Lady Macbeth Manipulation Essay

Manipulation can be an effective way of reaching a goal, but the sacrifices made in the process can cause the demise of the manipulator and others around them. In Shakespeare’s Macbeth, Lady Macbeth‘s tragic flaw is her manipulative character. This flaw leads to multiple deaths and her ultimate downfall. Lady Macbeth’s manipulation results in the death of King Duncan, Banquo and eventually, herself.

King Duncan was the first victim of Lady Macbeth’s manipulative flaw. Lady Macbeth manipulates her husband (Macbeth) in order to serve her desire to become queen. When she is trying to convince her husband to kill the king she says, “When you durst do it, then you were a man, /And, to be more than what you were, you would /Be so much more the man.” (1.7.54-56). She begins mocking him and playing at his weakness’ so that he kills Duncan at the hands of her influence. Because of Lady Macbeth’s manipulation, Duncan was killed.

Banquo’s death is another caused by Lady Macbeth’s manipulation.

Macbeth was set on the path of insuring the prophecy by his wife’s manipulation. Lady Macbeth constantly pushes Macbeth to carry out the prophecy, in one instance saying, “Was thy hope drunk /Where in you dressed yourself? Hath it slept since? /And wakes it now to look so green and pale /At what it did so freely? (…) Art thou afeard /To be the same in thine own act and valour /As thou art in desire?” (1.7.38-44). Macbeth’s wife fuels his ambition, putting him on the path which leads to him taking Banquo’s life. Because Lady Macbeth sets Macbeth on this path by manipulation, it is the cause of Banquo’s

death.
Furthermore, Lady Macbeth’s guilt for her manipulative ways ultimately leads to her death. Lady Macbeth’s manipulation causes her to feel guilty about the effects it’s had. We can see her guilt when she says “Come, come, come, come, give me your hand. What’s done /Cannot be undone. To bed, to bed, to bed.” (5.1.59-60). Lady Macbeth dies by her own hand, not only because she commits suicide, but because it was her own actions and words that led her to her reason for doing so. Lady Macbeth brings her death upon herself because of her manipulation.
Lady Macbeth’s demise was brought on by her manipulation, which caused the death of the king, Banquo and herself. The deaths of all of these people were caused by manipulation on Lady Macbeth’s part in one way or another. When given the chance to change one’s fate, we must think of the effects that it will have on ourselves and others.