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Lady Macbeth Internal Conflict Essay

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In literature, internal conflict can be described as the struggle between two conflicting forces inside a character's mind, the effect of which contributes to the entire work as a whole. In the great Tragedy of Macbeth written by William Shakespeare, Lady Macbeth is forced not only to confront her desire for power, but also the line where she crosses the threshold of her own morality. Does Lady Macbeth give in to her own deep seeded ambition, at the expense of her internal conscience and well being? The answer is yes, and in the process of doing so, many lives are lost, including her own, and that of her husband and sovereign king. Throughout Macbeth, Lady Macbeth, in a dire conflict with herself, must choose between murder, lies, and deceit, …show more content…

In order to emphasize this conflict and the contrast between Lady Macbeth and other characters, Shakespeare presents the reader or audience with many other characters placed in similar circumstances. These people facing the same internal struggle as Lady Macbeth can be considered character foils, the most obvious of which is Macbeth. Lady Macbeth begins this play being portrayed with an unrealistic drive for power while Macbeth is driven, but indecisive and unsure. However, toward the middle of the play, as Lady Macbeth begins her spiral of guilt, becoming weaker and weaker, the opposite occurs for Macbeth. As she slowly slips into her insanity, Macbeth becomes bolder, acting as her perfect inverse. But, this isn’t the only foil in the play. Shakespeare contrasts the actions of Lady Macbeth to Banquo, Macduff, and Duncan, all men who were presented with huge opportunities for power, but didn’t let their greed override their sense of right and wrong. It is here where conflict helps define one of the major themes of Macbeth; when ambition is unchecked by moral restraints, it has the ability to destroy everything and anything in its

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