Lady Macbeth sleepwalking scene:
Macbeth gives Lady Macbeth less power when they become king and queen.
Although he promises her equality in patriarchal society ‘my dearest partner of
greatness’ and is changing the patriarchy he has gone back on his promise after
she becomes queen and this shows him as a very self obsessed character.
The beginning of this scene begins with the Gentlewoman and Doctor. The
gentlewoman is not a servant and is likely a daughter of a Thane. The
gentlewoman asks the doctor for his report on Lady Macbeth ‘your report.’ This
suggests the gentlewoman has love for Lady Macbeth and is her friend and feels
loyal towards her and this contrasts how the audience view her and how her
husband is viewed and how he only is supported out of fear.
The gentlewomen states her sleepwalking started after ‘his majesty went into there
eld.’ This shows that Macbeth isn’t sleepwalking out of guilt but also fear or
loosing Macbeth and her title.
The fact she takes paper, folds it and writes ‘upon it’ while sleepwalking could
suggest that it could potentially be Macbeth’s letter and she wants to be Macbeth
‘unsex me here’ so that she can become king and truly gain power.
Lady Macbeth constantly emasculates her husband and questions his masculinity
in a way to persuade him, in this case to kill Duncan. The use of the word white in
the quote ‘shame to wear a heart so white.’ This suggests that Lady Macbeth is
referring to Macbeth is a coward and is attacking his masculinity. Additionally, she
describes him as an ‘innocent ower’ and the use of the word ‘ ower’
stereotypically connotes to feminine qualities. Therefore, it could be argued that
once again Lady Macbeth is emasculating her husband and attacking his
masculinity as due to the patriarchal society, his masculine traits is what gave him
power. Could be potential suicide note explaining why she’s killing herself or
potential confession, to show a sign of guilt and also to get Macbeth caught
because he did not give her equal power like he promised and therefore wants him
to pay for it.
‘be innocent of the knowledge dearest chuck.’ The use o the word ‘chuck’ is very
condescending and shows that Macbeth no longer sees his wife as an equal.This
also shows that he is hiding knowledge from Lady Macbeth which shows lack of
trust.
‘she has light by her continually’ the literal meaning of this is that she has a candle
with her at all times, this symbolises that she is scared of darkness which
contrasts with ‘blanket of the dark’ when she states that darkness which connotes
to evil gave her comfort. This could symbolise her fear of hell and potentially
turning towards god pleading for help as ‘light’ as holy connotations.
Shakespeare makes audience empathise with her situation. The fact she is
washing her hands for a ‘quarter of an hour’ is a signi cant and long amount of
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Macbeth gives Lady Macbeth less power when they become king and queen.
Although he promises her equality in patriarchal society ‘my dearest partner of
greatness’ and is changing the patriarchy he has gone back on his promise after
she becomes queen and this shows him as a very self obsessed character.
The beginning of this scene begins with the Gentlewoman and Doctor. The
gentlewoman is not a servant and is likely a daughter of a Thane. The
gentlewoman asks the doctor for his report on Lady Macbeth ‘your report.’ This
suggests the gentlewoman has love for Lady Macbeth and is her friend and feels
loyal towards her and this contrasts how the audience view her and how her
husband is viewed and how he only is supported out of fear.
The gentlewomen states her sleepwalking started after ‘his majesty went into there
eld.’ This shows that Macbeth isn’t sleepwalking out of guilt but also fear or
loosing Macbeth and her title.
The fact she takes paper, folds it and writes ‘upon it’ while sleepwalking could
suggest that it could potentially be Macbeth’s letter and she wants to be Macbeth
‘unsex me here’ so that she can become king and truly gain power.
Lady Macbeth constantly emasculates her husband and questions his masculinity
in a way to persuade him, in this case to kill Duncan. The use of the word white in
the quote ‘shame to wear a heart so white.’ This suggests that Lady Macbeth is
referring to Macbeth is a coward and is attacking his masculinity. Additionally, she
describes him as an ‘innocent ower’ and the use of the word ‘ ower’
stereotypically connotes to feminine qualities. Therefore, it could be argued that
once again Lady Macbeth is emasculating her husband and attacking his
masculinity as due to the patriarchal society, his masculine traits is what gave him
power. Could be potential suicide note explaining why she’s killing herself or
potential confession, to show a sign of guilt and also to get Macbeth caught
because he did not give her equal power like he promised and therefore wants him
to pay for it.
‘be innocent of the knowledge dearest chuck.’ The use o the word ‘chuck’ is very
condescending and shows that Macbeth no longer sees his wife as an equal.This
also shows that he is hiding knowledge from Lady Macbeth which shows lack of
trust.
‘she has light by her continually’ the literal meaning of this is that she has a candle
with her at all times, this symbolises that she is scared of darkness which
contrasts with ‘blanket of the dark’ when she states that darkness which connotes
to evil gave her comfort. This could symbolise her fear of hell and potentially
turning towards god pleading for help as ‘light’ as holy connotations.
Shakespeare makes audience empathise with her situation. The fact she is
washing her hands for a ‘quarter of an hour’ is a signi cant and long amount of
fi
fl fi ff fl
