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In this scene Lady MAcbeth manipulates her husband to murder king duncan.This is a really significant scene in the play in which Lady Macbeth uses a range of persuasive and manipulative techniques to convince Macbeth to kill King Duncan- even though Macbeth is less than keen on doing it.
"I am...his host who should against his murderer shut the door, not bear the knife myself." Here we see Macbeth reflecting on what his wife has asked him to do. He realises that as a host he should protect his guest (King Duncan) not be the person who murders him. It is interesting that this directly contrasts with what Lady Macbeth said earlier (Act 1 Scene 5) when she told Macbeth to "look like the innocent flower but be the serpent under it". Lady Macbeth takes control He declares to his wife that they "will proceed no further in this business" but this does not discourage Lady Macbeth. She launches a host of insults at her husband asking him "art thou afeard?" in an attempt to emasculate her husband. Macbeth takes offence to this by declaring "I dare do all that may become a man" Never break a promise As the scene progresses we see Lady Macbeth heavily criticize Macbeth for going back on his promise to kill King Duncan. She claims that she would even have "dashed the brains out" of her own baby if she had promised her husband that she would! "Screw your courage to the sticking place" Towards the end of the scene Lady Macbeth begins to encourage her husband that if he is brave and courageous then they will not fail in their mission to become King and Queen. She outlines the plot in which Macbeth will go and murder King Duncan in his sleep after she has made his "chamberlains" (servants) drunk with wine and "wassail" (strong alcohol). These poor servants will then "bear the guilt" of the murder. Macbeth eventually agrees. |
Key Words |
Emasculate: Emasculation is when a man is made to feel weak or useless because he is not doing what a person may consider 'manly'. In the case of this scene, Lady Macbeth suggests that to be a man Macbeth must be ready and willing to murder in order to gain power. Lady Macbeth targets Macbeth's insecurities about feeling like less of a man in order to manipulate him into doing what she wants.
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Example Extract question |
(a) Look at how Lady Macbeth and Macbeth speak and behave here. What does it reveal to an audience about their relationship at this point in the play? Refer closely to details from the extract to support your answer.
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