LMB Flashcards
Ts1: the character of LMB drives the plot forward as she manipulates MB into committing regicide.
‘Like the poor cat i’th adage’
‘When you durst do it, then you were a man’
Ts2: LMB develops the theme of the supernatural in the play, invoking spirits to assist her plans.
‘Come, you spirits that tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here’
Ts3: LMB inverts traditional gender roles, appearing assertive and dominant and mocking effeminate behaviour.
‘I shame to wear a heart so white’
‘If we should fail?’
Ts4: at the end of the play, when LMB is plagued with guilt and commits suicide, she illustrates Shakespeare’s propagandist message that those who commit regicide will be punished.
‘All the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand’
‘Here’s the smell of the blood still’
Topic sentences:
Ts1: LMB drives the plot forward as she manipulates MB into committing regicide.
Ts2: she develops them of supernatural, invoking spirits to assist her with her plans.
Ts3: she appears more dominant and assertive in the rel, inverting traditional gender roles
Ts4: overcome by guilt so commits suicide, political propagandist message on the consequences of committing regicide.
‘Like the poor cat i’th adage’
L= simile. LMB compares him to the cat in the proverb- he wants the crown, but doesn’t want to get his hands bloody. She takes control, planning the murder herself, and her dominance is shows in how she dominates the dialogue, but MB has to do it in the end as Duncan looks like LMB’s father.
She is manipulating MB to commit regicide.
Challenges his masculinity calling him a cat which is a big insult to a brave warrior.
C= women usually weren’t this dominant in a relationship in the patriarchal society of the Jacobean era.
‘I shame to wear a heart so white’
C= DRK= MB knows he has damned himself by killing God’s representative on Earth. His guilt causes tension. L= white symbolises cowardice as she thinks he is a coward to be so afraid after Duncan’s murder. Ironic- she washes the blood off her hands whilst sleepwalking before she kills herself. C= she mocks his masculinity, implying he is a coward, which would be the ultimate insult to a famous warrior.
‘When you durst do it, then you were a man’
She makes MB feel like he has to fulfil his expectations as a man.
LMB challenges MB’s masculinity in order to manipulate him into committing regicide.
C= unusual for a women to be the dominant one in the relationship in JE as it was a patriarchal society where women were seen as subordinate to men.
R= sympathy for MB as he is shown as having a moral compass but is being manipulated into committing such a deed that will damn his soul forever due to DRK (C).
‘Come, you spirits that tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here’
She wants to be more of a man. Develops supernatural theme. She wants spirits to assist her in a dreadful deed.
R= MA- admire her for not following societal standards but not for wanting to commit regicide. JA- shocked that she wants to be more of a man.
‘If we should fail?’
L= rhet Q- MB looks for reassurance from LMB. C= this contradicts how women were seen at the time as it was a patriarchal society where women were seen as subordinate to men.
The pronoun ‘we’ includes MB + LMB and shows they rely on each other and have a strong relationship.
R= JA- shocked that LMB is stronger and more dominant as it’s very rare and unusual.
MA- proud of LMB for not following societal standards but not for wanting to commit regicide
‘All the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand’
‘Here’s the smell of the blood still’
Smell connotes evil and guilt.
R=‘Smell’ makes it horrifying to the audience as we smell the fresh blood because she’s reliving the night of the murder.
D= political propaganda- shows you will be troubled psychologically and physically if you commit/help with regicide. Also makes audience experience it with her so makes them realise consequences.
