Lady Macbeth

Lady Macbeth

1. Representations

   • represented as Fragile, Flawed and Focused
   • Wife
     • Wants Macbeth to succeed because  her idntity is determined by his status
   • Mother
     • - feminine character - it is her duty to produce an heir however it is evident that they had a child who must have died when she says "knows what t is like to give suck"
   • Hostess
     • demonstrates her seductive nature as Duncan believes she is a 'honour'd hostess' but she deceives him when she plots his murder with Macbeth

2. Act I scenes v & vi

   • Hostess
     • welcomes Duncan -> deceiving, her gracious facade opposes her scheme to murder Duncan invites readers to not trust her character
   • Wife
     • unselfish motive for the murder she knows Macbeth wants the crown and in order to help him achieve this she knows she must "pour thine spirits in thine ear" as she believes he is "too full of the milk of human kindness" privledges the reading that she is cunning and manipulative  however her motive i sin order for Macbeth to succeed because she doesn't wish for him not to get the crown demonstrating that she is faithful and ---
   • Unnatural
     • the way the lady wishes to be "unsexed" in order to complete the murder herself, demonstrates her tenacity and determination however this image opposes her feminine character of Macbeth's time therefore suggesting that she is unnatural. this representation of her character is foregrounded

3. Act I, scene vii

   • Sublimates her femininity
     • sublimates her femininity in order 'to do' evil evident when she demonstrates her vulnerable mother side before saying she would "she would dash her child's brains out"  the way she sublimates her demonstrated as she juxtaposes her role as a women in shakespeares society when she proves she could a mother/women would keep her word and not show cowardice as Macbeth has. 
   • Seductress
     • This graphic image in line -- is also used to hypnotise Macbeth into murdering Duncan  invited reading is that she is a seductress also demonstrated when she almost cons him into to doing it with the questioning of his manliness.
   • Determination
     • the moment of vulnerability disguised by a determined facade, demonstrates that as  Sian Thomas said "considering she is not as tough as nails, her will power is extraordinary" this reading highlights her determination and strength demonstrating _____

4. Act II, scene ii

   • Vulnerability
     • still retains her femininity for after all her determnation it si her caring and nurturing nature stops her from murdering Duncan as "she would have done it if he did resemble her father" 
   • Mechanical
     • Confident, carefal and controlled nature is almost mechanical and removes her from teh audience