Macbeth - Dead Baby Alex, Lizzy, Joe

Scene 4 lines "The Prince of Cumberland! That is a step on which I must fall down, or else O'erleap, for it in my way lies." - Macbeth Scene 7 lines "I would, while it was smiling in my face, have pluck'd my nipple from his boneless gums, and dashed the brain out had I sworn as you have done this." -Lady Macbeth

Act IV scene 1 line Seize upon Fife; give to the edge o' the sword His wife, his babes, and all unfortunate souls

Act 1 Scene 4 Line 48-50/Scene 7 Line In scene 4 Macbeth is debating with himself over if he should kill King Duncan's heirs. It shows his decline into further cruelty and malevolence by his hunger for power driving him to killing someone's child. Scene 7 is what best represents Lady macbeth's attitude and ambition. She is presenting herself as resolved enough that she would brutally kill her own child if it would give her more power. This contrasts greatly with her inability to kill Duncan.

The theme of dead children is very important because Macbeth does not have any children of his own. What can be inferred from this is the possibility that he or his wife is infertile. This would make them far more detached from the idea of harming a child because they do not have any of their own and do not understand the pain and suffering caused by that loss. Macbeth first appears to us as an honourable man and his wife appears to be the evil one, but as is seen throughout the play, she suffers from their crimes so greatly that she completely breaks down and he becomes progressively cruel and ambitious to the point of having an entire family killed in order to further increase his power.

act 4 scene 2 "thou li'st, thou shag-eagar villain! what you egg! young fry of treachery! the meaning of this quote is that macbeth will kill even small children if they stand in his way.

Act IV Scene 3 line 212 "My children too? wife, children, servants, all that could be found. this displays macduff's realization that all his family has been killed and gives him a reason to kill macbeth.