Thursday, December 18, 2014

In Act 5, Scene 1, Why does Lady Macbeth "take forth paper, fold it, write upon't, read it, afterwards seal it, and again return to bed"?

Lady Macbeth's letter-writting is analogous to her emotional state. She "unlock(s) her closet" and presumably confesses her feelings into the letter she writes. This is analogous with Lady Macbeth unlocking her heart and pouring forth fears and anxieties she cannot confide to anyone during waking hours -- even her husband is away ("His Majesty went into the field"). It is only during night-time that her pent-up emotions find expression.


However, she always "seal(s)" up her letters, then return to bed as if nothing happened. This is just what Lady Macbeth emotionally has to do -- after briefly revealing her dark secrets, she has to promptly lock them back deep inside her heart again lest they be known to the others.


The correspondence between Lady Macbeth's behaviour and inner feelings is again seen in her act of washing. While outwardly she rubs her hand, it is in fact analogous with her desire to cleanse her mind of dark thoughts and emotions.

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