Act 5, Scene 1 – Lady Macbeth Sleepwalks
Lady Macbeth is sleepwalking and reveals her guilty conscience.
It’s the first time the audience sees Lady Macbeth since things have gone wrong – her
character has completely changed. She’s been driven mad by guilt and fear.
“She has light by her continually” – Character: Lady Macbeth
Lady Macbeth isn’t the devious, dominant person she was in Act 1 and Act 2. She afraid
of the dark as the night reminds her of the evil she has done – she demands to have a
candle by her at all times. It’s ironic because in Act 1, Scene 5 she welcomes the
darkness ‘Come, thick night’.
“Out, damned spot! Out, I say!” – Character: Lady Macbeth
Lady Macbeth is overwhelmed with guilt as she tries to wash imaginary blood off of her
hands. Hand-washing symbolises her guilt, and contrasts with her attitude in Act 2,
Scene 2 when she tells Macbeth, ‘A little water clears us of this deed’.
“The Thane of Fife had a wife – where is she now? – Shakespeare’s Techniques
Shakespeare uses Lady Macbeth’s sleepwalking to reveal her inner thoughts. Lady
Mscbeth’s language has changed from smooth and fluent blank verse to disjointed and
confused prose – this shows her disturbed and troubled state of mind.
Her speech is uncertain – her use of questions, ‘will these hands ne’er be clean?’ shows
her mental confusion and contrasts with her domineering language in Act 1, Scene 7.
“To bed, to bed! There’s knocking at the gate. Come, come, come, come, give me your
hand. What’s done cannot be undone. To bed, to bed” – Shakespeare’s Techniques
Lady Macbeth is reliving the moments after Duncan’s death. Her rambling language
conveys that she is asleep.
“Unnatural deeds do breed unnatural troubles” – Shakespeare’s Techniques
Lady Macbeth has upset the natural balance by doing evil things. It reminds the
audience of the unnatural things reported in Act 2, Scene 4.
Lady Macbeth is sleepwalking and reveals her guilty conscience.
It’s the first time the audience sees Lady Macbeth since things have gone wrong – her
character has completely changed. She’s been driven mad by guilt and fear.
“She has light by her continually” – Character: Lady Macbeth
Lady Macbeth isn’t the devious, dominant person she was in Act 1 and Act 2. She afraid
of the dark as the night reminds her of the evil she has done – she demands to have a
candle by her at all times. It’s ironic because in Act 1, Scene 5 she welcomes the
darkness ‘Come, thick night’.
“Out, damned spot! Out, I say!” – Character: Lady Macbeth
Lady Macbeth is overwhelmed with guilt as she tries to wash imaginary blood off of her
hands. Hand-washing symbolises her guilt, and contrasts with her attitude in Act 2,
Scene 2 when she tells Macbeth, ‘A little water clears us of this deed’.
“The Thane of Fife had a wife – where is she now? – Shakespeare’s Techniques
Shakespeare uses Lady Macbeth’s sleepwalking to reveal her inner thoughts. Lady
Mscbeth’s language has changed from smooth and fluent blank verse to disjointed and
confused prose – this shows her disturbed and troubled state of mind.
Her speech is uncertain – her use of questions, ‘will these hands ne’er be clean?’ shows
her mental confusion and contrasts with her domineering language in Act 1, Scene 7.
“To bed, to bed! There’s knocking at the gate. Come, come, come, come, give me your
hand. What’s done cannot be undone. To bed, to bed” – Shakespeare’s Techniques
Lady Macbeth is reliving the moments after Duncan’s death. Her rambling language
conveys that she is asleep.
“Unnatural deeds do breed unnatural troubles” – Shakespeare’s Techniques
Lady Macbeth has upset the natural balance by doing evil things. It reminds the
audience of the unnatural things reported in Act 2, Scene 4.
