LADY MACBETH

• " When you durst it, then you were a man"


  • "then you were a man" - killing duncan defines masculinity
  • reveals macbeth's internal struggle with identity - LM preys in his insecurities to push him to regicide
• " my hands are of your colour but I shame to wear a heart so white"


  • calling macbeth a coward - "infirm of purpose" - emasculating him
  • " my hands are of your colour" - they both have duncan's blood on their hands
  • " but I shame to wear a heart so white" - lady macbeth would be ashamed to be as cowardly / guilty as macbeth
• " and make our faces vizards to our hearts, disguising what they are"


  • links with " look th'innocent flower but be the serpent under't" - metaphor for decepetion and duplicity - lady macbeth influsneced macbeth to be fake
  • "vizards" masks to hide their murderous face
  • hiding from flames of hell
• not in act 4

  • relationship is distant
  • Act 1 " dearest chuck" - act 4 - not talking as much
• " here's the smell of blood still ; all the perfumes of Arabia couldn't sweeten this little hand"


  • hyperbole - links with "making the green one red" - guilt transcends with the physical realm and cannot be hidden
  • perfume = sweet , purity - contrasting with her metaphorical disruption
  • "little hand" - corrupted - symbolizes irreversible moral decay caused be lady and macbeth's ambition
• " here's the smell of blood still ; all the perfumes of Arabia couldn't sweeten this little hand"

  • guilt and regret:

  her hand is metaphorically stained with Duncan's blood , symbolizing the guilt she cannot escape

  no amount of perfumes or physical cleansing rituals she preforms cannot rid herself of the emotional burden of her crimes : " look how she rubs her hands" - trying to wash the guilt away

  highlights her overwhelming remorse and psychological torment