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The essay below uses this simple structure:
The essay below uses this simple structure:
- An introductory paragraph to summarise an answer to the question
- One paragraph about the extract
- One about the rest of the play
- One about context.
LADY MACBETH:
LADY MACBETH:
The raven himself is hoarse
The raven himself is hoarse
That croaks the fatal entrance of Duncan
That croaks the fatal entrance of Duncan
Under my battlements. Come, you spirits
Under my battlements. Come, you spirits
That tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here,
That tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here,
And fill me from the crown to the toe top-full
And fill me from the crown to the toe top-full
Of direst cruelty. Make thick my blood.
Of direst cruelty. Make thick my blood.
Stop up the access and passage to remorse,
Stop up the access and passage to remorse,
That no compunctious visitings of nature
That no compunctious visitings of nature
Shake my fell purpose, nor keep peace between
Shake my fell purpose, nor keep peace between
The effect and it! Come to my woman’s breasts,
The effect and it! Come to my woman’s breasts,
And take my milk for gall, you murd'ring ministers,
And take my milk for gall, you murd'ring ministers,
Wherever in your sightless substances
Wherever in your sightless substances
You wait on nature’s mischief. Come, thick night,
You wait on nature’s mischief. Come, thick night,
And pall thee in the dunnest smoke of hell,
And pall thee in the dunnest smoke of hell,
That my keen knife see not the wound it makes,
That my keen knife see not the wound it makes,
Nor heaven peep through the blanket of the dark
Nor heaven peep through the blanket of the dark
To cry “Hold, hold!”
To cry “Hold, hold!”
Starting with this speech, explain how far you think Shakespeare presents Lady Macbeth as a powerful woman.
Starting with this speech, explain how far you think Shakespeare presents Lady Macbeth as a powerful woman.
Write about:
Write about:
- how Shakespeare presents Lady Macbeth in this speech
- how Shakespeare presents Lady Macbeth in the play as a whole.
The essay below is written using a simple structure:
The essay below is written using a simple structure:
- An introductory paragraph to summarise an answer to the question.
- One paragraph about the extract.
- One about the rest of the play.
- One about context.
Before you read the answer below, why not have a think about how you'd answer this question. I've highlighted the quotes I'd write about - do you agree or would you focus elsewhere? Also, which sections from the rest of the play would you focus on? And what contextual factors influenced Lady Macbeth's presentation?
Before you read the answer below, why not have a think about how you'd answer this question. I've highlighted the quotes I'd write about - do you agree or would you focus elsewhere? Also, which sections from the rest of the play would you focus on? And what contextual factors influenced Lady Macbeth's presentation?
Most importantly, though, have a think about how you'd write that opening paragraph - answer the question in two or three simple sentences.
Most importantly, though, have a think about how you'd write that opening paragraph - answer the question in two or three simple sentences.
An Example Answer
An Example Answer
During the majority of the play, Lady Macbeth is presented as being a powerful woman who defies the expected gender stereotype of the caring, soft, gentle female. By the end of the play, however, she kills herself as she discovers that although she can order the rest of the world around, she cannot control her own guilt
During the majority of the play, Lady Macbeth is presented as being a powerful woman who defies the expected gender stereotype of the caring, soft, gentle female. By the end of the play, however, she kills herself as she discovers that although she can order the rest of the world around, she cannot control her own guilt
Right at the opening of this speech, Lady Macbeth makes her position known when she describes “my” battlements. The use of the possessive pronoun emphasises that she thinks of the castle walls as being her own. She follows this by calling “Come you spirits.” The use of this magic spell has two effects on the audience: firstly, she is calling for dark magic to come and support her. This would have reminded the audience of the possibility that she was a witch and had all the evil powers connected with them. Also, she is using an imperative here: “Come you spirits.” She’s not asking them but telling them. This shows that she expects even the supernatural world to answer to her demands. One of the things she demands is that they “stop up the access and passage to remorse.” This means that Lady Macbeth doesn’t want to feel any regret for what she is about to do, which would make her powerful. She is no longer going to be slowed down by feelings of compassion or care in her pursuit of power. Finally, she says that the spirits should “take my milk for gall.” Here, she is asking that her own milk be turned to poison. This suggests that she is turning something caring and supportive into something deadly, giving her even more evil powers. Also, milk is pure white and suggests innocence and purity so Lady Macbeth is asking that what is innocent and pure about her gets turned into something deadly. Throughout this speech Lady Macbeth sets herself up as being someone very powerful, who is able to control even the spirits.
Right at the opening of this speech, Lady Macbeth makes her position known when she describes “my” battlements. The use of the possessive pronoun emphasises that she thinks of the castle walls as being her own. She follows this by calling “Come you spirits.” The use of this magic spell has two effects on the audience: firstly, she is calling for dark magic to come and support her. This would have reminded the audience of the possibility that she was a witch and had all the evil powers connected with them. Also, she is using an imperative here: “Come you spirits.” She’s not asking them but telling them. This shows that she expects even the supernatural world to answer to her demands. One of the things she demands is that they “stop up the access and passage to remorse.” This means that Lady Macbeth doesn’t want to feel any regret for what she is about to do, which would make her powerful. She is no longer going to be slowed down by feelings of compassion or care in her pursuit of power. Finally, she says that the spirits should “take my milk for gall.” Here, she is asking that her own milk be turned to poison. This suggests that she is turning something caring and supportive into something deadly, giving her even more evil powers. Also, milk is pure white and suggests innocence and purity so Lady Macbeth is asking that what is innocent and pure about her gets turned into something deadly. Throughout this speech Lady Macbeth sets herself up as being someone very powerful, who is able to control even the spirits.
Her power continues throughout the play. Lady Macbeth suggests the murder and talks Macbeth into it – showing that she is powerfully persuasive. She also plans the murder, showing that she is intelligent as well. She also stays calm under pressure, such as when Macbeth arrives with the daggers from the murder scene but Lady Macbeth returns them to the scene so that they don’t get caught. She is also able to manipulate Macduff when she faints in shock after they discover Duncan’s body. You could easily argue that Lady Macbeth’s ambition was more powerful than Macbeth’s, and that the murder wouldn’t have ever happened with her involvement. She is determined to become powerful and will stop at nothing to get it. At the end the play though she is caught sleepwalking, and she confesses to all that they’ve done. This is interesting, however, as while she is sleep-walking she is not in control of herself so she is not really aware of what she’s doing. It could be the case that Lady Macbeth herself never felt guilty, though she couldn’t hide her real feelings from her dreams. In the end, she dies. Malcolm claims that she killed herself quite violently, but since it happens off-stage we cannot be sure. What is clear is that although she could push Macbeth around, and trick Macduff, and even order the spirits to do her bidding, she couldn’t order the blood off her own hands.
Her power continues throughout the play. Lady Macbeth suggests the murder and talks Macbeth into it – showing that she is powerfully persuasive. She also plans the murder, showing that she is intelligent as well. She also stays calm under pressure, such as when Macbeth arrives with the daggers from the murder scene but Lady Macbeth returns them to the scene so that they don’t get caught. She is also able to manipulate Macduff when she faints in shock after they discover Duncan’s body. You could easily argue that Lady Macbeth’s ambition was more powerful than Macbeth’s, and that the murder wouldn’t have ever happened with her involvement. She is determined to become powerful and will stop at nothing to get it. At the end the play though she is caught sleepwalking, and she confesses to all that they’ve done. This is interesting, however, as while she is sleep-walking she is not in control of herself so she is not really aware of what she’s doing. It could be the case that Lady Macbeth herself never felt guilty, though she couldn’t hide her real feelings from her dreams. In the end, she dies. Malcolm claims that she killed herself quite violently, but since it happens off-stage we cannot be sure. What is clear is that although she could push Macbeth around, and trick Macduff, and even order the spirits to do her bidding, she couldn’t order the blood off her own hands.
Shakespeare presents a very powerful female character in Lady Macbeth, and although this would have been quite radical for people in Jacobean England there were other powerful, female role models to choose from: Bloody Mary or Queen Elizabeth are good examples. This play, however, was written for King James who had just taken the throne of England, and James was not a fan of Queen Elizabeth – who had killed his mother, Mary Queen of Scots (and he might not even have been a big fan of his mum, because she married the man who killed his dad!) As a result, James would have enjoyed seeing this powerful woman become such a villain and then getting punished for her crimes.
Shakespeare presents a very powerful female character in Lady Macbeth, and although this would have been quite radical for people in Jacobean England there were other powerful, female role models to choose from: Bloody Mary or Queen Elizabeth are good examples. This play, however, was written for King James who had just taken the throne of England, and James was not a fan of Queen Elizabeth – who had killed his mother, Mary Queen of Scots (and he might not even have been a big fan of his mum, because she married the man who killed his dad!) As a result, James would have enjoyed seeing this powerful woman become such a villain and then getting punished for her crimes.
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