“Come you spirits…unsex me here”

• she calls on dark supernatural forces to strip her of her femininity and replace it with the cruelty needed to commit regicide.
• imperative “come” shows her assertiveness and determination.
• “unsex me” reflects her belief that traditional female qualities, compassion and gentleness, would prevent her from carrying out the brutal acts she is planning.
• uses this moment to challenge gender roles, as Lady Macbeth rejects the passive, nurturing role expected of women.
• instead adopts a ruthless masculinity associated with power and violence.
• invocation of “spirits” introduces a supernatural element, hinting at the unnaturalness of her ambition and her willingness to corrupt her soul for power.
• Her desire to be filled “from the crown to the toe topful of direst cruelty” shows just how far she is prepared to go, marking her as a driving force behind Duncan’s murder.
• foreshadows Lady Macbeth’s eventual downfall, as the repression of her humanity ultimately leads to overwhelming guilt and madness.
• Act 1, Scene 5