Lady Macbeth Flashcards
(18 cards)
Lady Macbeth
she subverts feminine stereotypes of the jacobean era, but also conforming to them.
Roles of women in shakespearean time : (jacobean$
Context.
Belonged to their fathers and then husbands when married.
Couldn’t attend school or university
Could not purchase property
Could not vote
Not allowed on stage
Wives were expected to be obedient and subservient to their husbands, serving as ‘hostess and helpmate ‘
Act 2 Scene 3 - Macduff quote
Doesn’t want to inform lady macbeth about murder of king duncan.
‘The repetition, in a..
woman’s ear, would murder as it fell’
- to tell this news could kill her:
-presents women as weaker than men.
-Ironic as she helped plan the murder
Act 4 Scene 3- Macduff quote
‘I could play..
Ross’s quote in the same scene
‘Make our women..
the woman with mine eyes’
- means he could weep like a woman.
fight’
-macduff return to scotland would be so inspiring it would make women fight.
Elizabeth Klett (author) view on Lady Macbeth.
As a woman of ambition, living in a patriarchal world that allows now outlet for her intelligence, she becomes motivated to seize power through her husband.
Act 1 Scene 5 - First time audience meets Lady macbeth.
‘come you spirits that tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here’
‘murd’ring ministers’
‘hell’
‘heaven
‘make thick my blood
‘fill me from the crown to the toe top full of dierest cruelty’
Supernatural connotations
Witchcraft (james I published a book on witchcraft), which was punishable by death.
King James was responsible for the burning of 4000 alleged witches in scotland.
Defies gender stereotypes - she’s not weak.
Lady Macbeth convincing Macbeth to kill the King
‘o, never / shall sun set..
that marrow see!’
In act 1 Scene 7, Macbeth goes on a rant about not wanting to kill the king, ‘to prick the sides of my intent’
Lady Macbeth enters. what does this show?
Macbeth felt no cause to kill the king besides his ambition.
When Lady macbeth enters, and he states ‘we shall speak no further of this business’ , she destroys his resolve and convincing arguments.
How does lady macbeth destroy Macbeths convincing argument to not kill the king?
She..
verbally manipulated and coerced the warrior,
‘Was the hope drunk..
wherein you dressed yourself? Hath it slept since?’ - Trying to convince macbeth to kill duncan.
Shows how she believes he is inconsistent.
What phrase does it show Lady Macbeth using his love against Macbeth to convince him to kill the king?
‘From this time..
Such i account thy love’
How does Lady Macbeth challenge Macbeths manhood when convincing him to kill the king?
‘When you durst…
do it, then you were a man’
- challenges his bravery and courage which his whole reputation is founded upon
Act 3 Scene 4 - banquet scene.
As macbeth falls apart infront of his guests, she takes control and challenges him. She asks him..
‘are you..
a man’
she also states
‘Sit’
‘Speak not’
and ‘Go at once’
Shows how she is in charge, and her power is more noticeable a juxtaposed with her husbands weakness.
How can lady macbeth be presented as conforming to jacobean feminine stereotypes?
Act 1 Scene 5 - her rant - ‘unsex me here’ , ‘spirits tend on mortal thoughts’ , ‘murdring minsters’
If she is so powerful, why does she need the support of supernatural to carry out her plan?
Why does she need to reject her femininity in order to do her plans?
Can be seen as a subservient wife to her husband in this paragraph. - helpmate to help him do the crime.
She isn’t naturally cruel.
How does lady macbeth conform to feminine stereotypes at the jacobean time as being a help mate?
(quotes)
Get servants drunk - ‘wine and wassail’ - A1S7
Unlock Duncan’s door - ‘The doors are open’ A2S2
Prepare the Daggers - ‘I laid their daggers ready’ A2S2
Tell macbet to wash blood from his hands ‘wash this filthy witness from your hand’ A2S2
Tell macbeth to put nightgown on - ‘get on your nightgown’ A2S2
Two views on Lady Macbeth’s contribution to the murder
Does she assist him commit it by being the good helpmate wife
Does she convince him to commit the crime?
When Duncan’s murder is a public fact, what happens to a lady macbeth?
She begins to lose her place in society and her position at home - No place for her in the male world of treason and revenge .
What happens to Lady Macbeth after Macbeth becomes king?
He command Lady Macbeth that he no longer allows her share in his new business. No longer his accomplice, she loses her role as housekeeper.
Macbeth plans the next feast, not lady macbeth. Macbeth invites banquo, not lady macbeth, who had welcomed duncan to inverness by herself.
