William Shakespeare – Macbeth – Summative Response – Lady Macbeth In William Shakespeare’S “the Tragedy of Macbeth”, Many Issues and Themes Are Raised.

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William Shakespeare – Macbeth – Summative Response – Lady Macbeth

In William Shakespeare’s “The Tragedy Of Macbeth”, many issues and themes are raised. Such issues and themes include power, ambition, corruption, the supernatural, and even sexism and women’s rights. The characters Shakespeare has created were original in conception, varied, and skillfully developed. The most notable character, other than Macbeth, is his wife Lady Macbeth.

        I believe Lady Macbeth is the most notable character because she undergoes a complete character transformation. She goes from a motivated, power-hungry woman to a guiltridden woman with emotional and mental problems. At the beginning of the play, indeed in her first soliloquy, she appears to be a dominant, controlling, heartless wife with an obsessive ambition to achieve kingship for Macbeth. This image is clear in her soliloquy in Act V Scene V, she states, after reading Macbeth’s letter that:

“Yet I do fear thy nature;
It is too full o’ th’ milk of human kindness”

(I.V.17-18)

She realises that for Macbeth to become king he must kill Duncan, who is already King of Scotland. However, Lady Macbeth fears Macbeth is not strong enough to follow through in this act of regicide, she therefore plans to coerce him by ‘nagging’ him (“That I may pour my spirits in thine ear.”)

        Lady Macbeth shows deviousness, as well as control of Macbeth, at the end of Act I Scene V. Duncan has decided to visit Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, and Lady Macbeth sees this as a perfect opportunity to commit the murder. She says to Macbeth:

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“Look like the time; bear welcome in your eye,

 Your hand, your tongue: look like th’ innocent flower,

 But be the serpent under ‘t.”

“ … To alter favor is ever to fear.

 Leave all the rest to me.”

(I.V.65-68, 74)

It is in Scene VI that we witness Lady Macbeth’s ability to control her feelings and emotions. Duncan, upon entering Macbeth’s castle, notes that their castle “hath a pleasant seat”. Lady Macbeth shows her self-control by appealing to Duncan with the following words:

“All our services

 In every point twice done, and then done double.”

(I.VI.15)

        She is ...

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