Symbolism In Lady Macbeth

Lady Macbeth is used as an emblematic character by Shakespeare to show how surpassing and challenging the societal boundaries can impact negatively on the person and those surrounding them.

Lady Macbeth is introduced to the audience in Act I, Scene 5, using the soliloquy, ‘the Golden Round’ to portray her intrinsic evil through her subversion of the patriarchal society. The soliloquy begins by setting a dark atmosphere with the use of imagery, through “The raven himself is hoarse” Ravens are considered to be an omen of bad luck an is often used as image of death. Ravens also have connotations of darkness, which foreshadows the evil to come. This would have shocked a Jacobean due to Lady Macbeth’s upfront description of death, which as seen

For example, in Act 1 Scene 5, lady Macbeth mentions to Macbeth to “look like th’innocent flower, but be the serpent under’t”, emphasising her advice to be deceptive. This would have seemed unnatural to a Jacobean audience as women were not meant to be cunning as mentioned in the Basilikon Doron, a man was not meant to marry a woman of “evil condition” as women were only meant for “procreation of children”. Hence, Lady Macbeth’s outburst in in Act 1 Scene 7 where she claims to “pluck’d my nipple from his boneless gums and das’d the brains out, had I so sworn”, would have surprised the Jacobean audience, while it may have less of an impact on a modern audience due to their appreciation of figurative language. The use of immense violent imagery shows her strange behaviour to such a maternal act, emphasising to how she becomes an “hindrance”, according to the Basilikon Doron, to Macbeth as she goes against the stereotypical woman. In addition, her dominance is further highlighted in Act 1, Scene 5 when she says “leave all the rest to me”, not only does she end the conversion whilst interrupting Macbeth but it shows how she challenges the chain of being as women came under men, through her upfront behaviour towards Macbeth. Moreover, Macbeth calls her “my dearest love” suggesting that they are both equal in their relationship, which challenges the stereotypical notation that a woman is simply “a helper” who

This is notable as she asks his servant if she could “attend his leisure”, emphasising the degree of formality between them. This arguably could be said as the start of her downfall as now she cannot directly be a part of her husband’s plans. However, later in the play in Act V, Scene 1 Lady Macbeth reaches her peak of demise as she lacks sleep, which directly links to the witches’ sayings in Act I, Scene 3 where mention that anyone who attempts to control them will “sleep shall neither night nor day”, relating to the fact that Lady Macbeth has disturbed the natural order and therefore must now face the consequences. Lady Macbeth’s lack of sleep directly links to her peak moment of demise in Act V, Scene 1. Her outburst of “Yet, here’s a spot” indicates how guilt-ridden her conscious after committing acts of murder. The gentlewoman’s remark of “she has light by her continually” emphases her desire to be forgiven. It could have been interpreted as she so strongly consumed by her own darkness, that one spark of light is all that is holding her till she falls apart. Her flat statement of “hell is murky” suggests to the audience that she is feels that she is present in hell, due to the preposition “is”. Her reference to “all the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand” is directly parallel to Macbeth’s hyperbole of “all Neptune’s oceans will not wash this hand