Lady Macbeth Flashcards
“look like the innocent flower, but be the serpent under it”
Language: metaphor
The serpent represents sin and evil
Deeper:
LMB is like Eve in Genesis tempting MB to commit a sin
Context:
James I had a medal struck that had a flower and snake to commemorate the discovery of the Gunpowder Plot
Reader:
A Jacobean would recognise this 👆🏾and shows that murderers (like MB) will be discovered and punished
“bring forth men-children only”
LMB has masculine qualities so she should birth to males
Context:
In the Jacobean era women were supposed to be gentle and nurturing. LMB inverts this stereotype
Contrasting mother & baby
“plucked” “dashed” “smiling”
Language: juxtaposition
The mother is brutal and violent whereas the baby is happy and innocent (it loves and trusts the mother)
Context:
Mothers are meant give life, not take it away. Inverts maternal and cultural norms of mothers as gentle and nurturing
Audience response:
They’re shocked and horrified at LMB because she isn’t acting the way a woman should act (remember she’s trying to manipulate MB)
“take my milk for gall”
Language: imagery
The noun “milk” is maternal and she wants it taken away from her
“unsex me here”
Language: imperative
She’s commanding the spirits to make her more like a man emotionally and psychologically. She seeks to stop the passage to “remorse” and to be cruel
Foreshadows later in the play when she’s sleepwalking due to possessing evil spirits
What could you say about LMB’s commands to the spirits?
She’s willing to drain out her femininity or womanhood so she is more masculine to kill D
In a5 s1, what effect would LMB’s entrance have on the audience?
We see a shocking change in LMB. The last time we saw her she was in control and MB was psychologically disturbed; now the roles have reversed
Context & Audience Response:
A Jacobean audience would have viewed LMB’s sleepwalking as a symptom of possession of evil spirits.
This links back to when she told the spirits to “unsex” her and “take [her] milk”
Topic sentence about manipulation
The character of Lady Macbeth drives the plot forward as she manipulates Macbeth into committing regicide.
Topic sentence about the theme of the supernatural
Lady Macbeth develops the theme of the supernatural in the play, invoking spirits to assist her plans.
Topic sentence about inverting stereotypes
Lady Macbeth inverts traditional gender roles, appearing assertive and dominant and mocking effeminate behaviour
Topic sentence about LMB’s guilt and her committing suicide
At the end of the play, when Lady Macbeth is plagued with guilt and commits suicide, she illustrates Shakespeare’s propagandist message that those who commit regicide will be punished.
“fiendlike queen”
Language: simile
Portrays how evil and demon-like LMB was
She then committed suicide
‘too full o’th milk of human kindness’
Language - metaphor
LMB feminizes MB; she knows he is ambitious but too kind to act upon achieving his ambitions off the battlefield. She realizes that she will need to manipulate him into murdering King Duncan.
