The character of Lady Macbeth
Act 1 Scene 5
“I do fear thy nature
It is too full o’ the milk of human kindness”
To catch the nearest way”
Lady Macbeth recognises Macbeth has ambition but not the evil that will turn that ambition into kingship.
She recognises she must be the strong one which subverts gender stereotypes.
“That I may pour my spirits in thine ear
And chastise with the valour of my tongue”
She sees herself as the strong one.
Taking on these aspects of masculinity.
She believes fate is on their side, which justifies what she’s about to do.
“Unsex me here
And fill me from the crown to toe-top full
Of direst cruelty”
Looking to rid herself of her femininity.
She is looking to subvert gender roles.
Calls on spirits to remove her femininity.
“Make thick my blood”
Asks spirits.
Stop menstrual cycle, a big thing for femininity.
“Come to my woman’s breasts
And take my milk for gall”
Wants the symbol of femininity, milk a symbol of life, to be replaced by poisonous gore.
Aligning herself with the witches.
“look the innocent flower
But be the serpent under’t”
She recognises his strengths and his weaknesses
Wants Macbeth to put up this facade of innocence in order to commit these evil acts
The serpent is a reference to the snake in the Garden of Eden, a symbol of evil in our world
“When you durst do it, then you were a man”
She recognises that to be strong, to be a man is essential in a patriarchal society
She emasculates Macbeth to manipulate him into committing the act of murder
Wants Macbeth to put up this facade of innocence in order to commit these evil acts
The serpent is a reference to the snake in the Garden of Eden, a symbol of evil in out world
“When you durst do it, then you were a man”
She recognises to be strong to be a man is essential in a patriachal society
She emasculates Macbeth to manipulate him into committing the act of murder
Act 2 Scene 2
“Consider it not so deeply”
There is contrast between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s reactions to the murder
Where Macbeth is overcome by guilt and remorse, Lady Macbeth appears relatively calm
“A little water clears us of this deed”
Where blood is a symbol of guilt, Lady Macbeth feels none of it
“My hands are of your colour but i shame to wear a heart so white”
She recognises blood is on their hands but she id disgusted by Macbeth’s cowardliness
Lady Macbeth is the masculine, strong one here, going against expectations
Act 2 Scene 3
“Help me hence, ho!”
She remembers she is still a woman and uses femininity as a tool to manipulate the male characters
She uses femininity to exploit male characters
Act 3 Scene 4
“O proper stuff
This is the very painting of your fear”
When Macbeth sees Banquo, Lady Macbeth attempts to emasculate Macbeth in order yo control him
However, it does not work, showing his wife has lost control of him
By this scene, Shakespeare is starting to restore the patrichal order
Act 5 Scene 1
“Out damned spot! Out i say”
When she is washing her hands, she is trying to rid herself of the guilt (blood)
Her guilt has started to surface
“All the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand”
She is mirroring Macbeth’s language of guilt and remorse
She is becoming a human and a woman again
She is displaying weakness here once she becomes a woman again
Only hen she is restores to a woman, She starts to break down
Shakespeare is restoring patriachal society and the Great Chain of Being