The Character of Lady Macbeth by William Shakespeare

The Character of Lady Macbeth by William Shakespeare

We are introduced to the character of Lady Macbeth in Act.1 scene 5,

after she reads the letter from Macbeth, and from the start you can

see that she is going to be evil. (Act.1 scene.5), " Yet do I fear thy

nature, It is too full o'th' milk of human kindness". You can see

already she is determined to do something about this problem, of

Macbeth being to kind and innocent to kill another person for him

self. "Hie thee hither….pour my spirits". So she can get him home and

change him into the man that could kill the king, by manipulating him,

"in thine ear". And changing his mind into being more like hers, more

ruthless, "The illness should attend it", more ambitious and

convictions. "Shalt be, What thou art promised". Here this is spoken

with power.

"Thou wouldst be great". At this point she is more determined and

motivated then him.

I can almost see that, if she were a man, that she could kill the king

without any remorse and guilt. "Unsex me here…Stop…remorse". And she

would be able to do it without showing any pity for the king. "That no

compunctions …Th' effect and it". And so no barriers should come

between her and her fulfilment of Macbeth becoming king, which shows

she loves him very much.

Throughout this scene I can see Lady Macbeth psyching herself up.

(Act.1 scene.5), "Come you spirits", so the evil spirits could take

over her.

"Come to my woman's beasts, And take my milk for gall". And so she

could be filled with rage and malice.

"Come thick night". So she can cover up her tracks in the night when

she goes to kill the king. And all this preparation of killing King

Duncan happens before she even meets Macbeth.

Once they do get together, she is still as evil-minded as before and

now becomes even more sinister and manipulative. (Act.1 scene.5), "My

dearest love, Duncan comes here tonight".