Lady Macbeth

Question 1

Act 1 Scene 5

Lady Macbeth’s Introduction

Answer 1

• Lady Macbeth first appears by reading Macbeth’s letters, instantly this seems to represent a typical Jacobean woman - passive and submissive. Note that she is also speaking Macbeth’s words, there’s the implication that in the beginning there was a connection and a bond.

Question 2

Act 1 Scene 5

'’f— o’ th’ m— of h—– ki—–’’

Answer 2

’‘full o’ the milk of human kindness’’

Milk is associated with the female breasts, which is linked to weakness as during the Jacobean Era, woman were seen as inferior.

Question 3

Act 1 Scene 5

'’I m– p—- m- s—— in th— e—-‘’

Answer 3

’‘I may pour my spirits in thine ear’‘

This almost seems witch like - perhaps LM is somewhat of a 4th which. LM wants to be masculine, similar to witches have ‘‘beards’’

The verb ‘‘pour’’ also outliens the persuasiveness of LM and metaphorically symbolises how she will manipulate her husband with her wordlplay. Arguably, there is a supernatural element here referenced being possessed. This again associates LM with the ‘‘weird sisters’’

Question 4

Act 1 Scene 5

'’u—- m- h—-‘’

Answer 4

’‘unsex me here’‘

Both the witches and LM blur gender boundaries. LM asks spirits to remove her gender and wit htaht her femininity so that she can persuade Macbeth to kill Duncan.

Shakespeare could also be arguing that women who want power are forced to behave in unnatural ways and result in them being rejected from society (like the witches)

Question 5

Act 1 Scene 5

'’l— l— th’ in—– f—- b– b- th- s—– und—- –’’

Answer 5

’‘look like the innocent flower, but be the serpent under ‘t’‘

This links to the medal King James was awarded after the Gunpowder Plot of 1605. It had a medal that presents a serpent hiding beneath a flower. This link ultimately represents her as villainous. The noun ‘‘serpent’’ has biblical connoations and relates to the serpent in the Genesis story that tempts Eve to eat the forbidden fruit and leader to the downfall of mankind.

Question 6

Act 5 Scene 1

Doctor and Attendant

Answer 6

• The Doctor and Attendant discuss LM’s sleepwalking. Sleep walking has links to the gothic genre and has connotations of madness
• Shakespeare puts LM’s speech in prose - which si often associated with powerlessness.
• We see she has finally paid the price for giving up her womanliness and giving herself to the ‘‘spirits’’. Her loss of reason is remarkable considering how before she was completely unphased.

Question 7

'’o– d—— s—-‘’

Answer 7

’‘out damned spot’‘

Metaphorically, she is unable to wash away the guilt she is feeling. The imperative ‘‘out’’ emphasises the desperation about her, rather than asking she is pleading for her remorse to disappear.

Moreover, the adjective ‘‘damned’’ has connotations of religious reprimand where people are condemned to eternal punishment.

( AO3) Alternatively, it was remarked in those days that witches and demons had a spot somewhere upon their bodies, which marked them out as evil. If, as she had asked before, been possessed then this would be her trying to get her soul back but failing.

Question 8

Iambic Pentameter vs Prose

Answer 8

There’s a juxtaposition of her personalities. She is the only Shakespearian protagonist to die speaking in this way - highlighting her insignificance.