Lady Macbeth Character Analysis

Throughout the play "Macbeth", by William Shakespeare, Lady Macbeth's character drastically changes from being sinister to feeble. Lady Macbeth was an evil, manipulative person whose greed and selfishness were eventually the downfall of her character and well being. During the beginning of "Macbeth", she used her twisted mind to convince her husband to murder, making him believe that it was the only way he could get what he wanted. But as the play developed and the murders started to increase, Lady Macbeth started to question whether or not they were necessary. Sadly, though possibly justifiably, she ended up committing suicide after her constant questioning of the murders drove her to insanity. Lady Macbeth was an unemotional person who only cared about what she could gain. She made her disconcern about other people well known when she said, "How tender 'tis to love the babe that milks me I would, while it was smiling in my face Have plucked my nipple from his boneless gums And dashed the brains out, had I so sworn as you Have done to this." (Act I, Scene VII, Lines 55-60). Lady Macbeth refers that she would have no problem taking the life of her son, if it meant getting what she wanted. The fact that she would even fathom the idea of killing her own child makes her morose and appalling. If only she knew that it would be her who would be taken out of this world so cruelly. Being able to manipulate her husband's mind and the minds of others was another one of Lady Macbeth's baneful traits. After Macbeth killed King Duncan, still reeling from the crime he had committed, he met up with his wife. Once again, she used her manipulative ways to make him think that she felt just as bad as he did. She said, "My hands are of your color, but I shame To wear a heart so white." (Act II, Scene II, Lines 63-64). Lady Macbeth appeared to her husband as if she felt just as guilty about the act of violence as he did, knowing that in reality she didn't care at all. Telling Macbeth that her hands were as bloody as his own was to try to give him comfort that he was not alone in his schemes. But Lady Macbeth had other ideas in mind. She couldn't care less about her husband's thoughts or worries. All she could think about was

Macbeth, written by william shakespeare displays a diverse range of themes and topics throughout the play. These themes are represented through a wide range of characters throughout the dramatic text. One that is strongly underlined throughout the whole play is the theme of the connection between ambition and manipulation and one of the main characters; Lady Macbeth. Throughout the sequences of the play, lady macbeth is depicted as a head-strong ambitious woman who challenges her husband's masculinity in order for him to commit actions in order to gain power.

Macbeth’s character has developed significantly up to the second act. We are first introduced to Macbeth character in a way that we view him as powerful and Nobel. We get this idea from the quote “oh valiant cousin, worthy gentleman” which is what he is described as by Duncan, who at the time is the king. From this quote Macbeth is portrayed as a loyal and heroic figure who has done much for many, however as we know this was not a smart move for Duncan to make as it makes him come across and weak and seems like Duncan should be giving Macbeth a higher title, which is what the witches had told him before. In addition, this idea of the king complementing Macbeth about all the good that he has done seems to trigger the belief that Macbeth has the ability to be king, even in the eyes of Duncan who is so ecstatic what he has done for the county.

In the play “Macbeth” the author furthers the ideas of ambition, manhood and violence throughout the play using a gender lens, mainly for masculinity in men. In the play “Macbeth” ambition plays a big role in the man characters life; Macbeth. In Act 1 scene 3, lines 125-129, “And oftentimes, to win us to our harm; The instruments of darkness tell us truth.” (Shakespeare 1.3.125-129). This quote stated by Banquo foreshadows Macbeth further into the play. Macbeth ends up killing King Duncan because he wants to be in power over the kingdom. When Banquo questions Macbeth about the killing of King Duncan, Macbeth’s ambition to kill Banquo skyrocketed. Macbeth didn’t want anybody to think or know that he ended up killing King Duncan for power. This started a cycle of death for Macbeth’s ambition to kill to stay in power. This example of ambition from “Macbeth” has a very similar motif from the movie called “The Mask You Live In”. In the movie, George Orwell states, “He wears a mask and his face grows to fit it.” The idea of the mask he wear fits his face helps us further the reason for men’s ambitions. Men’s ambitions are driven by power and dominance over people and prized possessions. For men to be able to gain power, they need to prove how masculine they are to society. In doing so they are dehumanizing their biological thoughts and feelings and turning them into artificial ones in order to be seen more powerful or dominate to the public.

Whilst the character of Macbeth is initially portrayed as a noble kinsman, his ambition and motivation, directly influenced by the witches and Lady Macbeth, ultimately transforms him into a corrupt and ruthless tyrant. William Shakespeare’s most famous tragedy “Macbeth” clearly depicts this notion of change, illustrated through Shakespeare's utilisation of literary techniques. The tragic downfall of Macbeth is mainly attributed to Macbeth’s own greed and hubris.

The struggle for power is encountered through the interactions between Lady Macbeth and Macbeth. When initially introduced to the character of Lady Macbeth, she reads a letter addressed to her from Macbeth in which he states his plans to kill King Duncan and assume the throne. Lady Macbeth responds with a speech signifying her agreeance and calls for the strength to carry on with the plan: “Come, you spirits/ That tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here,/ And fill me from the crown to the top-full/ of direst cruelty” (1.5.47-50). Here, she is denouncing her femininity to take on a more masculine role and to be filled with nothing but motivation for the cruel crime. Shakespeare uses this scene to foreshadow the event in which the crime will be committed. While Macbeth begins to have second thoughts and uneasiness towards the situation, Lady Macbeth tells him: “What beast was ’t,/ then, / That made you break this enterprise to me?/ When you durst do it, then you were a man;/ And to be more than what you were, you would/ Be so much more the man” (1.7.53-58). Lady Macbeth is emasculating her husband her by questioning his ability to be a man and how he hesitates to make the move towards power while she is confident in her decision. Shakespeare makes a choice to have a woman be the one to urge the death of Duncan to show the reversal of gender roles and to expose Lady Macbeth’s character. The playwright

In the play Macbeth, the character Lady Macbeth has changed throughout Act I and Act V tremendously. Her attitude has changed heavily from her being cold-hearted and harsh in the beginning, to being dominated by guilt. Lady Macbeth’s transformation reveals the darkness of human nature and eventually dark ambition leads to Macbeth murdering Duncan to be king. This play critiques or upholds prescribed gender roles because when Lady Macbeth is pushing Macbeth to murder Duncan, she feels as if she has to take on manly characteristics. Also, Lady Macbeth seems to rule Macbeth and control his actions, and this makes Lady Macbeth seem like she plays the dominant role in their relationship. In Macbeth, Lady Macbeth changes greatly throughout Act I

When Shakespeare first presents Lady Macbeth in the play, we believe that she was an ambitious woman who was driven to get power at all costs. We are irresolute however as to whether she is part of a chain of events in the evilness going around the source. The first words we from her mouth are her husband’s word, which he wrote on his letter, showing us that she was the agent of his thoughts. Women in that period of time, were running a household, producing heirs for their husband and taking care of them, this is not the case for Lady Macbeth as she involves herself in social affairs. Her drive for power is what makes them so successful in their deceitful plans. The play shows us that there is a unique chemistry between two individuals which rare in that period as marriage was usually arranged. She is essentially what keeps the force going as she guides Macbeth and teaches is him how to be manipulative. Even though the crime that they had committed was treason she was simply past the point of caring as she believed she had nothing to lose as she was childless and she had no emotional fulfilment as a woman. She is superfluous and nothing less than reigning alongside Macbeth can feel this hole.

In Macbeth, originally written by William Shakespeare in the 16th century, masculinity is a reoccurring theme in the play. Shakespeare tells the story of a man whose ambition overpowers his loyal qualities and later causes him to fall as a leader. Throughout the play, Macbeth and his wife, Lady Macbeth both question what it is to be a man and to what extent masculinity should be played out in order to achieve success. Shakespeare shows the negative progression of Macbeth from being an innocent thane who would one day like to become the king, to a power hungry and evil leader who is willing to terminate anything that gets into his way of the throne. In Macbeth, stereotypical ideas about masculinity determine the fate of the characters because

In some instances, men tend to fall under the rule of strong woman.  Lady Macbeth rejects her womanly, submissive traits in order to the stronger character and Macbeth's backbone. Macbeth is a great example on how women influence men because he is insecure and a coward. I will show how without Lady Macbeth, Macbeth would have lived and prospered. Lady Macbeth is very good at manipulating her husband, as the play movesalongg she become more bloodthirsty than Macbeth and she encourages him to use his power for violence. In this play author, William Shakespeare, is trying to show how easy it is for evil to penetrate your head and make you act out. The play Macbeth is centered in Scottland with characters fighting over the power of the land with Macbeth ending up as king of Scottland. In the end however Macbeth's guilt over comitting murder makes him go delusional, showing how weak his mind really is.

Lady Macbeth uses intimidation throughout the play to get what she gets wants. This dynamic character, Lady Macbeth, gives this Shakespearean tragedy a different view on women. Lady Macbeth illustrates that women can and will have a dominant role in society. To juggle her ambitions and desires, her personae drastically shifts. William Shakespeare characterizes Lady Macbeth as persuasive, evil, and guilty.

Throughout the play lady Macbeth’s attitude and bravery changes but at the beginning of the play she starts off with a lot of ambition. She makes all of her plans on killing Duncan and keeps them away from Macbeth until the time is right. “Give me the daggers. The sleeping and the dead Are but as pictures. 'Tis the eye of childhood That fears a painted devil. If he do bleed, I’ll gild the faces of the grooms withal, For it must seem their guilt.“(Macbeth; Act 1, Scene 2). This quote shows how Lady Macbeth has more ambition and is less concerned than Macbeth. She is willing to place the daggers back sice Macbeth is to afraid to see the what he has done to his loyal King Duncan. It seems as if Lady Macbeth does all of the planning and sets everything up to make things easier for Macbeth to execute. As we get further into the play it seems as if Macbeth and Lady Macbeth completely switch roles. Lady Macbeth starts to regret everything that she has done and she starts to go see a doctor to get help. “Here’s the smell of the blood still. All the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand. Oh, Oh, Oh!” (Macbeth; Act 5, Scene 1). This quote

William Shakespeare’s Macbeth is an excellent illustration of a Shakespearian tragic hero. Although Macbeth has many noble qualities, he is, indeed, not without his flaws. The following essay exemplifies how Macbeth is more of a tragic and ill-fated character rather than a loathsome one. Ultimately, the tragic characteristics of Macbeth is what leads to Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s downfall. In fact, there are many factors, which portray the downfall of Macbeth. The two, which will be discussed in this essay, are: how Lady Macbeth influenced Macbeth and Macbeth’s longtime vaulting ambition, which drove his psychotic desire to be King.

Macbeth is about a man’s yearning for power, and the unforgiving, homicidal acts that he commits in order to gain it. In addition to that, this story equally focuses on his power-hungry wife and her extreme desire for control. Both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are connected to each other by more than just marriage. Shakespeare develops an interesting relationship that discovers the failures of not one person, but a spirit made up of two. The focal point is heavily on this unity within the plot of Macbeth, where the roles of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are defied by the stereotypical gender roles.

In perhaps the most pivotal scene in William Shakespeare’s Macbeth, Lady Macbeth’s motives are truly revealed in her manipulation of Macbeth to show how humans have a desire for power and once they get a taste of it, they will go through any lengths to have it, no matter the effect on others. Her lust for power is showcased through how she persuades Macbeth by insulting his masculinity and using emotive language to counter his logical reasoning. This section of the play illustrates the tipping point of each character’s morality with Macbeth having second thoughts about the planned murder and Lady Macbeth diving straight in.