Performed by the Royal Shakespeare Company 1978

Featuring Judi Dench as Lady Macbeth

In this scene the stage is set with a black background to create an eerie atmosphere for the viewers. Everyone is dressed in black, which creates the impression of evil and darkness being present in this scene. With the exception, of course, of the nun (gentlewoman) who has white on the headpiece of her Abbott hinting that she has goodness in her. This completely contrasts with Lady Macbeth who is dressed completely in black suggesting that evil has completely overcome her.

The scene begins with a conversation between the gentlewoman and the doctor. From the text we are unable to determine what the gentlewoman's true feelings are towards Lady Macbeth. It could either be feeling of pity or uncompassionate feelings towards her. In this particular performance the director has chosen the lines to be delivered so as we can clearly see that the gentlewoman shows no compassion towards Lady Macbeth throughout the scene. Due to the fact that she is dressed as a nun and she is uncompassionate towards Lady Macbeth's state we can only interpret that this is done to

The scene has been acted so that the audience's attention is focussed on the hands of Lady Macbeth most of the time. She enters the stage at the beginning biting them and she is constantly trying to wash them and rub at them. She does this to the extent that we actually think that she believes if she washes her hands so much then her sins will be washed away also:

And to be more than what you were, you would

Be so much more the man.

The fact that she has a candle in her hand and also that she commands to have "light by her continually" is an ironic factor as earlier on and throughout the play she has called upon darkness. It appears that since she now wants light by her she is trying to escape from the darkness and the evil that she has invoked.

Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 1330
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)