Imagery and symbolism
![Picture](/uploads/2/0/6/8/20682300/9099385.jpg)
"Look like the innocent flower /
But be the serpent under't."
Lady Macbeth uses nature imagery to tell Macbeth to look happy and respectful on the outside and hide his evil tendencies inside. This quote also parallels her previous quote "Your face, my thane, is like a book where men may read strange matters". She tells Macbeth that what he is thinking is obvious because he does not hide it but he must be more careful. The lines “Only look up clear; / To alter favour ever is to fear” also tie in with the pattern of appearance vs reality. "Look like the innocent flower / But be the serpent under't." also has religious themes and relates to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden as it uses the flower and snake imagery.
“... dunnest smoke of hell”
“Nor heaven peep through the blanket of the dark”
These two lines provide dark, sinister imagery to Lady Macbeth’s speech. It is interesting how Lady Macbeth wishes hell to help her, because often people would pray to Heaven and God. Instead, she wants evil to be on her side. These lines also tie in with the religious themes of this scene.
“fill me from the crown to the toe top-full / Of direst cruelty! make thick my blood”
Shakespeare uses poison imagery to heighten the idea of Lady Macbeth’s cruelty and evil.
“Come to my woman's breasts, / And take my milk for gall"
The breast feeding imagery foreshadows the striking image she uses to convince her husband she is serious about the murder in Act 1 Scene 7.
“The raven himself is hoarse / That croaks the fatal entrance of Duncan / Under my battlements”
A raven is often seen as an ill omen and is often associated with death, as it is dark and ominous. The reference to a raven is significant as it foreshadows the violence and death to come. The raven is hoarse because it has worn itself out telling Lady Macbeth of Duncan’s approach. Shakespeare uses the line “the raven himself is hoarse” as an ironic reversal by using a bird of ill omen as one of good omen (for Lady Macbeth). This is an implied oxymoron.
Lady Macbeth uses nature imagery to tell Macbeth to look happy and respectful on the outside and hide his evil tendencies inside. This quote also parallels her previous quote "Your face, my thane, is like a book where men may read strange matters". She tells Macbeth that what he is thinking is obvious because he does not hide it but he must be more careful. The lines “Only look up clear; / To alter favour ever is to fear” also tie in with the pattern of appearance vs reality. "Look like the innocent flower / But be the serpent under't." also has religious themes and relates to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden as it uses the flower and snake imagery.
“... dunnest smoke of hell”
“Nor heaven peep through the blanket of the dark”
These two lines provide dark, sinister imagery to Lady Macbeth’s speech. It is interesting how Lady Macbeth wishes hell to help her, because often people would pray to Heaven and God. Instead, she wants evil to be on her side. These lines also tie in with the religious themes of this scene.
“fill me from the crown to the toe top-full / Of direst cruelty! make thick my blood”
Shakespeare uses poison imagery to heighten the idea of Lady Macbeth’s cruelty and evil.
“Come to my woman's breasts, / And take my milk for gall"
The breast feeding imagery foreshadows the striking image she uses to convince her husband she is serious about the murder in Act 1 Scene 7.
“The raven himself is hoarse / That croaks the fatal entrance of Duncan / Under my battlements”
A raven is often seen as an ill omen and is often associated with death, as it is dark and ominous. The reference to a raven is significant as it foreshadows the violence and death to come. The raven is hoarse because it has worn itself out telling Lady Macbeth of Duncan’s approach. Shakespeare uses the line “the raven himself is hoarse” as an ironic reversal by using a bird of ill omen as one of good omen (for Lady Macbeth). This is an implied oxymoron.