Lady Macbeth
Family: Macbeth household · Role: noblewoman · First appears: Macbeth · Act I, Scene V
Life events
- Lady Macbeth learns Macbeth has been promised kingship by the Weird Sisters.(Macbeth · Act I, Scene V)
- With: Macbeth
- “This have I thought good to deliver thee (my dearest partner of greatness) that thou might’st not lose the dues of rejoicing, by being ignorant of what greatness is promis’d thee.”
- Lady Macbeth resolves to arrange Duncan’s murder during his visit.(Macbeth · Act I, Scene V)
- Duncan becomes Macbeth’s guest at the castle, receiving hospitality from Lady Macbeth.(Macbeth · Act I, Scene VI)
- Lady Macbeth devises drugging Duncan’s chamberlains and framing them for his murder.(Macbeth · Act I, Scene VII)
- With: Macbeth Duncan
- “When Duncan is asleep (Whereto the rather shall his day’s hard journey Soundly invite him), his two chamberlains Will I with wine and wassail so convince That memory, the warder of the brain, Shall be a fume, and the receipt of reason A limbeck only: when in swinish sleep Their drenched natures lie as in a death, What cannot you and I perform upon Th’ unguarded Duncan? what not put upon His spongy officers; who shall bear the guilt Of our great quell?”
- Lady Macbeth drugs the grooms, leaving their lives uncertain while Macbeth carries out the murder.(Macbeth · Act II, Scene II)
- “I have drugg’d their possets, That death and nature do contend about them, Whether they live or die.”
- Lady Macbeth takes the daggers back and smears the sleeping grooms with blood to frame them.(Macbeth · Act II, Scene II)
- “Give me the daggers. The sleeping and the dead Are but as pictures. ’Tis the eye of childhood That fears a painted devil. If he do bleed, I’ll gild the faces of the grooms withal, For it must seem their guilt.”
- Macbeth and Lady Macbeth retreat to their chamber as knocking threatens to expose them.(Macbeth · Act II, Scene II)
- With: Macbeth
- “I hear knocking At the south entry:—retire we to our chamber.”
- Macbeth plans a dreadful deed against Banquo and Fleance, concealing its nature from Lady Macbeth.(Macbeth · Act III, Scene II)
- With: Macbeth Banquo Fleance
- “Thou know’st that Banquo, and his Fleance, lives. LADY MACBETH. But in them nature’s copy’s not eterne. MACBETH. There’s comfort yet; they are assailable. Then be thou jocund. Ere the bat hath flown His cloister’d flight, ere to black Hecate’s summons The shard-born beetle, with his drowsy hums, Hath rung night’s yawning peal, there shall be done A deed of dreadful note.”
- Lady Macbeth ends the banquet and orders the assembled guests to leave immediately.(Macbeth · Act III, Scene IV)
- Lady Macbeth develops severe sleepwalking episodes, repeatedly performing actions while unconscious.(Macbeth · Act V, Scene I)
- “Since his Majesty went into the field, I have seen her rise from her bed, throw her nightgown upon her, unlock her closet, take forth paper, fold it, write upon’t, read it, afterwards seal it, and again return to bed; yet all this while in a most fast sleep.”
- Lady Macbeth reveals her guilt over bloodshed while sleepwalking.(Macbeth · Act V, Scene I)
- “Yet who would have thought the old man to have had so much blood in him?”
- Lady Macbeth’s mental disease is judged beyond the physician’s ability to treat.(Macbeth · Act V, Scene I)
- “This disease is beyond my practice”
Macbeth · Act I, Scene V
- allies with Macbeth (They are presented as partners in the pursuit of greatness.) “This have I thought good to deliver thee (my dearest partner of greatness) that thou might’st not lose the dues of rejoicing, by being ignorant of what greatness is promis’d thee.”
- married with Macbeth (Their intimate address and shared household relationship support a marital relationship.) “My dearest love,”
Macbeth · Act I, Scene VI
- liege: Duncan “Your servants ever Have theirs, themselves, and what is theirs, in compt, To make their audit at your Highness’ pleasure, Still to return your own.”
- with Duncan (Duncan recognizes Lady Macbeth as his hostess.) “See, see, our honour’d hostess!— The love that follows us sometime is our trouble, Which still we thank as love.”
Macbeth · Act I, Scene VII
- with Macbeth (They are intimate partners who jointly plan the assassination.) “What cannot you and I perform upon Th’ unguarded Duncan?”
Macbeth · Act II, Scene II
- married with Macbeth “My husband!”
Macbeth · Act III, Scene II
- married with Macbeth “O, full of scorpions is my mind, dear wife!”
Macbeth · Act III, Scene IV
- married with Macbeth “Come, love and health to all;”
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Extracted from the original text of Shakespeare's Tragedies. Made with Rho MD.