Power And Control In Shakespeare's Macbeth

A main aspect that contributes to the complexity, captivating quality, and tragic nature of the iconic play, Macbeth is that it walks a tight-rope between fantasy and reality. A primary theme throughout the play is control. How much authority does the protagonist Macbeth truly have over his life? As Macbeth slowly morphs into the villain he is at the conclusion of the play, the audience can observe a direct correlation to the loss of his psychological stability. The mental episodes described throughout the play in both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth truly signify the debilitating power of guilt over the human mind.

One of the most significant junctures of the play is when Macbeth contemplates the actual act of murder against Duncan--his king, his

Her lust for power is almost tantamount to her husband’s. Arguably, her actions caused the perilous spiral of Macbeth from strong-willed and respected war hero, to power hungry, selfish, and mentally unstable tyrant he became toward the end of the play. She encourages her husband to kill king Duncan in hopes of fulfilling the witch’s prophecy, which had predicted Macbeth would become king.. However, after the deed is done, this act of treachery and treason carries an enormous toll on her mental and emotional health, marking the ironic role reversal between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. This becomes apparent to the audience after Shakespeare described the nature of her bizarre, unconscious, nocturnal occurrences, including when she walked about her chamber muttering about imaginary blood that refuses to wash away from her hands. Beyond the blatant symbolism of the “blood on her hands,” Shakespeare at a deeper level alludes to the biblical character Pontius Pilate with Lady Macbeth’s nightly somnambulance, which also creates an analogy between the two figures. Pontius Pilate was the Roman governor from 26 CE to 36 CE, before whom Jesus was tried. When he could not exonerate Jesus and convince the mobs to release him, he washed his hands before turning Jesus over for crucifixion, thereby cleansing himself of the situation. Lady Macbeth is obviously tormented by her actions, and what she is really trying to do, as her unconscious attempts to clean her hands, is escape from the feelings of guilt and remorse that haunt her. However, certain acts are irrevocable and cannot be undone. It is this realization that finally leads Lady Macbeth to the act of