Lady Macbeth's Madness

As the play progresses, increasing madness evokes dramatic changes within political and humane order. Lady Macbeth’s plunge to madness begins when she reads Macbeth’s letter promising an upgraded social stature despite the Divine Right of Kings that holds in place. Because she pleads to the spirits for more masculine attributes as well as to “[p]our [her] spirits in [Macbeth’s] ear” to accelerate his prophecy she proves that her desire to become Queen as well as the actions required to do so are unnatural (1.5.25). Her abnormal demands reveal her uncontrollable ambition to disrupt The Chain of Being by murdering the divine king. As Lady Macbeth commands the spirits to “[u]nsex [her] here / And fill [her] from the crown to the toe top-full/ Of direst cruelty,” she not only asks for her female stereotype to be to aid the murder, but wishes to become a queen by committing a sinful and consequential act (1.5.40).

The manipulative Lady must convince her husband to “Look like the innocent flower but be the serpent under’t” in order to deceive others and rightfully fulfill his prophecy (1.5.64-65). This analogy aiding Macbeth in his duties reveals the madness and dedication Lady Macbeth has acquired after seizing the opportunity to socially and politically advance. Determined to obtain the new position of power, Lady Macbeth “[considers] [the murder] not so deeply,” (2.2.33) yet she is later overcome by the marks of murder that “all the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten” (5.1.45-46). The unbalance of Lady Macbeth’s new stature and unnatural aspirations influences a spiral of guilt and