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Cards (6)

  • "Look like th' innocent flower, but be the serpent under't". (Lady M Act 1)
    Lady Macbeth incorporates a biblical allusion by employing the term
    "serpent," drawing parallels to the Genesis narrative depicting the fall of mankind.
    This deliberate choice of diction serves to underscore her belief in the effectiveness of
    deception, akin to the serpent's manipulation of Adam and Eve.
    Lady Macbeth adeptly highlights the effectiveness of deception when cloaked in an
    "innocent" flower-like façade (mask), emphasising the ease with which such deceit
    can be orchestrated, especially when temptation and pride are at play.
  • "Come you, spirits ... unsex me here" (Act 1) "pour my spirits" (Act 1).
    By employing imperative phrases like "come you," demos a commanding familiarity w ominous supernatural realm.
    Unhesitant & determined, calls upon dark external forces w/out hesitation, seeking liberation from societal constraints imposed by her femininity.
    androgynous nature would b perceived 2 b supernatural in J era as gender roles = rigid & any break in this would show she possessed by supernatural force.
  • Continued
    the syntax of "spirits" preceding "unsex" underscores her
    conviction that supernatural intervention is imperative for her desire to be
    successfully "unsexed." The deliberate arrangement of these terms in her speech
    illuminates the dependence she places on the supernatural, revealing how this is a
    necessity for transcending societal norms.
    Her recognition on her dependence on the supernatural realm reflects a social
    awareness that liberation (freed) from the societal constraints imposed on her
    femininity necessitates an engagement with forces beyond the natural order.
  • Links to ambition
    Her relentless desire for absolute power drives her to call on supernatural
    forces in her quest. She recognises that such an ambitious and malevolent vision can only
    be achieved with the aid of dark and otherworldly powers
  • Links to Appearance vs reality:
    Lady Macbeth assumes the role of the fourth Witch employing
    cunning schemes to manipulate Macbeth. Significantly, both the Witches and Lady
    Macbeth embody the central theme of appearance versus reality, skillfully employing
    deceptive practices to manoeuvre acquiring power over Macbeth
  • Links to gender
    Unhesitant and determined, she calls upon dark supernatural forces without
    hesitation, seeking liberation from the societal constraints imposed by her femininity.