehumanised and wants to feel no emotion during or after her treacherous crimes.

• The noun ‘blood’ has connotations of death.

‘unsex me here’

• Lady Macbeth wants her femininity to be removed from her so she can commit the murder.

‘Stop up the access and passage to remorse’

• Lady Macbeth wants to feel no remorse from her crime.

‘take my milk for gall’

• Take her most innocent parts and make them bitter.

• ‘Milk’ - associated with children and youth.

• ‘Gall’ - bitter

‘heaven’

• Religious connotations.

• Lady Macbeth doesn’t want God to see her crimes and punish her for them.

‘look like th’ innocent flower’

• Telling Macbeth to be polite towards Duncan and not give away their schemes.

• The commanding word ‘look’ suggests she is controlling towards Macbeth - taking an atypical role compared to Jacobean norms.

‘Shake my fell purpose’

• Lady Macbeth wants her purpose to become murdering Duncan rather than something a traditional female character would to (reproduce for example).

Themes

• Ambition

• Evil

• Femininity/Gender

• Religion

Lady Macbeth

• Female in a patriarchal society.

• Atypical female character as she is dominant and has control over Macbeth rather than the usual other way around.

• Her character might strike up arguments in the audience as women were believed to be inferior and vulnerable.

• Her true character will also shock the audience as she is presented as the antithesis of how she was presented prior to her soliloquy (earlier in the scene).

• Her true colours show after reading finishing the letter and finding out about the prophecies.