Change of Character in Macbeth

Change of Character in Macbeth

"Glamis thou art, and Cawdor; and shalt be / What thou art promised" (1.5.15-16). In Shakespeare's classic tragedy Macbeth, Lady Macbeth is a strong, scheming instigator, the person who initially plans the murder of King Duncan. Her husband, on the other hand, vacillates, tormented by his conscience, terrified of the consequences. By the end of the play, however, the roles reverse. Macbeth becomes the devious character, while his wife wallows in grief and despair.

The entire play centers around Macbeth's desire to be king. Macbeth first realizes that he has a chance to become royalty when he meets three mysterious witches. They proclaim "All hail, Macbeth, that shalt be King hereafter!" (1.3.50). At first, Macbeth does not understand why he is having thoughts of murdering King Duncan.

If good, why do I yield to that suggestion

Whose horrid image doth unfix my hair

And make my seated heart knock at my ribs,

Against the use of nature? (1.3.134-137).

After all, Duncan is not only God's chosen representative as King, but is also a relative of Macbeth's.

After much thought, Macbeth writes a letter to his wife. Lady Macbeth believes that murdering Duncan could assist Macbeth's rise to the throne. However, she doesn't think that her husband has enough ambition to commit the act. In a soliloquy, she laments:

...Yet do I fear thy nature;

It is too full o' th' milk of human kindness

To catch the nearest way. Thou wouldst be great,

Art not without ambition, but without

The illness should attend it (1.5.16-20).

With her husband afraid to take part in the deed, Lady Macbeth begins to formulate the...

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... didn't matter how or when her death occurred. In spite of his courage, he seems to sense his own impending demise.

Even in his darkest hours after his wife has died and all he has worked to accomplish is surely about to fall to ruins, Macbeth is still confident that he will emerge victorious. As he prepares to battle 10,000 irate soldiers and some of his former friends and comrades, Macbeth believes he will succeed. His character metamorphosed from an insecure, timid person with aspirations of greatness to a strong, devious king not afraid to cross boundaries to get his way. Lady Macbeth, however, transformed from a powerful, motivated woman to a pathetic, guilt-addled shell of her former self.

Work Cited:

Shakespeare, William. Tragedy of Macbeth . Ed. Barbara Mowat and Paul Warstine. New York: Washington Press, 1992.