If you were producing "Macbeth" show what factors you would take in to consideration for the interpretation of Lady Macbeth. Refer closely to the text in your answer
The character of Lady Macbeth is riddled with complications. Discerning her morality is a question that has no definite answer. Essentially her role in the play is as Macbeth's wife and regardless of her motives for doing so she is the driving force in the murder of King Duncan. I am going to study the character of Lady Macbeth to determine different ways in which the character could be portrayed.
There are two reasons why there is so much uncertainty about her character. The first is being the way the plot unfolds. The first time Lady Macbeth is introduced is in act 1 scene 5 and it is significant that her first sentence is "Glamis thou art, and Cawder; and shalt be what thou art promised" i.e. King of Scotland, significant because immediately it makes her sound obsessive. After this we see her character conjure evil spirits, this point will be discussed later in detail because it is an important factor in completing the task, but we begin to think that there is only one side to her character. As the play goes on we learn more about Lady Macbeth, which makes us question our pre-conceptions and consequently review previous scenes in this new light.
The second reason why her character is ambivalent in nature is quite simply to do with the fact that "Macbeth" is a play, and therefore will be acted. Different emphasis, pauses, hand movements and changes in the speed of delivery can quite easily alter the way the audience will perceive a particular scene, providing that the text will support this. A very good and simple example for this is: When considering whose idea it is to kill the King, to make it seem like it is Lady Macbeth's evil plan we would put emphasis on all uses of first-person pronouns in her lines e.g. "my fell purpose" and "Leave all the rest to me."
After studying the text I believe that there are three definitive interpretation of Lady Macbeth's character. The first version is that of an evil woman who can only achieve her aims through her husband and therefore uses him as a means to get what she wants. Another version of her character is as a supportive wife and therefore partially the victim during the course of Macbeth's quest for the throne, who consciously does everything to please her husband. Finally, she could be portrayed as a loving wife whose impulsive mistakes and hunger for power causes her to lose control, she perhaps feels the killing will stop with that of Duncan.
As mentioned she is maybe using Macbeth. This is significant to the middle ages because women did not have any status and were considered the property of their husbands. Ambitious women like Lady Macbeth could only gain consequence through their husbands. If Lady Macbeth convinced Macbeth that he wanted to be king then she would have gained from his actions. The play is full of examples that display Lady Macbeth spurring Macbeth to kill Duncan even when he seems to be against the idea. Most noticeably in act 1 scene 7, Macbeth says, "We will proceed no further in this business." Her response to this is: "Such I account thy love," suggesting he cannot love her if this is his ultimatum. She also implies he is a "coward", "Art thou afeard to be the same in thine own act and valour as thou art in desire?" After seeing his reaction, "I dare do all that may become a man" she feels she is motivating him and follows his reply with "When you durst do it, then you were a man." She is exasperating his male pride and honour, and ends up manipulating him to do the deed.
The character of Lady Macbeth is riddled with complications. Discerning her morality is a question that has no definite answer. Essentially her role in the play is as Macbeth's wife and regardless of her motives for doing so she is the driving force in the murder of King Duncan. I am going to study the character of Lady Macbeth to determine different ways in which the character could be portrayed.
There are two reasons why there is so much uncertainty about her character. The first is being the way the plot unfolds. The first time Lady Macbeth is introduced is in act 1 scene 5 and it is significant that her first sentence is "Glamis thou art, and Cawder; and shalt be what thou art promised" i.e. King of Scotland, significant because immediately it makes her sound obsessive. After this we see her character conjure evil spirits, this point will be discussed later in detail because it is an important factor in completing the task, but we begin to think that there is only one side to her character. As the play goes on we learn more about Lady Macbeth, which makes us question our pre-conceptions and consequently review previous scenes in this new light.
The second reason why her character is ambivalent in nature is quite simply to do with the fact that "Macbeth" is a play, and therefore will be acted. Different emphasis, pauses, hand movements and changes in the speed of delivery can quite easily alter the way the audience will perceive a particular scene, providing that the text will support this. A very good and simple example for this is: When considering whose idea it is to kill the King, to make it seem like it is Lady Macbeth's evil plan we would put emphasis on all uses of first-person pronouns in her lines e.g. "my fell purpose" and "Leave all the rest to me."
After studying the text I believe that there are three definitive interpretation of Lady Macbeth's character. The first version is that of an evil woman who can only achieve her aims through her husband and therefore uses him as a means to get what she wants. Another version of her character is as a supportive wife and therefore partially the victim during the course of Macbeth's quest for the throne, who consciously does everything to please her husband. Finally, she could be portrayed as a loving wife whose impulsive mistakes and hunger for power causes her to lose control, she perhaps feels the killing will stop with that of Duncan.
As mentioned she is maybe using Macbeth. This is significant to the middle ages because women did not have any status and were considered the property of their husbands. Ambitious women like Lady Macbeth could only gain consequence through their husbands. If Lady Macbeth convinced Macbeth that he wanted to be king then she would have gained from his actions. The play is full of examples that display Lady Macbeth spurring Macbeth to kill Duncan even when he seems to be against the idea. Most noticeably in act 1 scene 7, Macbeth says, "We will proceed no further in this business." Her response to this is: "Such I account thy love," suggesting he cannot love her if this is his ultimatum. She also implies he is a "coward", "Art thou afeard to be the same in thine own act and valour as thou art in desire?" After seeing his reaction, "I dare do all that may become a man" she feels she is motivating him and follows his reply with "When you durst do it, then you were a man." She is exasperating his male pride and honour, and ends up manipulating him to do the deed.
