Lady Macbeth

• Lady Macbeth is more ambitious and ruthless than her husband
• She has a plan in mind as soon as an opportunity to gain power presents itself
• She uses her influence to persuade Macbeth that they are taking the right course of action
• Lady Macbeth takes part in the crime herself
• She suppresses her actions for a while but eventually becomes unable to deal with the guilt
• Lady Macbeth becomes mentally unstable and dies in tragic circumstances
• Lady Macbeth is determined to succeed and insistent that Macbeth will become King
• She recognizes Macbeth's kindness as a potential obstacle to their ambition
• She describes the necessary ruthless streak as an 'illness'
• Lady Macbeth is cunning and deceptive
• She uses every trick to ensure Macbeth carries out their plan to murder Duncan
• She urges Macbeth on when he hesitates
• Lady Macbeth welcomes Duncan to her home and flatters him to avoid suspicion
• Lady Macbeth goes from having no conscience to being overwhelmed by guilt
• She cannot bear to think of what she has done
• Lady Macbeth eventually dies alone and unmourned by her husband
• In Shakespeare's time and in the play's setting, women had a lower status
• Lady Macbeth's ambitions and desires could imply a lack of femininity
• The original performances had men playing the role of Lady Macbeth to emphasize her masculine qualities
• Come you spirits, That tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here.”
• Yet do I fear thy nature;It is too full o' the milk of human kindnessTo catch the nearest way. (Act 1, Scene 5)
• Make thick my bloodStop up the access and passage to remorse (Act 1, Scene 5)
• Come to my woman's breasts, and take my milk for gall (Act 1, Scene 5)
• Look like th' innocent flower,But be the serpent under 't (Act 1, Scene 5)
• Social context: The witches' meeting is inauspicious, with thunder and lightning, suggesting they may be controlling the weather to influence men's thoughts
• The witches' first words to Banquo hint at their obsession with status, suggesting that the play explores the theme of status
• Lady Macbeth is forced to seek power through manipulating Macbeth due to societal limitations on women's status
• Women in Shakespeare's society could only gain power through marriage or attractiveness, as shown by Lady Macbeth's actions
• Macbeth manipulates Lady Macbeth in his letter by appealing to her desire for status and using intimate language to persuade her to take action
• Lady Macbeth aligns herself with Macbeth by mimicking his language, showing their bond and ability to carry out their plan
• Lady Macbeth calls on supernatural help to gain power, reflecting the societal belief that women needed to become more masculine to be powerful
• Lady Macbeth's descent into madness is linked to her realization that trying to become masculine has ruined her, and her fixation on status and power
• Lady Macbeth takes control of the marriage after planning Duncan's murder, using subtle language to manipulate Macbeth and assert her dominance
• Macbeth's hesitation and Lady Macbeth's resolve in the plan to kill Duncan reflect a shift in their gender roles and psychological flaws
• Lady Macbeth's intention behind planning Duncan's murder is ambiguous, possibly to manipulate Macbeth or due to a sudden change of heart
• Lady Macbeth's feminine feelings prevent her from committing murder, leading her to manipulate Macbeth to do it
• Lady Macbeth feels controlled by men due to the patriarchal society, symbolized by her inability to go against "her father" figure, King Duncan
• Macbeth's killing of Duncan leads to a shift in power dynamics in their marriage, with Lady Macbeth having to take on a stronger role
• Lady Macbeth's sleepwalking scene reveals her guilt and fear of damnation, reminiscent of Pontius Pilate washing his hands of Jesus' blood
• Macbeth starts to see Lady Macbeth as an enemy, viewing her as more masculine and powerful than himself