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Character study of lady macbeth
Detailed character analysis of lady macbeth
Analysis the character of lady macbeth
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During Macbeth, Shakespeare shapes a theme of how power and ambition can be destructive though the use of characters, plot, and language. Macbeth is a power hungry soldier who strives to be at the top of the Scottish hierarchy. Lady Macbeth sees the potential power in Macbeth and manipulates him both emotionally and physically. Throughout Macbeth, Shakespeare uses characters to show how power and ambition can be destructive and have consequences. The theme finds itself through the two main characters, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. Macbeth is a General who is naturally inclined to commit evil deeds, but his ambitious attitude drives him even further. Lady Macbeth is Macbeth's wife and is very ambitious herself. She manipulates Macbeth to be destructive …show more content…
As the events escalate throughout the play, Lady Macbeth acts as the main drive for Macbeth's ambition. Lady Macbeth sees the potential power in Macbeth and is determined to become queen. She manipulates her husband and when he hesitates before committing the murder, she questions his manhood. "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. Nor time nor place /Did then adhere, and yet you wouldmake both: /They have made themselves, and that their fitness now /Does unmake you"(I.vii.28). She is manipulating Macbeth by saying he is not a man. Her ambition is so powerful she wishes she was a man so she could commit the crime herself. Lady Macbeth says, "Come, you spirits that tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here, and fill me from the crown to the toe top--full of direst cruelty' (I.v.23). She longs to act like a man to kill Duncan. In the end this comes back to haunt her. Although Lady Macbeth has greater determination, she is unable to withstand the consequences of her acts. As the play progresses she is overcome with grief, leading her to kill herself. The power and ambition of Lady Macbeth ultimately leads to her own death. Through these events you see how power and ambition can be
Shakespeare’s play, Macbeth demonstrates what can happen when one pursues power at the expense of everything else. The main character, Macbeth begins the play as a strong character that is greatly admired, however as the play progresses, Macbeth's personality and actions become more and more deceitful. Macbeth’s deceit eventually leads to his destruction.
In Shakespeare’s novel Macbeth, the theme of ambition for power and the corruption that comes along with it, is seen through the main character Macbeth. Macbeth first gains power at the beginning of the book, but as he rises higher up in the ranks, he begins to become more controlled by his newfound power in an effort to become the king of Scotland. As his power grew his corruption did as well, killing anybody who threatened his path to become king. This would lead to the eventual death of him, his wife and countless others. By analyzing the way Macbeth is under the influence of unrestrained ambition for power, it is clear that an unhealthy urge for power can lead to serious and devastating consequences for not only himself but the people around
There are many different types of power that a person may have. Some of the time, however, the person in that power is not the best person to be in that power. This is especially true in William Shakespeare's Macbeth. Throughout the course of the play, the Three Witches and Lady Macbeth are the people with the most power over Macbeth's life. The more power that a person has, the more corrupt they become. Many different people in Macbeth have power, and there are different ways to be powerful, Usually, men are the ones who are outward and aggressive about it, and women are more subdued about it. Lady Macbeth has a great deal of power over Macbeth the power which she holds over him, is the fact that she possesses more of the "manly" quality than Macbeth himself does. Because of this, Macbeth is ashamed of himself. As a result of Macbeth's shame, he attempts to do everything in his power to prove himself to Lady Macbeth. He is attempting to prove himself to Lady Macbeth, because she obviously has her doubts, "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." (1,7,54-56). As a result of Lady Macbeth's doubts and mocking, Macbeth finally murders Duncan in a final attempt to prove himself to Lady Macbeth. Although Lady Macbeth was successful at convincing Macbeth to murder Duncan, the Three Witches were the people who made it all possible.
The play Macbeth, by William Shakespeare, explores the darkest corners of the human psyche. It artfully takes its audience to a place that allows one to examine what a human being is truly capable of once tempted by the allure of power. In the play, Scottish noble Macbeth and his wife inevitably fall prey to their own self corruption. Initiated by prophesies made by three mysterious witches, the Macbeths set their sights on the throne. When the curtains open on the plot to murder King Duncan, Lady Macbeth is the driving force. Her criminal mind and desire for ruthlessness have led many a critic to define her as evil. Closer examination, however, reveals that she is a multifaceted character; other sides to her persona include: genuine good will towards her husband, coy manipulation, and feminine tenderness.
William Shakespeare’s play The Tragedy of Macbeth is a tale set in the middle ages that demonstrates the corruption of political conquest and conspiracy. Macbeth and his wife, Lady Macbeth, commence on a destructive path in pursuit of power and influence. Power within itself hinders a threshold of such an empowering embrace through a mentality manifested by a prideful and egomaniacal person such as Macbeth, considering he was never before in a position of power. While the play unfolds, there are many devices the author demonstrates to describe the applicability Macbeth feels to get a sense of what it’s like to be king. Shakespeare uses literary elements such as rhythm, tone, and imagery to present an image of unveiling bloodlust and abuse of power shown by Macbeth and Lady Macbeth.
Albert Einstein once said, “the world will not be destroyed by those who do evil, but by those who watch them without doing anything.” Corruption seems to be the lack of integrity, while power seems to be the capacity that brings out changes. When given power, many individuals use it in selfless manners. Power tends to unleash a feeling that causes destruction to those who posses it. In William Shakespeare's tragedy, Macbeth, power tends to corrupt by the motivation of greed, which occurs through supernatural behaviors and betrayal.
She is the only person that is able to easily influence and reveal his thoughts to her. Macbeth is not the only power hungry person in the play, Lady Macbeth is eager to make sure Macbeth gains the title of king. Lady Macbeth is first seen as a noble lady married to a warrior, but throughout the play she develops a greed type of personality. Lady Macbeth is eager to kill the king but deep down is weak so she prays to the evil spirits to "stop the access and passage to remorse"(Shakespeare 1.5.45). She does this in order to feel stronger and feel like she is able to kill and not feel remorseful for the rest of her life. She shows others that she is strong, but deep down she is weak and not a killer. Macbeth and his wife welcomed King Duncan to their home to 'thank' him for all he has done for the kingdom. Lady Macbeth starts of by being deceiving by welcoming Duncan and thanking him for using his land and that it is "still to return to your own"(Shakespeare 1.6.26-27). Lady Macbeth had already planned to kill King Duncan, she becomes deceptive in the fact that she welcomes the King with warm arms and acts like she is his loyal kingdom member. Lady Macbeth transitions from being all into murder and gaining power but then after all the events happen she regrets it. She wants people to see her as a young, strong, courageous woman but in reality she is weak due to wanting power but not accepting consequences. When the murders first
While ambition itself may be such a source, it often requires guidance in a certain direction in order to be effective. In this play, Lady Macbeth acts as a guide to Macbeth’s ambition; leaving a trail of footsteps for him to follow. She is the root cause of Macbeth’s ambition, and is the catalyst that leads to the avalanche-like downfall of both herself and Macbeth. Although one might argue that the witches who revealed prophetic messages to Macbeth were the reason he acted as he did, it is clear that Lady Macbeth actually is the one who led him to commit murder. When made aware of what awaits Macbeth’s future, she immediately devises a plan for him to follow to achieve that future instantly. She believes that Macbeth is “too full of human kindness,” and that she must “pour [her ideas] in [his ear]” (Macbeth I.V.14-25). In her eyes, Macbeth’s ambition was too weak for him to be able to accomplish goals, and that he required her aid. This also provides the reader with a perspective of Lady Macbeth’s quick-witted decisiveness. When Macbeth decides that he will not act on such intuitions, Lady Macbeth questions his manliness. By doing so, Shakespeare further establishes Lady Macbeth’s character. She asserts her dominance over Macbeth, and essentially informs the audience of her ruthlessness. She confesses that she would bash in her own child’s head if she promised to do so. At this point, it is clear that Lady Macbeth acts mercilessly in order to achieve what she desires. She understand that, in order to achieve greatness, sacrifices must be made and is prepared to do so. She instructs Macbeth to act as if he were an “innocent flower,” while actually being “the serpent underneath.” Lady Macbeth herself takes part in making things seem unlike they really are. While she may seem cold-blooded, she reveals a soft side to herself when she says that she would have killed King
In the play Macbeth, by William Shakespeare, one man by the name of Macbeth comes across three witches who prophesize that he will acquire the highest title of nobility and become king. Macbeth decides to act upon these prophecies in collaboration with his wife, Lady Macbeth. Macbeth then proceeds to kill King Duncan, and assumes the throne. However, to maintain power, Macbeth must kill more and more of his old friends. Macbeth's misinterpretation of more of the witches' prophecies eventually lead to his downfall and Lady Macbeth, once the stronger character of the two, loses her mind and starts to feel more guildy. Lady Macbeth serves as an example of pure ambition and incentive to spur Macbeth onto more violence by her plans to kill the King,
At the beginning of the play Lady Macbeth is shown as a strong independent woman that has almost no morals and thinks only of herself. As soon as Lady Macbeth learns there is a possibility of Macbeth becoming King and her becoming Queen, she prepares herself to become a killer. “Come, you spirits That tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here; And fill me, from the crown to the toe, top-full Of direst cruelty.” In this quote Lady Macbeth is asking the spirits to fill her from head to toe with cruelty, making her less like a woman and more like a man who can commit an evil deed. During the beginning of the play she bosses Macbeth around and persuades him to kill the King even after he had changed his mind. “When you durst do it, then you were
As one of the shortest plays William Shakespeare has written, Macbeth represents Shakespeare most popular play. Throughout the play, many characters transpire, however the main character remains Macbeth, a laudable man who develops into a man engrossed by his ambition of power. In addition, Banquo, as another important character who develops as a dramatic foil to Macbeth and represents a brave and ambitious individual while he retains his morals unlike Macbeth. Macbeth eventually becomes recklessly ambitious through the pursuit of power. Through the development of the reckless and murderous nature of Macbeth, Shakespeare reveals the impact ambition and its effect while pursuing power. Shakespeare develops this theme through metaphor, dramatic foil, and diction.
One's deepest aspirations and ambitions are one of the many important ideas explored throughout the play Macbeth. Shakespeare uses Macbeth, the central character in the play, as the tragic hero to demonstrate the relationship between one’s weaknesses and desires. In the play Macbeth, by William Shakespeare, the immense character flaws present in Macbeth result in irrational decisions, impeding his greatest aspiration: to rule the throne of Scotland. Though he achieves his desire for a short period of time, illogical actions fueled by Macbeth’s excessive pride, foolishness, and gullibleness all forbid him from honorably ruling his country.
Lady Macbeth's desire for her husband to have power led her to plan Duncan's murder and to manipulate Macbeth into committing the murder. In Act 1 Scene 5 Lady Macbeth calls to evil spirits begging them to make her cruel and free of guilt so that she can do the task that is at hand, killing King Duncan. Many times throughout the plotting of Duncan's murder you see Lady Macbeth having the power in her relationship with her husband which was fairly uncommon at the time they lived. She constantly questions his manhood as a way to control him you can see this in Act 1, Scene 7 when Macbeth is starting to have second thoughts about the murder, “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 tragedy of Macbeth has existed for over 500 years, yet the themes and ideas are still relevant to modern day society.
The plot to murder the king is where Macbeth faces his ultimate dilemma. Macbeth’s has a psychological conflict between lust for power and his morality. Consequently, from the dilemma, Macbeth’s wife summons pure evil in order to complete the murderous task for her husband. The ambition Macbeth has for the throne is immediately transferred to his wife. The wife willingly wanting to kill the king portrays the lack of respect Lady Macbeth has for Macbeth. An example of this is when Lady Macbeth states, “ 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”(lll. 49-51). This threat toward Macbeth’s dignity from his own wife is one aspect of why he wants to proceed with the