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Symbolism In Lady Macbeth's Soliloquy From Act I

278 Words2 Pages
The use of symbolism in Lady Macbeth’s soliloquy from Act I, scene 5 establishes the tone as being defiant. Throughout her soliloquy, Lady Macbeth refers to the fact that Macbeth is too amiable to commit the acts necessary to become the king, and states, “Yet do I fear thy nature;/ It is too full o’ th’ milk of human kindness/ To catch the nearest way” (1.5.3-5). In saying this, Lady Macbeth is referring to the milk of human kindness as a symbol representing the ways in which women were bound to a submissive lifestyle. Later, she cries out to the spirits to “take [her] milk for gall” so that she can commit the heinous act of murder (1.5.38). She is saying that Macbeth is passive and not willing to take action, a womanly attribute, and in order
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