Harinder Sandhu
Shakespeare Coursework – Could Lady Macbeth be the Fourth Witch?
Lady Macbeth plays a great role in the conspiracy against the king, pulling the strings of her puppet, Macbeth. Lady Macbeth’s craving ambition to be queen helps her to achieve immense power. Due this obsession for power there is confusion in whether lady Macbeth is a witch or a mere mortal. Many people are in favour that she is a witch as she carries all the qualities of a witch: no regard for morality, deceitful, malicious, she even shows sign of mystical powers. But are these sufficient enough to accuse her of being a witch, we shall find out.
In Act one Scene five, Lady Macbeth first appears on stage, reading a letter, this shows she is well educated, educated enough to know the difference between right and wrong. This is highly unusual because many women in the 17th century weren't educated; they had no time as they were at the centre of the domestic sphere. In the letter it informs Lady Macbeth of her most desired target, the third, “All hail, Macbeth! That shalt be King hereafter.” Lady Macbeth immediately acknowledges Macbeth's loyal and noble manner, will not allow him to do what is necessary, this is shown on line fifteen Act one Scene five, “yet do I here thy nature, it is too full o' the milk of human kindness to catch the nearest way” she feels he needs to be more corrupt and more willing to do evil. Line twenty-five, act one, scene five, states,
“that I may pour my spirits in thine ear.” Lady Macbeth is vowing her interference in the situation at hand, promising that she will take control to make her dreams come true. This shows her lack of sympathy for human life, as she will do anything to achieve her purpose. This is strange for a woman to have this much ambition and drive, as many women in the 17th century did not. Many perceptions in this era of women were to please their husbands by any means. Women were feared and not listened to because witches were women and known to manipulate men, this is biblically related as Eve persuades Adam to eat the forbidden fruit. Therefore women were portrayed as untrustworthy and treacherous.
Lady Macbeth immediately decides she will persuade Macbeth to kill King Duncan after she finds out the King will be staying at their castle. This is also very shocking
