This AQA English GCSE textbook will provide you with a high-quality resource that will assist you in preparing for your exams. These documents include comprehensive exam practice questions which cover important themes in the play, Macbeth, plus, it has been fully revised and updated throughout. The...
LADY MACBETH
Deceiving - “too full o’th milk of human kindness” was said in her
soliloquy about Macbeth. This quote shows how Macbeth is compared to
a baby and needs to be nurtured. The use of ‘milk’ also emphasises how
Macbeth is weak and inferior which solidifies how Lady Macbeth is the
antithesis, she is going against the expectations of a woman and
chasing for power. The fact that she is comparing Macbeth to a baby
and weakness shows how she is trying to disconnect herself from this. In
the quote “Great Glamis! Worthy Cawdor!” was said to Macbeth by Lady
Macbeth which emphasises how deceitful she is. She is solely
complimenting Macbeth in order to gain her desires. She strives for
royalty and power that she is willing to sacrifice herself for it, by
manipulating Macbeth by giving him good words to obtain what she
wants. Her use of power over Macbeth and her fulfilling the expectations
of a woman, even though she wants to disconnect herself from it,
presents how she is only using this sense of femininity to not cause any
suspicions of her true intentions. She is aware of the expectations of a
woman and does not agree with it, however, she is abiding by them to
seem as an ‘innocent flower’ although she truly has bad intentions.
Driving force - “Look like the innocent flower but be the serpent under’t”
presents how cruel her plans are. In this very quote she is insisting that
Macbeth should act innocent, however, truly he has bad intentions. Her
persistent use of questioning his masculinity and ‘pushing’ him to commit
the deeds and not feel guilty shows how she drove him to then commit
this deed. Her chase for power and her greed is presented through her
persistent use of manipulating, she is alarmed when Macbeth is being
doubtful of his plans, through the quote “Was the hope drunk”. Which
presents how she is so full of ambition, that even when Macbeth is on
the verge of not commiting the deed she will try everything in her power
to change his mind. This suggests how much she wants power that she
will question his masculinity and go against the expectations of a woman
to claim it. Lady Macbeth knew Macbeth’s weakness which I believe is
his first, ambition and his chase for masculinity, Macbeth believes that
he must conform by society’s standards of a man and be courageous, so
the fact that Lady Macbeth consistently kept questioning this, was not
used to dishearten Macbeth and believe that he is not worthy, however,
, it was used to give ambition to him to strive for this masculinity. Lady
Macbeth was aware of this, she is presented in the play as knowing her
husband and his weaknesses as presented in her soliloquy.
MACBETH
Macbeth was doubtful of his plans, however, she followed Lady
Macbeth’s greed to chase for royalty.
Macbeth enjoys the honours and ‘golden opinions’ of people, he does
not want this to disappear when the deed is committed. Macbeth is
aware of his ambitions “Vaulting ambition” however, he commits his
deeds, he is aware of the punishment that he will face and how he would
disrupt the Great Chain of Being and commit regicide. Macbeth is aware
of all of this, however, he commits the deed which shows how he is
willing to sacrifice himself for power and to prove his masculinity. It
seems that Macbeth always had this fatal flaw, he always had this full of
ambition which led to his fall, as the chance to become king had risen,
he let ambition lead him to his fall. Macbeth seems to not have power
over Lady Macbeth, it seems that Lady Macbeth claims all the power,
Macbeth did not go against the true intentions of Lady Macbeth,
however, kept leading himself into it. His level of disloyalty is greatly
presented, Macbeth is willing to go against the king and his the absolute
trust Duncan has placed in him in order to gain titles and wealth.
Macbeth does not want to face guilt and dares to open his eyes to the
actions that he has committed due to the fact that he would spiral into
guilt, for him to be aware of this deed would lead him to not commit it.
The repetition of ‘deed’ in Macbeth’s soliloquy in Act 1 scene 7 shows
how Macbeth does not want to have knowledge about his deed, he does
not want to mention the name of this deed as it would take him into a
path of guilt and emphasises how he would also not commit the deed.
Macbeth has continuously hid his actions and wants to claim the throne
without this feeling of guilt.
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