The Extract
The raven himself is hoarse
That croaks the fatal entrance of Duncan
Under my battlements. Come, you spirits
That tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here,
And fill me, from the crown to the toe, top-full
Of direst cruelty! make thick my blood,
Stop up th’ access and passage to remorse,
That no compunctious visitings of nature
Shake my fell purpose, nor keep peace between
Th’ effect and it! Come to my woman’s breasts,
And take my milk for gall, your murd’ring ministers,
Wherever in your sightless substances
You wait on nature’s mischief! Come, thick night,
And pall thee in the dunnest smoke of hell
That my keen knife see not the wound it makes,
Nor heaven peep through the blanket of the dark
To cry, “Hold, hold!”
Explain the Importance of Lady Macbeth.
Write about:
· How Lady Macbeth is presented in this extract
· How she is presented in the play as a whole
Student Essay: Thanks Daniel
Shakespeare cleverly presents Lady Macbeth as powerful, guilt ridden and ambitious as she demands spirits to summon up male traits. However this power is undermined by her desperation for power and the male characters in the play.
This is a fantastic thesis statement. The first sentence tells us 3 things the essay is going to prove about Lady Macbeth. The second sentence gives us two of the author’s purposes. So, this acts as a great essay plan. For a top notch answer I also train students to have 3 author’s purposes instead of just 2.
Firstly Shakespeare constructs her to represent the majority of women in the Jacobean era and shows that she is a victim of patriarchal society. Lady Macbeth is presented as powerful in the play when she demands the spirits to “unsex her”. Shakespeare’s effective use of the imperative verb “unsex” emphasises her power and strength: she is demanding evil spirits to take her femininity away, despite knowing that she will go to hell.
Notice that context, AO3, is being introduced and linked to an interpretation of Shakespeare’s purpose. This must at least show ‘understanding’ Level 4. This is followed by an embedded quotation linked to a ‘clear’ interpretation of Lady Macbeth. So, the examiner will have at least Level 4 in mind, and will read on to confirm or increase their grade.
This is exemplified further as she asks for her “breast” milk to be replaced with “gall.” “Milk” has direct connotations to motherhood and life; completely juxtaposed with “gall” - a vile substance connoting bitterness and death, reinforcing how powerful and brave Lady Macbeth was during the Jacobean Era. But it would also horrify them because she uses her power for evil in persuading Macbeth to regicide.
This is a detailed analysis of the quotation. Daniel has drawn several interpretations from it. So, AO2 is definitely at least Level 4 clear understanding – even if the essay ended right here.
Shakespeare’s use of the soliloquy here builds an intimate relationship between the contemporary audience and Lady Macbeth as she would be alone on stage, so she would be reflecting her true feelings and desire to become a wicked male, like Macbeth (which would not occur in many plays at the time). This would be deeply unsettling for the deeply Christian audience of 1606, as they would be fearful of the supernatural and of being dammed.
Although this is a paragraph about context, it is not saying ‘hey, look at me, I know some context which is totally irrelevant to the question’. Instead it is made relevant because it links directly to an interpretation of Lady Macbeth. So, at least Level 4 for AO3.
Keep reading with a 7-day free trial
Subscribe to Mr Salles Teaches English to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.