LADY MACBETH
Alack, I am afraid they have awaked
And ‘tis not done. The attempt and not the deed
Confounds us. Hark! I laid their daggers ready.
He could not miss ‘em. Had he not resembled
My father as he slept, I had done’t (Act II, Scene 2).
This whole speech by Lady Macbeth is intended to "humanize" her. It shows that she is not nearly as confident as she has been acting with her husband. She is good about hiding her fears, worries, and guilt from other people, but she is still human. Shakespeare usually tried to show that all his characters were mixtures of good and bad, strength and weakness. That was why he showed the wicked King Claudius at prayer in Hamlet. It is the only way an author can create the illusion that his characters are real people.
When Shakespeare has Lady Macbeth say "Had he not resembled / My father as he slept, I had done’t," the purpose is consistent with everything else he has her say in this speech. It shows she has a tender side to her nature. She loved her father, as most daughters do. She is not a complete monster.
Tuesday, January 16, 2018
How does Shakespeare humanize Lady Macbeth?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
What is the theme of the chapter Lead?
Primo Levi's complex probing of the Holocaust, including his survival of Auschwitz and pre- and post-war life, is organized around indiv...
-
Bacteria are single-celled microorganisms that thrive in diverse environments (such as the ocean, the soil, and the human body). Various bac...
-
The statement "Development policy needs to be about poor people, not just poor countries," carries a lot of baggage. Let's dis...
-
Note that these events are not in chronological order. The story is told by the narrator, looking back upon her life. The first notable even...
-
It seems most likely you are asking about Michael Halliday's theories of language. He argues children have seven main functions they use...
-
The tension between the three world orders after World War II (1939–1945) manifested itself in territorial, economic, military, ideologic...
-
Under common law, any hotel, inn, or other hospitality establishment has a duty to exercise "reasonable care" for the safety an...
-
James is very unhappy on a number of occasions throughout the story, but he's especially unhappy with his life situation as the story be...
No comments:
Post a Comment