Lady Macbeth Analysis

Question 1

Look like th’ innocent flower,/ but be the serpent under’t

Answer 1

1.5
Macbeth's facial expression
Simile
Thinks Macbeth is not cunning or devious
Macbeth knows Lady Macbeth is more dominant so sends letter for her to create a plan

Question 2

Unsex me here

Answer 2

1.5
Spirits remove feminine aspects
Women meant to be gentle and kind
Wants to feel no regret
Wants to force Macbeth to murder

Question 3

Honoured hostess

Answer 3

1.6
King Duncan to Lady Macbeth
Lady Macbeth hiding intentions
Dramatic irony
Manipulative + secret

Question 4

Out damned spot! Out I say! Here’s the smell of blood still

Answer 4

‘Damned’ an expletive and describes her soul
Permanent guilt
‘Out, out brief candle’ Macbeth echoes wife
Profoundly influenced
‘Smell of blood’ Shakespeare is worried country will descend to bloodshed
‘I say’ Queen’s power is failing and she is lamenting loss of power

Question 5

All the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand

Answer 5

Social pressure to ‘perfume’
Patriachy teaches women to look false
‘Sweeten’ and ‘little’ has women as insignificant
Regrets being inderpendent
Omniscient God will condemn her to hell
Living on earth is worse than hell
James rules by divine right
‘Arabia’ means Lady Macbeth wants to get as far away from her psychological torment as possible
Shakespeare married 8 years older Anne Hathaway and likes older powerful women