Year 10 – Representing Women

Summary – Act 1, Scene 7

1. Complete the following cloze to revise your understanding of Macbeth – Act 1, Scene 7.

Just as Macbeth is thinking about the senselessness of the murder he's planning, his wife
comes looking for him. She very forcibly points out that the King has almost finished his
supper, and Macbeth should be there, pretending to be the happy host.

Macbeth then attempts to put an end to his problem by saying that "We will proceed no
further in this business" (1.7.29). He explains that he wants to enjoy the honours that the
King has just bestowed upon him. In saying this, he may sound firm and reasonable, but it
turns out that he does not have a chance against his wife's passionate scorn.

She accuses him of being the kind of person who can dream of wearing kingly robes only when he's drunk. She asks
sarcastically, "Was the hope drunk / Wherein you dress'd yourself? Hath it slept since?" (1.7.35-36). This is harsh enough, but
it gets worse. She tells him that if he's going to go back on his word, he doesn't really love her, and he's a coward, no better
than the "poor cat i' the adage" (1.7.45), who wants a fish, but doesn't want to get its feet wet.

Macbeth tries to defend himself by saying, "I dare do all that may become a man; / Who dares do more is none" (1.7.46-47).
He's right about what a real man will and won't do. A real man will dare risk his life to protect his King, but a man who dares
to murder his King is not a true man. This perfectly reasonable statement only makes his wife more scornful. She tells him
that "When you durst do it, then you were a man" (1.7.49).

Now, Lady Macbeth declares, the perfect opportunity to kill the King has presented itself, and Macbeth is backing out,
making him less than a man. Then, after ridiculing Macbeth's manhood, Lady Macbeth declares that she's more man than he
is:

I have given suck, and know

How tender 'tis to love the babe that milks me:
I would, while it was smiling in my face,
Have pluck'd my nipples from his boneless gums,
And dash'd the brains out, had I so sworn as you
Have done to this. (1.7.54-59)

After this, it's really all over. Lady Macbeth wins. Macbeth asks what happens if they fail, and his wife ignores the very idea.
She will get King Duncan's two attendants drunk, so they won't be able to protect him, and then they'll take the blame for
the King's death. Macbeth replies with admiration, "Bring forth men-children only; / For thy undaunted mettle should
compose / Nothing but males" (1.7.72-74).

Pretending drunk proceed honours supper

reasonable senselessness coward nipple protect
Kingly love manhood scornful wins
attendants undaunted