Literary Devices In Lady Macbeth's Monologue
Shakespeare uses the specific passage that includes Lady Macbeth’s monologue to paint a picture of her true intentions and how she plans to get what she wants. Her desire for her husband to be king involves a murder, and she desires to be cruel in order to carry it out. Shakespeare uses a variety of devices in order to convey her wishes to do this. The words “unsex me” clearly state the wish she has to be rid of her natural female qualities, which would otherwise hold her back in her pursuits (1:5:48). Lady Macbeth wants to be more tough and masculine rather than have the sympathies and kind appearance of a woman. She also states that she wants to be filled with “direst cruelty” so that she has the ability to carry out the murder of Duncan
(1:5:50). She is determined to reach her goal and that is revealed clearly through her request of cruelty, which is also not a naturally female quality. Her request goes further in asking that the spirits “stop up th’ access and passage to remorse” indicating that she wants to feel no guilt after what is done is done (1:5:51). Lady Macbeth’s lack of cruelty is also shown when she says “that my keen knife see not the wound it makes” (1:5:54). These images convey that she does not have that sort of cruelty in her before she asks, being a female, and wants it now more than ever. She includes other details that further elaborate her wishes, such as when she entreats that the spirits “take my milk for gall” and when she hopes that the light of heaven will not look through “the blanket of the dark” (1:5:55/60). The details presented even further prove her utter desire to have these things happen to her, stemming from her desire to be powerful. She does not just decide to become cruel, but has to ask spirits that are not present and hope that they will listen. It solidifies her need to have it done by her desperate tone and determination to contact the spirits about it. All in all, Shakespeare uses a variety of language to get across the desire of Lady Macbeth’s to purge herself of her female sympathy and acquire an intense cruelty.
(1:5:50). She is determined to reach her goal and that is revealed clearly through her request of cruelty, which is also not a naturally female quality. Her request goes further in asking that the spirits “stop up th’ access and passage to remorse” indicating that she wants to feel no guilt after what is done is done (1:5:51). Lady Macbeth’s lack of cruelty is also shown when she says “that my keen knife see not the wound it makes” (1:5:54). These images convey that she does not have that sort of cruelty in her before she asks, being a female, and wants it now more than ever. She includes other details that further elaborate her wishes, such as when she entreats that the spirits “take my milk for gall” and when she hopes that the light of heaven will not look through “the blanket of the dark” (1:5:55/60). The details presented even further prove her utter desire to have these things happen to her, stemming from her desire to be powerful. She does not just decide to become cruel, but has to ask spirits that are not present and hope that they will listen. It solidifies her need to have it done by her desperate tone and determination to contact the spirits about it. All in all, Shakespeare uses a variety of language to get across the desire of Lady Macbeth’s to purge herself of her female sympathy and acquire an intense cruelty.