Lady Mac eth

• ‘look like the innocent flower but be the serpent under‘t’

  • imperative ‘look’ shows lady macbeth is controlling and has power over macbeth
  • believes manipulation and deceit are most effective ways of getting power
  • ’innocent flower’ highlights goodness of vulnerability of honest behaviour and in once which juxtaposes ‘the serpent under‘t’
  • biblical reference to the serpent of Garden of Eden who brought the original sin
  • serpent symbolises transformation
  • flower has connotations to witchcraft which refers to James I book
• ‘Come you spirits.. Unsex me here..’ Act 1 Scene 5

  • Prefix ‘un’ shows how she strips herself of femininity which associates ideas of femininity and weakness together
  • by calling on spirits it is directly linked to supernatural powers. In jacobean era it is a clear sign of evil
  • imperative ‘here’ emphasises her desperation to be queen
  • imperative verbs show how commanding she was
• ‘Too full of the milk of human kindness’ Act 1 Scene 5

  • Lady M believes macbeth does not have the ruthless nature required
  • ’too full’ the intensified ‘too’ shows he’s good natured but ‘too’ much
  • ’milk’ has connotations of pure suggesting LM is aware she is guilty
  • ‘human Kindness’ humans as a whole are weak which has connotations to lady macbeth being inhuman (devil)
• ‘Out damned spot!‘ Act 5 scene 1

  • Shakespeare employees dramatic irony as the audience we can see blood as a spiritual metaphor for her deep regret in her unforgivable sins and she can’t wash it off
  • Shakespeare shows consequences of misplaced ambition
  • still remains imperative and demanding
  • Blood is a metaphorical stain of her blood as a motif which is used a lot in the plate to symbolise guilt and downfall of characters such as Macbeth and Lady Macbeth
  • Jacobean people believe that God picks out the kings so messing with this goes against the divine right of kingship