“Yet do I fear thy nature: it is too full o’ the milk of human kindness”
This line tells us that she is not sure if Macbeth has enough courage to aspire to execute the King in order to reach his goals of Kingship. Later in the same scene during Lady Macbeth’s speech to the evil spirits to assist her in her deeds, she calls out,
“Mortal thoughts unsex me here, and fill me, from the crown to the toe, top-full of direst cruelty! Make thick my blood…Th’ effect and it! Come to my woman’s breasts, and take my milk for gall, you murdering ministers.”
She is asking the spirits to remove her feminine qualities so as it would be easier for her to carry out the murder. After analysing this monologue one could argue that Lady Macbeth is showing her more humane side as she is asking for help to commit the act.
Later, in the same Act, scene 7 Macbeth is evaluating weather or not he should go ahead with his wife’s plan, making the argument that Duncan has honoured him lately but Lady Macbeth rebukes him, asking him, “was the hope drunk?”. Eventually, after some consideration, Macbeth agrees with her plan. Going by these statements, it is clear to be seen that she is enticing her husband and almost blackmailing him into the murder of the king. By this, I can say that Lady Macbeth is showing her more monstrous side.
If we skip ahead to Act 2 scene 2, Lady Macbeth makes the statement,
“Had he not resembled my father as he slept, I had done’t”.
These words are spoken to try and convince herself that she would have the courage to commit the act of murder if Duncan had not resembled her father. There are different ways in which to interpret this. Some could see it as an act of her own mortality. Others could argue that she was too afraid as she says,
“What has made them drunk hath made me bold”.
In this case she needed the help of alcohol to play a small part in the execution, inferring that she wouldn’t have the backbone to perform the act itself.
In the second half of the play there is a somewhat change in the roles of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. In the beginning, Macbeth was the one who was worrying about what might happen. In the later scenes it is fairly noticeable that Macbeth is taking control of the situation and Lady Macbeth is back in the “woman’s role”.
“What, will these hands ne’er be clean?”
Lady Macbeth proclaims this as she is washing her hands, sleepwalking in Act 5 scene 1. If we refer back to Act 2 scene 3 when Lady Macbeth tells her husband,
“A little water clears us of this deed:”
Further on in the play, Act 5 scene 5, we hear of Lady Macbeth’s death. If we read on, Malcolm tells us she committed suicide. Surely a monster would not commit suicide for being an accessory to murder?
All in all I think it is safe to say that in my opinion, Lady Macbeth was no monster. I believe that the thought of power of ruling a country was too much for her. She did not realise what would come after the Kings demise.
Liam Murphy
5 Layde
