character Lady Macbeth

• themes Lady Macbeth shows?

  ambitious

  control + manipulation

  appearance vs reality

  gender roles
• structural techniques Lady Macbeth shows?

  soliloquies

  symbolism

  stage directions
• ambitious? lady macbeth

  lady macbeth demonstrates ambitious by persuading and urging her husband Macbeth, to seize the throne through any means necessary, including murder
• control and manipulation? lady macbeth

  lady macbeth exhibits control and manipulation by orchestrating a plan to conceive Macbeth to carry out the murder of king duncan and then guiding him in covering up their crime and maintain power
• appearance vs reality? lady macbeth

  if lady macbeth only pretends to faint, she's taking advantage of the way women were viewed at the time. uses stereotypes of a weak women overcome by shock to hide reality of cruel, cold-hearted nature
• gender roles? lady macbeth

  challenges traditional gender roles by exhibiting qualities typically associated with masculinity such as ambitious, ruthlessness and a willingness to commit violence, in her pursuit of power
• 'looks like the innocent flower/but be the serpant under't'


  manipulation is effective method

  imagery 'innocent flower' highlights goodness, vulnerability

  the word 'serpant' clear biblical reference to garden of eden

  the word 'under't' implies evil is underneath every action

  link this line to 'fair is foul, and foul is fair'
• ' i come you spirits'

  Lady Macbeth yearns to rid of her femineity to encompass the inhumane and witch like role

  this is imperative language

  perceived as super natural
• 'was the hope drunk wherein you dress'd yourself'

  Lady Macbeth used to ridicule Macbeth as a control

  wants to exploit his emotions of embarrassment or shame
• 'pour my spirits in thine ear'

  Lady Macbeth rejects her motherhood/women

  manipulation is salient

  female fatale
• a little water clears us of this deed


  more ruthless

  'little' highlights insignificance of murder

  believes inly feel regret if caught

  'clears' implies got away with it

  'us' equal to husband
• 'sleek o'er your rugged looks/be bright and jovial among your guests tonight '


  losing his mind

  juxtaposition of 'rugged' 'jovial' links to hypocrisy

  'sleek o'er' creates image of taking something

  actions are 'rugged'

  reminds audience of his deceitful nature
• 'out, dammed spots'


  lost all composure and rational thought

  hallucinating

  links to 'a little water clears us of this deed'

  ironic mocked Macbeth now same happens to her

  'dammed' associations with hell, guilt caught up