English resources/Macbeth/Lady Macbeth
Lady Macbeth
She asks to be made cruel. She pushes him to kill. She says a bit of water will fix it. She ends washing her hands in her sleep.
The quotes
22 quotes by or about Lady Macbeth, in the order they happen.
Yet do I fear thy nature; It is too full o' th' milk of human kindness
Lady Macbeth · Act 1, Scene 5 · gender and manhood · ambition
Lady Macbeth thinks her husband is too kind. She wants to make him hard.
Thou wouldst be great, Art not without ambition, but without The illness should attend it
Lady Macbeth · Act 1, Scene 5 · ambition
He wants to be great. But he is not cruel enough. She thinks cruel is good.
Come, you spirits That tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here
Lady Macbeth · Act 1, Scene 5 · gender and manhood · the supernatural · violence
She asks the spirits to take away the woman in her. Then she can be cruel.
Come, thick night, And pall thee in the dunnest smoke of hell
Lady Macbeth · Act 1, Scene 5 · the supernatural · guilt · appearance and reality
She asks the night to hide the murder. Her husband asked the stars the same thing.
Look like th' innocent flower, But be the serpent under 't
Lady Macbeth · Act 1, Scene 5 · appearance and reality
Look like a nice flower. Be the snake under it. That is her plan.
We will proceed no further in this business
Macbeth · Act 1, Scene 7 · ambition · gender and manhood
Macbeth says no. He will not do it. His wife changes his mind in forty lines.
Was the hope drunk Wherein you dressed yourself?
Lady Macbeth · Act 1, Scene 7 · gender and manhood · ambition
She asks if his courage was only drunk talk. She is making fun of him.
When you durst do it, then you were a man
Lady Macbeth · Act 1, Scene 7 · gender and manhood · violence
She says a real man would do it. He believes her.
I have given suck, and know How tender 'tis to love the babe that milks me
Lady Macbeth · Act 1, Scene 7 · gender and manhood · violence
She says she would kill her own baby before she broke a promise. This is how far she will go.
But screw your courage to the sticking place And we'll not fail
Lady Macbeth · Act 1, Scene 7 · ambition · gender and manhood
Hold your nerve tight, like a bow string. Then we will not fail.
Bring forth men-children only
Macbeth · Act 1, Scene 7 · gender and manhood
He gives in. He says a woman this hard should only have sons.
A little water clears us of this deed
Lady Macbeth · Act 2, Scene 2 · guilt · appearance and reality
She says a bit of water will clean them. In Act 5, nothing can.
My hands are of your color, but I shame To wear a heart so white
Lady Macbeth · Act 2, Scene 2 · gender and manhood · guilt
Her hands are as red as his. But she is not scared. He is.
Naught's had, all's spent, Where our desire is got without content
Lady Macbeth · Act 3, Scene 2 · ambition · guilt
They got everything they wanted. They are not happy.
O, full of scorpions is my mind, dear wife!
Macbeth · Act 3, Scene 2 · guilt
His mind is full of stings. He stops telling his wife his plans.
Stand not upon the order of your going, But go at once
Lady Macbeth · Act 3, Scene 4 · kingship · order and disorder
She tells the guests to leave, no matter their rank. Order has broken down.
Out, damned spot, out, I say!
Lady Macbeth · Act 5, Scene 1 · guilt
Lady Macbeth walks in her sleep. She washes her hands. The blood is not there. She still sees it.
Here's the smell of the blood still. All the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand
Lady Macbeth · Act 5, Scene 1 · guilt
Her hand still smells of blood. No perfume can hide it. A little water did not work.
What's done cannot be undone
Lady Macbeth · Act 5, Scene 1 · guilt · fate and free will
She used to say 'what is done is done' to calm him. Now the words are about her.
Canst thou not minister to a mind diseased
Macbeth · Act 5, Scene 3 · guilt
He asks the doctor to fix his wife's mind. The doctor cannot.
She should have died hereafter
Macbeth · Act 5, Scene 5 · fate and free will · guilt
His wife is dead. He says she would have died some time anyway. That is all he says.
this dead butcher and his fiend-like queen
Malcolm · Act 5, Scene 8 · kingship · violence
Malcolm's last word on them. A butcher and his devil queen.
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