Unsex me Here

Lady Macbeth has just read the letter from her husband telling her that he has been made Thane of Cawdor, and that Duncan is to stay in their castle that evening.

Act 1, Scene 5: A room in Macbeth's castle at Inverness

lady macbeth: (...) The raven¹

Himself is hoarse²

That croaks³ the fatal entrance of Duncan

Under my battlements⁴. Come, you spirits

That tend⁵ on mortal thoughts, unsex me here⁶, 5

And fill me, from the crown to the toe⁷, top-full

Of direst⁸ cruelty! Make thick my blood,

Stop up th' access and passage to remorse;

That no compunctious visitings of nature⁹

Shake my fell purpose¹⁰, nor keep peace between 10

Th' effect and it¹¹. Come to my woman's breasts,

And take my milk for gall¹², you murdering ministers¹³,

Wherever in your sightless substances¹⁴

You wait on nature's mischief¹⁵! Come, thick night,

And pall¹⁶ thee in the dunnest¹⁷ smoke of hell, 15

That my keen knife see not the wound it makes,

Nor heaven peep¹⁸ through the blanket¹⁹ of the dark

To cry, "Hold²⁰, hold!"

[Enter macbeth]

Great Glamis! Worthy Cawdor!²¹

Greater than both, by the all-hail²², hereafter²³! 20

Thy letters have transported me beyond

This ignorant²⁴ present, and I feel now

The future in an instant²⁵.

macbeth: My dearest love,

Duncan comes here tonight. 25

lady macbeth: And when goes hence²⁶?

macbeth: Tomorrow, as he purposes²⁷.

lady macbeth: O! never

Shall sun that morrow see²⁸!

Your face, my thane, is as a book, where men 30

May read strange matters. To beguile the time,

Look like the time²⁹, bear welcome³⁰ in your eye,

Your hand, your tongue: look like the innocent flower

But be the serpent under't. He that's coming

Must be provided for³¹; and you shall put 35

This night's great business into my despatch³²;

Which shall to all our nights and days to come

Give solely sovereign sway and masterdom³³.

macbeth: We will speak further³⁴.

lady macbeth: Only look up clear³⁵;

To alter favour ever is to fear³⁶. 40

Leave all the rest to me.

GLOSSARY

1. raven: large black bird, thought to bring bad luck

2. is hoarse: cries out roughly

3. croaks: makes a harsh, low sound

4. battlements: top part of a castle

5. tend: take care of

6. unsex me here: remove my femininity

7. crown to the toe: head to foot

8. direst: worst

9. compunctious... nature: natural feelings of conscience

10. Shake... purpose: change my ruthless plan

11. nor keep... it: come between my plan and the action itself

12.And take... gall: replace my milk with bitter poison

13. ministers: here Lady Macbeth is referring to the spirits

14. sightless substances: invisible forms

15. wait... mischief: help the evil forces in nature

16. pall: cover

17. dunnest: darkest

18. peep: give a quick secretive look

19.blanket: cover

20. Hold: stop

21.Great Glamis! Worthy Cawdor!: Macbeth was both thane of Glamis and thane of Cawdor

22. all-hail: greeted by everyone

23. hereafter: in future

24. ignorant: lacking knowledge of the future

25. in an instant: very soon

26. goes hence: goes away

27. as he purposes: so he intends

28. Shall... see: tomorrow will not come for Duncan

29. To beguile... the time: to deceive the people around, wear an expression that suits the occasion

30. bear welcome: appear welcoming, friendly

31. provided for: looked after

32. into my despatch: under my control

33. sovereign sway and masterdom: kingship

34. speak further: talk about it again

35. look up clear: look at me directly

36. To alter favour... fear: to change the expression on your face means to live forever in fear

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