Act 1, Scene 5 Flashcards
“Come to my woman’s breasts and take my milk for gall”
WHAT?
In the initial scenes of the play when Lady Macbeth is alerted by a letter of her husband’s potential to rise to monarchy, she summons the intervention of supernatural forces stating: “come to my women’s breast and take my milk for gall”.
“Come to my woman’s breasts and take my milk for gall”
HOW?
To aid in her plans to dethrone current members of the crown like king Duncan himself, LM begs witches to replace her bio femininity, her “milk” for “gall”. Represents nurturing, pure connotations of mother’s milk as a weakness to commit the deed of murder she needs to eliminate King Duncan t/f resorts to asking for a poisonous substance of gall. Visceral imagery reveals LM’s willingness to reject her natural fem and embrace a more masculine, ruthless persona,showing her determination to see M on the throne even if it means sacrificing her moral compass.
“Come to my woman’s breasts and take my milk for gall”
WHY?
Foreshadows the toxic consequences that LM and M will take, hinting at the guilt and madness that will ultimately consume both characters, overall encapsulating the corrupting power of unchecked ambition.
“Make thick my blood”
WHAT?
LM devising the daunting task ahead of her after receiving letter about M’s prophecies.
Cont. with her summoning evil and stripping of femininity.
“Make thick my blood”
HOW?
Metaphor: “make thick my blood” dullen and darken her courage and reject her compassion and guilt
“Blood” essential for living. Imagery of violence and death foreshadowing the murder
Remorse > blockout nay feelings of regret moral hesitations
“Make thick my blood”
WHY?
Unchecked ambitions > psychological and moral consequences
Guilt and blood > nature + inescapable guilt of murder is being foreshadowed
“Unsex me here”
WHAT?
Continuing to summon the evil
Plan for daunting murder ahead of
“Unsex me here”
HOW?
“Unsex” > rejecting her trad. Qualities
Masculinity> ruthless, strength aggression
Stripped of any qualities that could lead to remorse hesitation
Calling upon supernatural forces to alter her nature
Free her of qualities that might cause guilt compassion > pursue ambition without compromising her moral compass
“Unsex me here”
WHY?
Gender roles > fem = weakness and mas = strength
Foreshadows the tragedy > rejecting humanity > aligns with dark forces > path to madness + death > ambitions and the consequences e.g guilt
