Lady Macbeth: A Complex Character

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I believe Lady Macbeth is a complex character that adds depth to an otherwise straightforward play about power dynamics due to several reasons, based mainly on her actions and mentality. Her decisions have great influence upon Macbeth and herself since those actions led to their eventual end. One instance she proves herself to be complex is during her soliloquy, “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. 35). In general, women are usually depicted as loving and caring figures, however Lady Macbeth’s wish contrasts the idea. She does this in order to reinforce herself and Macbeth to kill Duncan without hesitation, thus it is shown she is willing to alter herself in order to achieve a goal. She could've just said she was going to kill Duncan without saying how evil she wishes to be, in general she shows complexity there. Another example would be Lady Macbeth saying specific things to provoke Macbeth so he would do what she …show more content…

. Help me hence, ho!” (II. III. 65-69). Despite the fact she only had few lines, her acting convinced the majority except Banquo that she and Macbeth weren’t the murderers. Ever since Duncan’s murder, Lady Macbeth is seen to be sleep walking and tormented by her actions; “ Out damned spot! . . . What will these hands ne’er be clean? . . . Here’s the smell of the blood still” (V. I. 155-157). This scene shows how Lady Macbeth unconsciously deals with her guilt and eventually succumbs to it similarly like Macbeth. The doctor also mentions he’s never seen anyone sleep walking because of their guilt, thus this foreshadows her eventual suicide. It is also said in acts two or three both Lady Macbeth and Macbeth lack sleep due to their guilt of killing Duncan. In summary, complexity is shown in Lady Macbeth throughout the book in various forms, her ambitious and manipulative nature would be the major ones while her guilt and words are the lesser

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