The Dramatic Presentation of Lady Macbeth in Act 1 and Act 5.

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The Dramatic Presentation of Lady Macbeth in Act 1 and Act 5

Macbeth is one of William Shakespeare’s late, but greatest plays.  Lady Macbeth is the wife of the main character, Macbeth.  Throughout the play, Lady Macbeth is portrayed in different ways.  There is a complete difference in the dramatic presentation of Lady Macbeth in Act 1 where she is strong and secure, and in Act 5, whereas she is weak, fearful and not in control.

In the Jacobean times, when Shakespeare wrote Macbeth, women were supposed to be obedient to their husbands, and by and large were housewives.  This is because they were seen as the weaker sex, but nowadays, they are seen as even, or even more dominant than males.  So these two different audiences will have different views on the play.

In Shakespeare’s earlier plays, women were portrayed sympathetically.  For example in Romeo and Juliet, he portrays Juliet sympathetically and compassionately.   In later plays, women were treated as negative characters, mainly in the tragedies.  Macbeth is, one of the later plays.

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Lady Macbeth first speaks in Act 1; she is reading a letter sent from Macbeth, telling her that three witches predicted Macbeth would be king.  Her initial reaction after reading it is very powerful and dramatic.  She immediately decides that Macbeth will be king, “Glamis thou art, and Cawdor, and shalt be What thou art promised.”  She does not hesitate for a second, and thinks that herself and Macbeth are thinking the same thing.  

Furthermore, Lady Macbeth knows her husband well.  She thinks he may be too kind in order to murder the king.  To overcome this ...

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