A study of Lady Macbeth showing how her character changes throughout the play.
A study of Lady Macbeth showing how her character changes throughout the play.
Macbeth is one of Shakespeare's most widely performed tragedies; the play is full of betrayal, ambition and punishment. It is a play with the concept of a "good man destroyed by forces he could not control". Perhaps one of the most powerful and complex characters in the play is Lady Macbeth. This essay is on how Lady Macbeth perseveres to help Macbeth to achieve his ambitions and how this leads to her complicated character changing through the play.
We first see Lady Macbeth reading a letter from her husband Macbeth in which he calls her my dearest partner in greatness" this hints to the reader that Lady Macbeth is a very powerful and influential person in Macbeths life. Lady Macbeth displays great knowledge of her husband and his shortcomings. From the start of the play you can see Lady Macbeth is determined to fulfil Macbeths ambitions. She gives up her womanly virtues "Come you spirits that tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here" She is prepared for what is to come and she will do whatever it takes. Lady Macbeth hopes Macbeth arrives quickly, so that "I may pour my spirits in thine ear" she knows she is capable of persuading Macbeth, to do what she thinks is right. Lady Macbeth knows Macbeth is "too full o'th' milk of human kindness" to pursue him ambitions alone, she knows from the very beginning that she will have to be the dominator.
When Macbeth returns to the castle he calls Lady Macbeth his "dearest love". Lady Macbeth approaches her husband with her plan to kill King Duncan, she tells him that he should "leave all the rest to me" she has now become the driving force of their partnership. As soon as King Duncan arrives in their home, Lady Macbeth converts herself into "the perfect hostess". King Duncan feels at ease with Lady Macbeth "see see our honoured hostess!" He does not know of the plan that
Lady Macbeth is hatching, King Duncan feels safe and is not ...
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When Macbeth returns to the castle he calls Lady Macbeth his "dearest love". Lady Macbeth approaches her husband with her plan to kill King Duncan, she tells him that he should "leave all the rest to me" she has now become the driving force of their partnership. As soon as King Duncan arrives in their home, Lady Macbeth converts herself into "the perfect hostess". King Duncan feels at ease with Lady Macbeth "see see our honoured hostess!" He does not know of the plan that
Lady Macbeth is hatching, King Duncan feels safe and is not suspicious of Lady Macbeth at all "This castle hath a pleasant seat; the air nimbly and sweetly recommends itself into our gentle senses". Lady Macbeth gives Macbeth this advice "Look like the innocent flower but be the serpent under it". She demonstrates this tactic well when she is around the King. She tells King Duncan that his staying at her castle "honours deep and broad".
When Macbeth decides he does not want to go on with the plan, Lady Macbeth uses emotional bribery against him "From this time such I account thy love". She also uses other tactics to drive him on, she insults his masculinity "When you durst do it, then you were a man, And to be more than what you were, you would be so much more the man". She manipulates Macbeth, to try and make him do what she wants.
Lady Macbeth says she would do anything for Macbeth if she had promised him she would. " 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 plucked the nipple from its boneless gums, and dashed the brains out, had I so sworn as you have to do this". She is using images referring to womanliness to suggest that Macbeth is manly, because he cannot complete this one task.
Lady Macbeth's perseverance persuades Macbeth to stick with the plan she has made, when he suggests they may fail, Lady Macbeth is determined they wont "screw your courage to the sticking place, and we'll not fail". She is saying that they will be fine if Macbeth sticks to the plan and stays brave and emotionless.
However cracks begin to show in Lady Macbeth's character, when she tries to kill King Duncan. "Had he not resembled My father as he slept, I had done't". This shows a more sensitive side of Lady Macbeth. However she is quick to regain her confidence, as Macbeth is frozen with fear after killing King Duncan. Lady Macbeth steps in, and becomes the driving force again, replacing the guard's daggers that Macbeth took with him. Lady Macbeth says that they are equal as a result of the blood on their hands " my hands are of your colour". Lady Macbeth takes charge telling Macbeth "A little water clears us of this deed" the murder appears not to have affected her at all, she shows no guilt and remains strong.
Once the murder has been announced, Lady Macbeth remains loyal to Macbeth as she see's he is over come with guilt and may give something away. She allows herself only one comment "Woe, alas! What, in our house!" after this she faints immediately distracting the attention away from Macbeth. Macbeth kills the guards immediately and Banquo becomes instantly suspicious of Macbeth. Macbeth notices Banquo's suspicions and plans to kill him, as Macbeth's power and courage increase, he involves Lady Macbeth less and less.
Lady Macbeth asks to see her husband and whilst waiting privately expresses doubts, however when Macbeth enter she supports him fully. Macbeth confesses that he actually envies Duncans "peace" and tells his wife "O, full of scorpions is my mind". She reassures him that Banquo and Fleance can be dealt with, and he refers to " A deed of dreadful note" - but does not involve her, he is now making plans alone. Macbeth has now become the driving force and Lady Macbeth appears to be weak.
At Macbeth's feast, he meets his guests, however Lady Macbeth sits apart, Macbeth is told of Banquo's murder. In a moment of madness, Macbeth sees Banquo's ghost which only he can see shaking its "gory locks". He rages as his guests continue to watch. Lady Macbeth fears that he may confess to the murder of King Duncan and Banquo. She becomes the strong one again, in a desperate attempt to save Macbeth, she dismisses all of the guests. "The fit is momentary, upon a thought, he will again be well". She is able to take control of these situations. However Lady Macbeth receives no support from Macbeth and becomes more isolated.
Lady Macbeth continues to get weaker and weaker and does not appear until the end, she is totally different from her strong, powerful character at the beginning of the play. Near the end of the play she is weaker and haunted by what she has done " Here's the smell of the blood still, all the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand". She's lost her dignity and her confidence, and is no longer the proud character she once was. She is now overcome with guilt, she speaks in prose showing the lack of control over her life.
We do not know how Lady Macbeth dies, however when Macbeth is informed he simply replies "she should have died hereafter; There would have been time for such a word" he is very subdued he feels it's a waste of life. At the end of the play it is reported that Lady Macbeth the "fiend like queen" committed suicide. This shows how desperate and weak Lady Macbeth had become.
I think that Lady Macbeth, begins the play as a strong, dominant woman, who disintegrates into a guilt ridden weak woman. The demise of Lady Macbeth and the ascent of Macbeth are interconnected. As Macbeth' s actions become more and more cruel, he isolates Lady Macbeth setting off her emotional decline. Lady Macbeth pushes herself and eventually becomes the cause of her own destruction.
