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Essay on portrayal of woman in English literature
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Women can manipulate men to change either for the good or the bad. Macbeth is certainly an example on how women can influence men for the bad. Macbeth is a play that exhibits the power of greed and manipulation. Both of which, Lady Macbeth used to change Macbeth to an evil tyrant. The source of evil in “Macbeth: isn’t King Macbeth himself, but his wife, Lady Macbeth. If it wasn’t for her, Macbeth would never have become a tyrant. Primarily, Macbeth was comfortable with his position as an honorable solider, he was interested in the witches’ predictions, but he didn't want to force it. Furthermore, the murder of King Duncan that Lady Macbeth forced him to commit, unleashed Macbeth’s evil. Lastly, Lady Macbeth ridicules his manliness and courage in order to make him commit murder, although he didn’t want to.
When the witches predicted that he would become king, he liked the idea, but did not want to speed up the process. It is Lady Macbeth who loves the idea of excess control, wealth, and power. She wanted the witch’s prediction to come faster, causing her to start manipulating Macbeth to kill Duncan. Some may argue that Macbeth was as greedy and power hungry as Lady Macbeth, which was his drive to kill Duncan, but it was Lady Macbeth that forced the idea of becoming King into his head. She could not wait, but Macbeth could. He wanted
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destiny to do its job. He did not want to intervene and become a murderer, but he felt he had to please his wife. Macbeth was a trusted soldier, who was honest and noble.
After the witches prediction he was forced by Lady Macbeth to murder King Duncan. He followed her orders reluctantly because he trusted Lady Macbeth. The murder affected him psychologically, causing him to become a murderer and unleashing evil. Arguments against this statement might say he killed Duncan for his benefit only. A quote from Macbeth, “"I'll go no more. I am afraid to think what I have done, look on't again I dare not." This quote shows how he truly regretted killing Duncan. This murder was Lady Macbeth’s evil intentions that caused Macbeth to become an evil
tyrant. Lady Macbeth manipulates Macbeth into feeling guilty and unmanly for not following through. She used her husband’s emotions, and succeeds to persuade Macbeth to murder Duncan. While it can be argued that she was not being greedy, but in fact trying to help Macbeth. A quote from Lady Macbeth, “Wouldst thou have that which thou esteem'st the ornament of life, and live a coward in thine own esteem, Letting “I dare not” wait upon “I would,” Like the poor cat I' th' adage?” This quote shows how she would insult him, a way to manipulate him for her benefit. She knew the deadly risk Macbeth would be taking to kill Duncan, but she did not care. She forced Macbeth to murder not for himself, but for her. In conclusion, Lady Macbeth turned Macbeth, from a noble conqueror to a wicked traitor. Essentially, Macbeth originally did not want to force his destiny. Additionally, Lady Macbeth forced him to kill Duncan, the root of all the evil in Macbeth. Last but not least, she used his self-esteem against him to manipulate him to do evil. If Lady Macbeth understood and listened to her husband, none of this would have happened. Instead she is manipulative, scheming, and deceptive
The play Macbeth by William Shakespeare starts off with a noble warrior Named Macbeth that is titled thane of Glamis by his own uncle, King Duncan. Macbeth is awarded thane of Cawdor due to the switching sides of the original title holder who is hanged for treason. Macbeth who is deceived by his wife kills the king in a plot for power and they put the blame on the guards by laying bloody daggers next to them. Macbeth begins to lose himself as the play goes on. He kills his best friend Banquo and Macduff’s wife and kids. Lady Macbeth kills herself as she goes crazy from all the killings and then that is when Macbeth completely loses himself. Macbeth is told by the witches that he cannot be killed by any one of women born. Macduff and Malcolm, heir to the throne who fled Scotland think of a plan to kill Macbeth. Macbeth faces Macduff and Malcolm’s army alone as he is labeled a tyrant and is abandoned by everyone. He faces the army fearlessly as he cannot killed by any one of woman born but fails to realize that Macduff was born of C-section leading to his downfall and Macbeth is Beheaded. Malcolm becomes the new king. Lady Macbeth's deception had a dramatic effect on the play leading to a dramatic change in many lives. The three main points that will be discussed are how Lady Macbeth becomes deceived; how Lady Macbeth deceives others and the results from Lady Macbeth deceiving others. Lady Macbeth, was simply minded and became easily deceived.
He decided he didn't want to follow through with the plan then lady Macbeth began to question him and insult him in a way trying to make him rethink his decision. The three witches forced Macbeth to kill king Duncan, in the beginning, they made him evil and once he did kill the king all types of bad things began to happen to the world. Macbeth gradually became eviler as he killed more people to cover up his first murder. It was all the witches fault they got in his head and made him want to kill then he did. The three witches and lady macbeth forced Macbeth to do something he didn't want to do like a bully would force a person to do anything they want them to do.
He says, “Better be with the dead, whom we, to gain our peace, have sent to peace, than on the torture of the mind”(III.2.46). This quote takes place just before he does the daring deed and shows the reader that he knows it is not the right thing to do before he even goes to do it. His conscience tries to stay strong but he wants all the power as soon as possible so his conscience gives out and he decides that he will kill Duncan. He states before the domino effect of murders starts that he would rather be dead, than to be a guilty murderer. As the character gives into his dream of being the king he goes to do the deed and murder King Duncan. After he commits the murder, Macbeth feels immediate guilt. This is shown in a conversation with his wife yet again. He says, “I am afraid to think what I have done. Look on’t again I dare not”(II.2.56-57). This quote takes place right after the murder of King Duncan but he accidentally left the daggers in the bedroom with the corpse of Duncan. He immediately feels the guilt which is good for his conscience because he realizes he did something he should not have. He says to Lady Macbeth that he can not stand to even see what he has done anymore. Soon after Macbeth’s daring act his guilt begins to haunt him
Macbeth Even though Macbeth is influenced by Lady Macbeth and the witches throughout the play, his hamartia causes him to do things that he might not have done. When Macbeth receives his prophecy from the witches about becoming king, it causes him to believe that it will come true. In all actuality, the prophecy causes him to commit murder so he can become king, but at the same time the witches knew this would happen. Macbeth is driven mad when he tries to make the witches prophecy come true. When he commits the murder of Duncan, the madness begins, and from that point on he is in a state of paranoia.
It all began when “three strange figures” who later turned out to be three witches “told [Macbeth] he would become king (Nuttall 1). Macbeth at this time was a loyal kinsman to Duncan, the current king. While it was a thought in the back of his mind that Macbeth would eventually like to take the throne, it never occurred to him that he would have the murder Duncan in order to do so. The witches added turmoil to this idea by talking about Banquo as well and stating that Banquo’s sons will become king as well. This prophecy made it inevitable that murder would eventually take place. Although hesitant at first, Macbeth, with the persistent help of Lady Macbeth, followed through with the murder and took the throne as King. Had the witches not told Macbeth his prophecy, Macbeth would more than likely not have resorted to the tactics and actions it took for him to in due course become king. At this point in the story, Macbeth is not a cold-blooded murderer who he is destined to become later. Duncan’s murder was Macbeth’s first time to kill another man; however, this wouldn’t be his last as a cover-up would be needed. “[Macbeth] require[ed] a clearness” so t...
At the beginning of the play, Macbeth is a trusted soldier, who is honest and noble. Unfortunately, he meets three witches who tell him three prophecies; that he will become thane of Cawdor, that he will become king and that Banquo’s sons will become kings. These three prophecies slowly change his opinions on life and turn him into a greedy, dishonest, tyrant, full of ambition. Lady Macbeth’s thoughts change as well when she is told about the three prophecies that were told to Macbeth. In the beginning of the play, Lady Macbeth is ambitious, controlling and domineering. She is the one who encourages him to kill the king, she not only encourages him, she makes all the plans herself, which shows her determination and persistence."Yet I do fear thy nature, it is too full o’th milk of human kindness. To catch the nearest way thou wouldst be great. Art not without ambition, but without the illness should attend it." (Act 1, scene 5). Lady Macbeth is the force behind Macbeth’s sudden ambition and she tries to manipulate him into feeling guilty and unmanly for not following through with the murder, by using her husbands emotions, she manages to convince Macbeth to murder Duncan.
Macbeth is captured by his wild ambition at the opening of the play when he and Banqou meet the three witches. The witches tell Macbeth that he is the Thane of Cawdor, and later will be king. They tell Banquo that his sons will be kings. Instantly Macbeth started to fantasize how he is going to be king. He understood that in order for him to become king he has to kill Duncan. “My thought, whose murder yet is but fantastical”(Act 1 Sc. 3, p.23). He was pondering about the assassination until the moment that he could no longer control his emotions. “To prick the sides of my intent, but only vaulting ambition, which overleaps itself and falls on the other-“(Act 1 Sc. 7, p.41). Because of his “vaulting ambition” he killed Duncan.
This shows that he really didn't want to kill Duncan, but he did it in order to prove himself to Lady Macbeth, and to become the king. By the end he had no fear, and had killed not only Duncan but also many other people. He now had different views from which he had in the beginning of the play. Macbeth realizes that he is no longer afraid "no, nor more fearful. (Act V, scene vii, l 9). He is now considered a man, but he doesn't like the fact that he has killed all these people.
Lady Macbeth shows more ambition then Macbeth does in terms of gaining power regarding kingship. When Macbeth finds out about the witches’ predictions and the first two coming true “Glamis, and thane of Cawdor: The greatest is behind” (1.3.124-125) meaning that he got a taste of power, making him thane of Glamis and thane of Cawdor making him more ambitious for the power to become king. Proving that he will do anything for power he decides that he is going to murder Duncan. When Lady Macbeth receives the letter from Macbeth learning about the witches’ predictions and that two of them came true already, she becomes very ambitious towards gaining power. She doesn’t believe that Macbeth will murder Duncan, so she makes a plan for the murder.
Lady Macbeth is one of William Shakespeare’s most famous and frightening female characters. As she is Macbeth’s wife, her role is significant in his rise and fall from royalty. She is Macbeth’s other half. During Shakespearean times, women were regarded as weak insignificant beings that were there to give birth and look beautiful. They were not thought to be as intelligent or equal to men. Though in Shakespeare's play, Macbeth, Lady Macbeth is the highest influence in Macbeth’s life. Her role was so large; in fact, that she uses her position to gain power, stay strong enough to support her unstable Lord, and fails miserably while their relationship falls apart. Everything about Lady Macbeth is enough to create the perfect villain because of her ability to manipulate everyone around her. It appears that even she can’t resist the perfect crime.
Firstly, he defeats his enemies. Next he is praised by the other soldiers and King Duncan appoints him as the Thane. For example, if a person desires for a manager title, the person will work hard to earn it, and it is possible that other workers will see this and boost the chief individual’s desire. It is from here that the person might think they deserve the title and look for more power. Similarly, Macbeth must have thought somewhere in his mind to be king. In the book Witches’ Caldron: a study of motive in Shakespeare’s Macbeth Dr. K.C. Mathur says that although the witches did prophesy he would be king and even boosted his desire “They did not create the thought of murder of King Duncan. It was Macbeth’s own latent ambition embodying his power drive and seeking affirmation that invites the witches.” (Witches Caldron, 6) Dr. Mathur also says “Macbeth had acquired this status and it is not surprising that he thinks of achieving higher status by being aggressive and domineering. It is this psychological impulse that is projected in his ambition for the crown and not any criminal instinct or latent evil.” (6) There was a negative environment of witches and the association of Lady Macbeth around Macbeth which influenced him to murder. The environment creates a huge part in the play and if he had a good environment it is possible that he would have remained loyal to King
Duncan is the most unlikely character to be killed because of his personality, but his title as King of Scotland, causes for Macbeth to loathe Duncan. In the play there is very little interaction between Macbeth and Duncan, showing the little time in which Macbeth gets more power. Prior to the witches’ prophecies Macbeth is loyal to Duncan, and would never imagine killing him. After the one of the witches’ prophecies comes to be true, the thought of killing Duncan, Macbeth "yield[s] to that suggestion / whose horrid image doth unfix my hair / and make my seated heart knock at my ribs" (1.3.146-148). Partly because of Lady Macbeth’s suggestion his "vaulting ambition" is starting to take over, and he begins to take into consideration killing Duncan, to become king. Macbeth however, does not feel comfortable in killing Macbeth, giving himself reasons why not to kill Duncan: “First, as I am his kinsman and his subject, Strong both against the deed; then, as his host, Who should against his murderer shut the door, Not bear the knife myself,” (I, vii, 13-16) Lady Macbeth, convinces Macbeth, that killing Duncan is the right thing to do until right before he performs the murder. We learn from this murder that Macbeth truly had faith in the king and was very loyal, but knowing that one day he would become king, his ambition and the persuasion of Lady Macbeth, causes him to perform the act, that he will regret. This murder changes Macbeth as a person, however, and he soon feels little regret for killing King Duncan, but this act will soon aid in his downfall.
When the three witches had met with Macbeth, and then he had told his wife, he did not feel sure that murdering the King was right, although he was the King’s savior. When Lady Macbeth hears about the news, she awakens, starts to plot Duncan’s murder and backstabbs Macbeth to kill him. She tells him to ‘be a man and go get what he wants’. At this point, Macbeth doesn’t have a choice. When she thinks that she can kill the King, she cries, “Come, you spirits that tend on mortal thoughts, unsex
Though tentative at first, it is clear the Macbeth desires to be king. As explained by Hunt, his current, newly appointed title is not enough for him as “ the augmentation of titles cannot appease the insatiability of desire, which never rests content with the new title but continues to feel the pain of existential hunger, of mortal incompleteness.” (hunt), leading him to desire for greater power. While the witches mention Macbeth’s possible rise to kingship through the death of Duncan, it is Macbeth who jumps to the possibility of the king’s murder saying, “If good, why do I yield to that suggestion Whose horrid image doth unfix my hair And make my seated heart knock at my ribs, Against the use of nature? Present fears Are less than horrible imaginings. (1.3.138-142).” There are many ways that the king could die, yet it is his desire for power leads him to pick the speediest path to the king’s end. Macbeth does in fact end up killing the king, as well as his best friend to protect his claim to power. From there he quickly becomes drunk with his rule and starts to terrorize the land, forgetting his morals and saying that he’ll just do whatever he feels when ever he feels like it. These actions lead to his death along with the many others who starve or bleed under his rule. Because of his desire for power, Macbeth causes the destruction of his soul, the end of his life
The familiar saying "Behind every great man is an even greater woman" can certainly hold true in many cases. A woman may very well be the driving force behind any successful man. However, a woman can also use her strong influence in a negative way. This can be seen in Macbeth, where Lady Macbeth is the evil force behind Macbeth's cruelty and evil doings. In Shakespeare's Macbeth, Lady Macbeth is the main reason that Macbeth is transformed from a noble, respected Thane into a ruthless, murderous character. Lady Macbeth fuels his inner desire for power and brings forth his greed and ambition, which both eventually lead to his downfall. The tactics that Lady Macbeth use to drive her husband to this downfall are manipulation, dominance, and her evil nature.