Lady Macbeth Flashcards
Act 1 Scene 5 - ‘the raven himself is hoarse
‘Raven’ - metaphor
• a bird of ill omen which symbolises death - that of Duncan, but also foreshadows how the acts which will unfurl in the following scene will lead to Macbeth’s death
• more hoarse than usual as it signals Duncan’s death
A 1, S 5 - ‘under my battlements’
• possessive pronoun and noun associated with military - juxtaposes archetypal presentation of women and emphasises she is in control - rejects her role in order to increase her husband’s prosperity- ironic as despite power/lack of a gentle nature, her purpose and construct lies within aiding Macbeth
A 1, S 5 - ‘come, you spirits’
• calls on evil spirits to help her carry out her plot to avoid a guilty conscience
• perleptic irony as this is her hamartia
• already rejecting God - embodies supernatural presences such as ‘Pale Hecate’ - could be seen as a fourth witch with her influence over Macbeth, and immediate devotion to spectral ‘spirits’
• audience would feel wary if her immediately, as she is associated with the supernatural - learn to despise her character, complicates our perception of her when she dies as these initial feelings contrasts our sympathy - creates a complex character, reminds the audience that any person could be influenced by ambition
‘Thy letters have transported me beyond this ignorant present, and I feel now the future in this instant’
• argue LM takes on the role of a Machiavellian villainess
• defies GCOB with excessive ambition
• ‘transported’ - verb suggests that witches’ prophecies have moved her - mentally, morally and physically ( ironic as her actions have no affect on society - foreshadows futility of her efforts to aid M)
• semantic field of time - ‘present’ ‘instant’ ‘future’ - searching for validation desperately because she cannot have children - seeks this through the crown
• juxtaposition of ‘present’ and ‘future’ are the two personalities of LM (subconscious and conscious)(harmatia, guilt, ambition, action etc) (potential of action)
Iambic pentameter
• Act 1 Scene 5, Act 1 Scene 7, Act 2 Scene 2, banquet - speaks in iambic pentameter, intensifies the influence of witches (critics argue she is a fourth witch)
‘come to my woman’s breasts and take my milk for gall’
• Act 1, Scene 5
• seeks to become less feminine, wants to overthrow traditional role of women in society as mothers by removing breast milk
• sees murder as a masculine power - links to expression of power through violence for men in a Jacobean society
• however this is also a very great sacrifice of purpose, in order to serve her husband’s ambition - because he wants kingship
• ‘take my milk’ - still production milk - child has only recently died as she is still producing milk - evokes sympathy from us as readers, we see she is acting out of grief - also shows she is vulnerable to the manipulation of Macbeth
• grief is a great psychological burden to her and she believes becoming queen will fill the hole in her psyche
• alternatively - feels she has failed M as she hasn’t given him children, therefore has a duty to provide him with this
• ‘gall’ - poisonous substance, symbolic of how her mind has become corrupted and poisoned, however also an allusion to the poison of the apple in original sin (woman’s minds are more susceptible to temptation)
‘look like the innocent flower, but be the serpent under’t’
• flower is a feminine symbol - wants Macbeth to become for feminine on the surface - Shakespeare is critiquing gender roles, calling for greater femininity and masculinity (roles shouldn’t be defined, but explored) - however LM only suggests this for evil games
• ‘serpent’ - Macbeth doesn’t recoil from this symbol of the Devil from the Garden of Eden - this indicates he is just as committed as LM (in theory)
• however, Macbeth still writes the letter to Lady Macbeth, ‘my dearest partner in greatness’ which allows her time to plot - suggests he knew she is the more dominant/evil of the pair, and he is too feminine/kind
• symbol of the serpent in the Garden of Eden - biblical allusion of original sin, links to idea that women are untrustworthy, and LM manipulates M (like Eve - she is the catalytic sex) therefore LM should be more responsible
• also reinforces the idea that a woman’s mind is more susceptible to temptation - and as LM assumes the more dominant role in marriage, he needs her to give in to this temptation first to provide him with the means to commit regicide
• however I would alternatively argue the letter shows that M invites her to come up with this plan and then later abandons her
Macbeth’s letter to LM
• ‘my dearest partner in greatness’ - superlative shows he has confidence in her to equal him in her role in the murder - suggests a reliance on her dominance in the relationship
• ‘greatness’ - a sense that she will be achieving power too - a manipulative and compelling statement, especially when in Act 3 Scene 2, has to request a ‘few words’ with the ‘King’
• superior address of ‘king’ juxtaposes their previous status as, ‘partners’ - implied Macbeth has now been elevated and is superior to her, as he has drawn from her the masculinity required to commit the crime - she has already ‘unsexed’ herself, so therefore she has nothing to live for - fulfilled her purpose
• Shakespeare is emphasising tragedy as a result of women’s societal purpose - acts as a warning that women whose sole purpose is to serve their husband in any way required, can diminish their own relationship with morality and God - leading to tragedy
• Shakespeare is calling for more balance in gender roles / expectations
• verb ‘rapt’ - already motivated and ambitious
• ‘burned with desire’ - burned is symbolic - Lady Macbeth cannot be the catalyst, as M has already been set alight
• Shakespeare is interrogating marital roles
