A Study of the differences between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth It is the development of the characters of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth during the play that makes this character study so vital to Macbeth.At the beginning of the play King Duncan hears of Macbeth, the bloodyhero. The battle was horrific, but Macbeth was fearless, fighting his waythrough the enemy and literally cutting the rebel leader in half. KingDuncan is suitably impressed by Macbeth's braveness.“O valiant cousin! Worthy gentleman!”The audience's initial perception of Lady Macbeth is of aconfident and evil woman. In her first scene she is reading a letter fromher husband telling her about the witch's predictions. Upon reading theletter she instantly decides to obtain the crown for Macbeth through anypossible means. “Glamis thou art, and Cawdor, and shalt be What thou art promised.”It is these two bold and sure views of Macbeth and Lady Macbeththat are soon to change. Lady Macbeth forces Macbeth to murder Duncan andwhen he first refuses, she appeals to his manhood and courage.“When you durst do it, then you were a man”Macbeth eventually gives in with the proposition of being king being toopowerful a lure for him. At this stage the audience can deduce that Macbethis easily subject to persuasion while Lady Macbeth is very persuasive. As the fateful day draws near, Macbeth becomes delusional, picturingvisions of blood stained daggers, witches and ghosts. Killing Duncanhorrifies him, resulting in him imagining all the consequences of themurder before he commits it, this is due to his vivid imagination,something Lady Macbeth does not have. Lady Macbeth at this point has astronger inner conviction and uses very powerful antilife phrases in aneffort to persuade the evil spirits to make Macbeth kill Duncan.“Come to my woman’s breastsAnd take my milk for gall.”One would assume here that if one of the two were to have the strength ofmind to live through this evil tragedy it would be
