lady macbeth,english lessons,study guide,how to write essays,macbeth,revision guide,english language,exam help,gcse guide,how to answer,english literature,revision,mr salles,top grades,shakespeare,how to study literature,how to revise,dominic salles,how to pass gcse,how to pass exams,revise,grade 9...
Macbeth Essay Plan
How does Shakespeare present Lady Macbeth as guilty?
Intro:
- Shakespeare presents the deuteragonist LM as guilty through her
abandonment of her feminine nature, ac=ng as a catalyst for her
declining masculine façade and her full-blown psychosis later on.
- CONTEXT: perhaps Shakespeare presents LM as a juxtaposi=on to the
archetypal Jacobean woman to reinforce gender stereotypes and roles
while also exploi=ng their fear of religious resistance by associa=ng
women who don’t conform to societal rules with the supernatural.
- However perhaps to a modern audience, LM is an early feminist figure
who does not let societal expecta=on hinder her ambi=on.
Para 1:
- In 1.5, Shakespeare presents Lady Macbeth as guilty through the
refuta=on of her feminine iden=ty.
- ‘Come you spirits,….unsex me here’
- LANGUAGE ANALYSIS: The use of the impera=ve verb ‘come’ establishes
a domina=ng and controlling tone from the very beginning.
- ALTERNATIVELY: Perhaps it establishes a pleading tone, emphasising Lady
Macbeths despera=on to usurp societal expecta=ons and achieve power.
- The use of the verb ‘unsex’ depicts how LM sees her femininity, her
iden=ty as an obstacle.
Thus, her lack of ownership over her iden=ty sets the founda=on for her
full blown psychosis later on.
- This is further reinforced by ‘take my milk for gall’
- LANGUAGE ANALYSIS: Shakespeare uses imagery of fer=lity, to establish
the link between femininity and guilt.
- The use of the noun ‘milk’ which has nurturing and pure connota=ons is
juxtaposed by ‘gall’ which was a deadly poison and has destruc=ve
connota=ons spotlights perhaps LM’s inability to feel guilt from the very
start.
- ALTERNATIVELY: perhaps Shakespeare is using this quote to foreshadow
her fragile state of mind, this recurring mo=f of repressed femininity will
eventually lead to her psychosis.
- Perhaps Shakespeare associates’ guilt with femininity, thus making it a
weakness.
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller abeerawan. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for £10.89. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
