Lady Macbeth Flashcards
How does lady macbeth believe macbeth isnt strong enough
‘too full of the milk of human kindness’
→ he has too much emotion, and care for others
How does lady macbeth try to transcend her gender
‘Unsex me here’ → removal of feminine attributes
‘fill me from the crown to the toe topfull of direst cruelty’ → cruel power, strength, determination
‘Take my milk for gall’ → LM believes her womanhood, prevents her from doing acts of violence and cruelty which she associates with manliness
How does LM try to manipulate Macbeth to kill duncan
‘when you durst do it then you were a man’
De-emasculating macbeth… suggesting he is not a man if he doesn’t do what is right for them
Abusing Macbeth sense of manliness for her own gain
Why does LM talk in blank verse in act 5
To signify her descent into madness and loss of grip on reality
She even uses doggerel in the rhyme ‘the thane of fife had a wife’
What quotes show LMs guilt in act 5
‘heres the blood still; all the perfumes of arabia will not sweeten this little hand’
‘out damned spot, out I say!’ → repetition of the imperative ‘out’ shows her panic / worry
Inability to control her emotions and guilt lead to her ultimate downfall
