LM Flashcards
overview
Lady Macbeth is a key character in Macbeth, known for her ambition and manipulation. She urges Macbeth to murder King Duncan to seize the throne, but as the play progresses, her guilt overwhelms her. She begins to unravel mentally, famously trying to wash imaginary blood from her hands. Her descent into madness and eventual death highlight the destructive consequences of unchecked ambition and guilt.
“Look like the innocent flower, but be the serpent under’t.”
Lady Macbeth advises Macbeth to hide his true intentions by appearing kind and harmless while secretly being deadly and manipulative. The metaphor of the “innocent flower” represents purity and goodness, while the “serpent” symbolizes danger, deception, and evil. This contrast links to the theme of appearance vs. reality, as Lady Macbeth understands that to gain power, they must trick others. The reference to the serpent also has biblical connotations, linking to the story of Adam and Eve, where the serpent represents temptation and sin. This suggests that Lady Macbeth, like the serpent, is tempting Macbeth to commit a terrible act. Shakespeare’s use of imperative language (“Look”) shows her control over Macbeth, reinforcing the idea that she is the driving force behind his transformation into a murderer.
“My hands are of your colour, but I shame to wear a heart so white.”
After Duncan’s murder, Lady Macbeth tells Macbeth that she has blood on her hands too, meaning she is equally involved in the crime. However, she criticizes him for being weak, using colour symbolism—”white” represents cowardice, while red (blood) represents guilt and violence. By saying she “shames to wear a heart so white,” she implies that she is strong and unafraid, unlike Macbeth, who is visibly shaken by what they’ve done. This highlights the theme of gender roles—Lady Macbeth rejects traditional femininity and associates power with emotional toughness, while Macbeth, despite being a warrior, is overwhelmed by guilt. However, this moment is also dramatic irony because later in the play, Lady Macbeth is the one who suffers from guilt the most, obsessively trying to wash imaginary blood from her hands. This quote foreshadows her downfall, showing that despite her confidence now, she cannot escape the consequences of their actions.
“Nought’s had, all’s spent, Where our desire is got without content.”
Lady Macbeth expresses her growing unhappiness, realizing that even though she and Macbeth have achieved their goal of becoming king and queen, they are not truly satisfied. This reflects the theme of ambition and discontent, as she now understands that power does not guarantee happiness. The contrast between “desire” (wanting something) and “content” (being happy with what you have) highlights how achieving a goal does not always bring satisfaction. This moment is significant because it marks the beginning of Lady Macbeth’s regret and emotional decline. Shakespeare uses dramatic irony in this quote because earlier in the play, Lady Macbeth dismissed guilt and believed that power would make them happy. However, she now realizes that their crimes have only brought them anxiety. The short sentence “Nought’s had, all’s spent” emphasizes the idea that everything they have done was for nothing. Additionally, the alliteration of the ‘s’ sound in “spent” and “desire is got without content” creates a soft, regretful tone, reinforcing her disappointment. This moment also foreshadows Lady Macbeth’s eventual breakdown. At this stage, she is only beginning to feel the effects of guilt, but by Act 5, she will be completely consumed by it.
“Things without all remedy should be without regard: what’s done is done.”
In this quote, Lady Macbeth tries to calm Macbeth, telling him that if something cannot be fixed, there is no point in worrying about it. This relates to the theme of guilt and fate vs. free will, as she encourages him to forget the past and move forward. She believes that dwelling on their actions is useless, showing how she is still trying to suppress any feelings of remorse. However, this line is dramatic irony because later in the play, she becomes the one who cannot escape her own guilt. The phrase “what’s done is done” is an example of repetition, emphasizing finality and trying to force Macbeth to forget his guilt. Shakespeare also uses imperatives (commands) such as “should be without regard”, showing how Lady Macbeth still attempts to control the situation. However, this control is beginning to slip. While she tries to act strong, this moment foreshadows her own downfall, as she will later become consumed by guilt and paranoia. In Act 5, she contradicts her own words when she says “What’s done cannot be undone,” proving that she cannot take her own advice. This shift in character highlights her tragic downfall, as her earlier confidence turns into overwhelming guilt and madness.
“Out, damned spot! Out, I say!”
Lady Macbeth says this during her sleepwalking scene, which is one of the most intense moments in the play. The “damned spot” symbolizes the blood of King Duncan that she can never wash away, no matter how much she tries. The imaginary blood is a metaphor for the guilt she feels after pushing Macbeth to murder Duncan. At the beginning of the play, she was strong, manipulative, and willing to do anything to see her husband crowned king. However, now her conscience has caught up with her, and the mental and emotional toll of her actions is too much for her to handle. The repetition of “out” emphasizes her panic and how her mind is breaking down under the pressure of the guilt. The fact that she is sleepwalking during this scene also shows that she is no longer in control of her actions, highlighting her psychological deterioration. She can no longer separate reality from her tormented mind, and her descent into madness shows the devastating consequences of ambition unchecked by morality.
“What’s done cannot be undone.”
This quote shows Lady Macbeth’s final realization of the permanence of her and her husband’s actions. Earlier in the play, she was the one telling Macbeth that “a little water clears us of this deed,” suggesting they could wash away the consequences of murder. But here, she admits that what’s done can never be undone, showing her despair and hopelessness. This line connects to the theme of irrevocability—once you cross certain lines, there’s no going back. Lady Macbeth can’t change the past, and this understanding drives her deeper into guilt and madness. The paradox in this statement also reflects the play’s larger themes of fate and free will. Throughout the play, characters try to shape their futures, but they are ultimately caught in the trap of their own choices. Her words are a painful acknowledgment that, despite all their efforts, they can’t escape the consequences of their actions. This idea that “what’s done cannot be undone” also reflects the tragic structure of the play—Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s downfall is not a random accident, but the result of their own choices. The repetition of the word “done” reinforces the finality of their situation, underlining that no matter what they do, they can’t undo the damage they’ve caused.
conclusion
In conclusion, Lady Macbeth’s ambition and guilt drive her to madness and death. Her character shows the destructive effects of unchecked ambition and the inevitable consequences of immoral actions, making her a key part of the play’s tragic outcome
