1. Lady Macbeth
Macbeth's wife. Unlike her husband, she has no reservations about murdering Duncan in order to make Macbeth King of Scotland. She believes that a true man takes what he wants, and whenever Macbeth objects to murdering Duncan on moral grounds, she questions his courage. Lady Macbeth assumes that she'll be able to murder Duncan and then quickly forget it once she's Queen of Scotland. But she discovers that guilt is not so easily avoided, and falls into madness and despair.
She can see and smell blood
“Out, damn'd spot! Out, I say!”
“Here’s the smell of blood still”
Whilst sleepwalking.
Lady Macbeth has fallen into madness, feels guilty
“All the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand […]will these hands ne’er be clean?”
Whilst sleepwalking
She is haunted by the past
“What’s done cannot be undone”
Whilst sleepwalking
Act 3:
Scene 4
Trying to take control.
“Sit, worthy friends.” “Pray you, keep seat.”
To the guests at the banquet
Holding power.
“What, quite unmanned in folly.”
To Macbeth
Act 3:
Scene 4
Key information: In 1606 and for many years after, arguably into the present day, the characterisation of a female character in this way, lacking all feminine qualities, is controversial. Shakespeare justifies this challenge to societies expectations by involving the interference of the supernatural. Lady Macbeth did of course request this ‘metaphysical aid’ in Act 1 ‘Come, you spirits […] unsex me.’ (1.5)
In Act Once: Scene Five we observe the evil Lady Macbeth abusing her positional power in Macbeth’s household as she sways his morality with her vindictive words: That I may pour my spirits in thine ear.” An Elizabethan audience would feel astounded at these words, especially coming from a female protagonist like Lady Macbeth, as they were living in a patriarchal society, where women had no voice and had to obey and submit to men. The noun ‘spirits’ leads us to associations with the supernatural, which links to the ideology of witchcraft and King James 1 book ‘Demonology’. Upon hearing these lines an Elizabethan audience would feel trepidation, as they would believe Lady Macbeth is consorting with metaphysical presences: the devil. Alternatively, a contemporary audience may be ignorant to this fear as we no longer have the preternatural ideologies. They may however, still make the link between Lady Macbeth and the witches. The verb ‘pour’ suggests that Lady Macbeth is in control and plans to indoctrinate and manipulate Macbeth. We may also infer that Macbeth’s ear will become full of Lady Macbeth’s poisonous words and he will only be able to hear her voice; blocking out any reason or morality. During the Elizabethan period, the theatre was a key source of entertainment and Shakespeare was extremely popular with the people, therefore, they may further link this quote to Hamlet where Claudius pours poison into Hamlet’s father’s ear: killing him. It is clear that Lady Macbeth is a villainous character from her introduction in this scene, it shows how she abuses Macbeth’s trust in her and what lengths she is willing to go to to reach her goal. Lady Macbeth delivers these lines as part of her soliloquy, this is powerful because this dramatic technique allows the audience to know the character’s inner most thoughts and feelings. It also creates dramatic irony, which creates sympathy in the audience for Macbeth as we are aware that he is a pawns Lady Macbeth’s game of chest.
Trying to treat Macbeth's guilty hallucinations with the blandest possible palliative.
“What’s done is done.”
To Macbeth.
Act 3:
Scene 2
Key Information: In Shakespeare’s time, women were subordinate to men. They were considered to be ‘inferior’ beings, who were controlled by their husbands, fathers, or by any other man in their family.
They were not allowed to hold their own opinions, views or lifestyle. Men controlled: money, politics, home, children, work, women, government and law, but England had just had a female sovereign.
She shows no remorse and is in control
“Infirm of purpose! Give me the daggers.”
To Macbeth.
She is demeaning Macbeth
“My Hands are of your colour, but I shame to wear a heart s white..”
To Macbeth.
Act 2:
Scene 2
She is manipulative
“When you durst do it, then you were a man”
To Macbeth.
She is manipulative
“screw your courage to the sticking place”
To Macbeth.
Act 1:
Scene 7
Lady Macbeth seen as Macbeth’s equal:
“Dearest partner in Greatness”
In the letter from Macbeth
Shakespeare is subverting the female stereotype.
Lady Macbeth sees Macbeth’s goodness as a weakness:
“Yet I do fear thy nature: it is too full o’ the
milk of human kindness.”
In her soliloquy.
She sees her femininity as a weakness . She wants to be removed of her humanity.
“Unsex me here.”
In her soliloquy.
She is demanding and calculating
“look like the innocent flower,
but be the serpent under it.”
To Macbeth.
Act 1:
Scene 5
Lady Macbeth is: ambitious, manipulative, cunning, duplicitous, callous, determined, cold, guilty conscience, lost, remorseful, fragile, disturbed, mad.