Come to my woman’s breasts,
And take my milk for gall, you murdering ministers.
– William Shakespeare
Macbeth, Act 1, Scene 5. Lady Macbeth’s words touch on the theme of femininity and masculinity. She pleads with the evil spirits to take away her nurturing nature. She believes that womanhood hampers her from acts of violence and cruelty. Attempting to summon up the courage to kill King Duncan, she begs the spirits to metaphorically turn the milk inside her breasts into something poisonous. She wants nothing to stand in the way of her husband being king.