The Changing Attitudes of Lady Macbeth in William Shakespeare's Macbeth
In Shakespearean England, women’s role in society was very different
to what it is today. Today, women are allowed, and in fact, almost
expected to be educated, independent, confidant, outspoken, and to go
to work, to provide for themselves.
In the 1600’s, it wasn’t like that. Women were gentle, kind, and
fragile. If they were well off, they were expected to stay at home and
sew, whilst their husbands went out and earnt the money. Poorer women
still had to stay at home, and they had to cook, clean, and generally
look after the house. Women were submissive; to be seen and not heard,
and it was unusual for a woman to be educated.
Lady Macbeth is not typical of a woman from Shakespeare’s time, and we
see that when we first meet her in Act I, Scene v, where she is
reading a letter from Macbeth, telling her of his experience with the
‘weird sisters’ and their predictions. The fact she is able to read
shows she is educated and literate, unlike most women. Her immediate
reaction to the letter is ‘thou shalt be what thou art promised’; the
letter has sparked something inside her, and has decided straight away
that she wants to be queen, and therefore she will make Macbeth’s
prediction come true, and he will be king.
The attendant then comes in, informing her that King Duncan will be
staying at their castle with them. Immediately, she shows a savage
side, as her thoughts turn to killing the king to get what she wants.
She is a woman with high goals; she wont settle for being Lady
Macbeth, she wants to be Queen, even if it means killing Duncan.
Her speech also s...
... middle of paper ...
...there physically, she can now see it in her mind, and to her it
is very real, and it represents her guilty conscience.
Lady Macbeth is a very good actress, because she seems quite calm and
composed when around company, when she is really going mad. Though the
scene is short, it shows that in the same way as ambition affected her
more strongly than it did Macbeth before the crimes, guilt plagues her
more strongly afterwards. She is unable to cope with this, but
obviously cannot admit it to anyone, and so her mind deals with it
when she is sleeping instead.
There is a common theme of power and control in both scenes; in the
first scene when Lady Macbeth is trying to convince Macbeth that they
should murder Duncan, she is powerful and controlling, but in the
second scene where Lady Macbeth has completely lost control.
early on in the play. The play proves that a noble woman has equal or more power than a man in
how her personality changes from act 1 scene 5 to act 5 scene 5 and
Lady Macbeth's Influence Upon Her Husband in William Shakespeare's Macbeth William Shakespeare wrote Macbeth the theatrical production in a period of time when there was an intense outbreak of superstition coating Britain. Witches, devils, and demons were all deliberated to be present in civilization and there was a fervent conviction that they were constantly plotting against all that was considered to be good in the world. Macbeth was perceptibly written for an audience that was keen to believe in these false notions and therefore its is even now indented on modern day society as one of Shakespeare's most infamous plays. Initially observed in the later part of 1606, Macbeth is the last of
Lady Macbeth is one of William Shakespeare’s most famous and frightening female characters. As she is Macbeth’s wife, her role is significant in his rise and fall from royalty. She is Macbeth’s other half. During Shakespearean times, women were regarded as weak insignificant beings that were there to give birth and look beautiful. They were not thought to be as intelligent or equal to men. Though in Shakespeare's play, Macbeth, Lady Macbeth is the highest influence in Macbeth’s life. Her role was so large; in fact, that she uses her position to gain power, stay strong enough to support her unstable Lord, and fails miserably while their relationship falls apart. Everything about Lady Macbeth is enough to create the perfect villain because of her ability to manipulate everyone around her. It appears that even she can’t resist the perfect crime.
and almost goes so far as to rally against love as she says in act 2
To metamorphose ones character through years of experience and age is salutary. To deteriorate ones character through a short period of fast decisions and unsure actions is perilous. Lady Macbeth proves the truth to this theory. The impulsive mistakes and power-hungry tactics littered the journey Lady MacBeth paves throughout this play that ultimately ends in her death. She feels overwhelmed by all that is happening, both physically and mentally, and decides to end her own life.
In our society, as a rule, the man is the head of the household. However, in Shakespeare’s Macbeth, Lady Macbeth appears to be the neck that turns the head. William Shakespeare is one of the greatest writers in history, but he wasn’t recognized until the nineteenth century. He wrote many plays, sonnets, plays, and narrative plays. It was during the sixteenth century that he wrote the tragedy of Macbeth. Lady Macbeth, wife to the protagonist Macbeth, is one of Shakespeare’s most famous and evil female characters. At the start of the play, Lady Macbeth is ruthless, ambitious, cruel, and manipulative; however, by the end of the play she becomes insane and helpless. The transformation of these characteristics makes Lady Macbeth a very dynamic character.
In Shakespeare’s Macbeth, Macbeth’s morality changes throughout the course of the play. He goes from being reluctant to kill an innocent man, to paying mercenaries to kill his best friend, just because his children and descendants will be kings, according to the prophecies. Macbeth’s morality changes through influences, such as his wife’s pressuring, the witches’ prophecy, and the fact that his plan worked for so long.
At the start of the play she was described as a girl who is very
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.
basically serves as a building block to her being admirable. Certain examples through out the play
Lady Macbeth is an extremely ambitious woman and wants more than anything for her husband, Macbeth, to be the next King of Scotland. When King Duncan announces that his son, Malcolm, is to be the next King, Duncan’s murder is planned. Lady Macbeth’s crucial role in the play is to persuade Macbeth to carry out the murder of Duncan. In the beginning she is ambitious, controlling and strong. However as the plot concludes there is an extreme change in her character and personality which surprises the audience. Lady Macbeth’s guilt eventually becomes too much for her to handle which leads to her death.
Portrayed as cunning or Janus-faced as is Claudius. Even though Hamlet lashes out at her
believe she is; after all, it was quite clear from the end of scene 3
... middle of paper ... ... childlike side, but at the end of Act 2 we see her anxious and frightened side of the soliquy. She uses lots of repetition.