Lady Macbeth Death Analysis

In Shakespeare’s tragedy Macbeth, he portrays many aspects of life and human nature. Although Macbeth uses his ambitions to change his fate and escape from his current situations, there is one thing he cannot escape, and that is death. The perception of death, however, widely differs from Lady Macbeth, Siward, and Macbeth himself.

Early on in the play Lady Macbeth is introduced as a strong, and cold character. She is considered to be the man figure in her relationship with her husband as she belittles Macbeth and openly denigrates his role. When he tells her of his trepidation when it comes to killing the king, she becomes enraged. Deciding to take action, Macbeth goes into the King’s chamber and kills him himself. Upon realizing he brought the murder weapon back, Lady Macbeth urges her husband to put it back,when he refuses because he does not want to see the body, she responds with, “Give me the daggers: the sleeping and the dead Are but as pictures: 'tis the eye of childhood That fears a painted devil.”(Macbeth 2.2 67-69) With this statement, it shows her frighteningly depersonalized view of death as she further proves when she refers to Duncan’s body as just a picture, further dehumanizing her. In Lady Macbeth’s eyes, for now, murder is not a morally wrong act. Her nonchalant view displays her ignoble character.

When Siward’s son dies in combat, he immediately asks, “Had he his hurts before?”(Macbeth 5.8 46) When he asks this, he is wondering if his son was wounded in the front or back. This is to show if he died fighting in battle or fleeing, which would determine his son’s final symbolic act, whether it was an act of valor or cowardice. Although he may not seem heartbroken, it is evident by his quote that he, and his son’s, honor meant a great deal to him in the end. Which is why he and Macbeth have two very different outlooks on life and