ENG3703
Theoretical Approaches to English
Language and Literature
May/June 2024
Exam Answers
28 May 2024
All The Best and Please Give Us a Review!
QUESTION 1: MACBETH
In Macbeth, Lady Macbeth is a central figure whose ambition and determination
drive the plot forward. Chamberlain (2005) argues that Lady Macbeth's phrases
"Unsex me here" (1.5.39) and "dash his brains out" (1.7.58) are evidence of her
attempts to seize masculine power to further Macbeth's political goals. This essay
will explore Chamberlain's argument through a close reading of the play and by
integrating insights from relevant journal articles.
Lady Macbeth's Invocation of Masculine Power
In Act 1, Scene 5, Lady Macbeth delivers a soliloquy that reveals her ambitious
nature and desire to transcend traditional gender roles. When she calls on the spirits
to "unsex me here," she is explicitly requesting a transformation that would strip her
of feminine qualities associated with compassion and gentleness. She seeks the
"direst cruelty" to carry out her plans without the hindrance of any maternal instinct or
remorse:
Theoretical Approaches to English
Language and Literature
May/June 2024
Exam Answers
28 May 2024
All The Best and Please Give Us a Review!
QUESTION 1: MACBETH
In Macbeth, Lady Macbeth is a central figure whose ambition and determination
drive the plot forward. Chamberlain (2005) argues that Lady Macbeth's phrases
"Unsex me here" (1.5.39) and "dash his brains out" (1.7.58) are evidence of her
attempts to seize masculine power to further Macbeth's political goals. This essay
will explore Chamberlain's argument through a close reading of the play and by
integrating insights from relevant journal articles.
Lady Macbeth's Invocation of Masculine Power
In Act 1, Scene 5, Lady Macbeth delivers a soliloquy that reveals her ambitious
nature and desire to transcend traditional gender roles. When she calls on the spirits
to "unsex me here," she is explicitly requesting a transformation that would strip her
of feminine qualities associated with compassion and gentleness. She seeks the
"direst cruelty" to carry out her plans without the hindrance of any maternal instinct or
remorse:
