Examples Of Lady Macbeth's Conscience

One’s conscience is to protect and guard from temptation and steer a person in the right direction. When defined, it is the inner voice of a person who tries to influence the person to make right choices and to follow common morals. Lady Macbeth’s character composes on the fact that she does have a conscience; however, she doesn’t use it to prevent the tragedies that occur in her life. In William Shakespeare’s Macbeth, if Lady Macbeth follows the right path and does not listen to her conscience, she would live a happier life rather than ending with suicide. We see that Lady Macbeth’s conscience begins to weigh heavy on her after Duncan’s murder. For example, post-Duncan’s murder, she reveals that she would’ve killed Duncan herself, had he not looked like her father (II.ii.16-17). The guilty conscience is at work here: it prevents Lady Macbeth from doing a potentially hazardous deed. Going from a prideful villain to a coward, she isn’t as powerful as she seems. From the article,

She begins to feel it consume her, and the effects of it are physically aware. An example in Macbeth is during her sleepwalking scene, as she carries a lit candle wherever she sleepwalks. It’s important to note that the doctor asked to assist Lady Macbeth even says that he cannot help her, saying that she “needs the divine more than the physician” (V.i.78). What does the doctor mean when he states this? Consequently, this means that Lady Macbeth’s grave is ready. She is past the point of no return and, in addition, needs the help of a priest to release the guilt she now feels. Kiefer solidifies her disturbing conscience, and puts emphasis on the fact that this conscience that she can’t contain makes her less revolting and more wonderful (Kiefer 3). This statement, to some Shakespearean readers, may come off as contrary to popular belief that Lady Macbeth is the more vengeful and ambitious