How successful do the Royal Shakespeare Company portray Lady Macbeth in Act 1 Scene 5 of the 1976 version.

Lady Macbeth is not only made to look evil with the dark surroundings but also by her appearance.  In the play, Lady Macbeth tells the evils spirits to “Come, you spirits/That tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here”, this tells us that she isn’t actually evil and that she is self-aware that she’s not so she asks the spirits to defeminized so she will become more evil.  In the RSC video we see this by the shapeless black dress and hat which makes her look evil as black is associated with evil.  Her hair is covered up with make he look more masculine.  Lady Macbeth’s costume is also universal which makes which links in with the play which is also universal.  

In act 1 scene 5 we see how close they are buy Macbeth sending a letter with his plans which could have got him killed if Lady Macbeth had shown the letter to Duncan, this tells us that Macbeth has complete trust in Lady Macbeth.  They are also very affectionate to each other as Macbeth calls Lady Macbeth “My dearest love” this is shown at the end of scene 5 in the video when  Macbeth and Lady Macbeth hugging and kissing.  We also see that Lady Macbeth doesn’t wear any jewellery in the RSC video apart from a wedding ring.  This shows how close that she is with her husband it also makes her less feminine.  However Lady Macbeth is also deceptive towards Macbeth as she says “Leave all the rest to me” this is shown in the RSC video though her voice and by the way she hugs and kisses him which makes her very believable.

She is superstitious as she believes in the witches and that she asks the evil spirits to fill her.  In the RSC video we see that see is nervous by her voice and when she asks the evil spirits to fill her, whenever she speaks to them her voice is quite.  Her hand shakes and when she is reading the letter she’s rubbing her hands which show us she is nervous and not as brave as she thinks she is.  We also see that she is vulnerable when she sits down in lines 15-24 and her voice also trembles.   However once she is filled by the evil spirits see becomes less nervous and her voice changes, she becomes stronger.  At the end of the scene she controls Macbeth by moving him this is shown in the play when she says “Leave all the rest to me.”

In the RSC video whenever Lady Macbeth is reading the letter we can tell from her voice that she is incredulous by the way she repeats lines from the letter which isn’t in the play such as “Hail King that shall be”.  She is also very ambitious for Macbeth and gives him advice when she tells him to “look like the innocent flower, /But be the serpent under’t.”  In video we see that she is ambitious for Macbeth by the tone of her voice.

Therefore in conclusion the RSC have portrayed Lady Macbeth very well as the director has used very effective techniques to show her two sides, her weakness and her close relationship with her husband.