macbeth: LadyMacbeth Flashcards
During lady Macbeth’s soliloquy Act 1 scene 5 talking about milk
“Too full of the milk of human kindness”
‘Milk’ has womanly connotations
She thinks Macbeth is too feminine to become king
Lady Macbeth talking to Macbeth about his fear in banquo’s ghost scene Act 3 scene 4
“This is very painting of your fear”
Banquos ghost is a hallucination and Macbeth is going crazy
She is attacking Macbeth for being fearful
Lady Macbeth’s soliloquy talking to the supernatural act 1 scene 5
“Take my milk for gall, you murdering ministers”
‘Gall’ bitter vile substance to contrast milk
Lady Macbeth driving Macbeth’s ambition flowers act 1 scene 5
“Look like the innocent flower, but be the serpent under’t”
‘Serpent’ connotations of the devil
Lady Macbeth wanting to remove her feminine traits act 1 scene 5
“Unsex me here/and fill me from the crown to the toe…of direst cruelty”
Lady Macbeth is trying to remove her feminine traits and replace them with ‘direst cruelty’
Macbeth has doubts about killing Duncan but Lady Macbeth convinces him to do it by mocking his masculinity act 1 scene 7
“When you durst do it, then you were a man”
LM attacking his masculine traits
Even after committing the murder LM mocks M’s bravery act 2 scene 2
“Infirm of purpose”
LM attacks his bravery
Lady Macbeth thinking a little water would clear them from the guilt of the murder act 2 scene 2
“A little water clears us of this deed”
Foreshadowing later in the play when she feels very guilty and has gone mad
Lady Macbeth trying to remove the blood from her hands act 5 scene 1
“Out, dammed spot! Out I say! …who would have thought the old man had so much blood in him?”
Repetition of ‘out’
‘Dammed’ shows the spot is causing her pain
Showing lady Macbeth’s guilt when she’s sleeping walking
“Will all the perfumes of Arabia not sweeten this little hand”
