The Characterization of Lady Macbeth in William Shakespeare's Macbeth

477 Words1 Page
bulb-icon

Recommended: Macbeth as a complex character

The Characterization of Lady Macbeth in William Shakespeare's Macbeth

Characterization is the noted change or continual development of a character as a plot unfolds. In William Shakespeare's tragedy MacBeth's character takes a complete turn from the beginning of the play until her last seen. Lady MacBeth plays a very bold and manipulative character. She entices her husband into wrongful actions that he wouldn't otherwise do. In return MacBeth continually becomes more evil while Lady MacBeth guilty conscience slows her down. In the beginning of the play, Lady MacBeth is full of evil ambitions. These ambitions lead her to insanity and eventually death.

In Lady MacBeth's first seen her character is portrayed as one that has been seized with evil intentions. Lady MacBeth deceptively convinces her husband to murder Duncan so she will become queen. Evil has possessed her to the point that she provokes her husband into doing evil. This is accomplished by attacking MacBeth's manhood. Lady MacBeth convinces him to believe he should kill MacBeth in order to prove himself of being even more of a man. Lady MacBeth said, "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." Lady MacBeth appears to be overconfident in her evil plans in order to persuade MacBeth. When MacBeth questions the odds of her plans working Lady MacBeth responds by saying, "We fail? But screw your courage to the sticking place And we'll not fail." Lady MacBeth's evil character has spread uncontrollable worst on MacBeth, resulting in him following her evil and treacherous footsteps.

Lady MacBeth's character later develops into chaos and confusion consequently reaping insanity. After being so evil and immoral her conscience drove her to mental illness. The Doctor notes that she has her eyes open, however the Gentlewoman states, "Ay, but their sense are shut." Even though Lady MacBeth is physically awake and moving around, it is as if you she is mentally not here. The Doctor says, "What is it she does now? Look how she rubs her hands." Lady MacBeth later says, "Here's the smell of the blood still. All of the perfumes Arabia will not sweeten this little hand." Lady MacBeth is being haunted be the memories of the murder of Duncan.

Show More
Related

  • Free Essay on Macbeth - The Guilt of Lady Macbeth

    617 Words  | 2 Pages

    After the death of King Duncan, Macbeth becomes the more controlling one, and Lady Macbeth’s guilt eventually becomes too much for her to handle which leads to her death. Lady Macbeth is in fact the one that performs the preparations for the murder of King Duncan, but still shows some signs of humanity by not committing the murder herself because he resembles "My father as he slept". After the murder has been committed, she also shows signs of being a strong person because she calms Macbeth down in order to keep him from going insane.

    Read More

  • Macbeth's Decisions Essay

    664 Words  | 2 Pages

    When she learns Macbeth has been given a fortune of been given thane of cawdor then king and half the prophecy has become true, she knows if Macbeth is king she will be queen. She is willing to do anything to get it. On the night that Macbeth and lady macbeth have planned to kill Duncan. Macbeth is having second thoughts but Lady Macbeth is not letting him back down by saying he is a coward and she would do it if she was in his place by saying ”When you durst do it, then you are a man. And to be more than what you were you would be so much more than a man”. Macbeth is a hearty warrior and feels as though he has to prove to Lady Macbeth he is a man and he is not a coward. Therefore due to Lady Macbeths manipulation Macbeth murders Duncan. On Macbeths return Lady Macbeth is happy but Macbeth is Filled with regret Lady Macbeth tells Macbeth to forget what happened “ A little water clears us of this deed”. Which is Ironique as At the end of the play Lady Macbeth has been in the anxiety and it has finally eaten away at her and she has gone mad and keeps seeing blood on her hands. “Out damned spot out, I say !” which in turn leads to her own suicide and portrays Lady Macbeth as taking her fate into her own hands in an evil manner, However the guilt from doing the evil task highlighted Lady Macbeth was not as manly as she wanted to be and she still had feelings, showing the audience by her suicide as an act showing she was unable to withstand the guilt of being queen knowing the great evil she had to do to get

    Read More

  • The Manipulative Lady Macbeth in Shakespeare's Macbeth

    1431 Words  | 3 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • The Character of Macbeth in William Shakespeare's Play

    633 Words  | 2 Pages

    opinions in Act 1, Scene 2. The aim of this is to build the suspense

    Read More

  • The Character of Macbeth in William Shakespeare's Play

    634 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Character of Macbeth in William Shakespeare's Play Shakespeare’s ‘Macbeth’ is a play about murder and tragedy. When we first meet Lady Macbeth’s husband, Macbeth, we see him as a loyal and honourable man, however as we read further into the play his character changes. Macbeth says to Lady Macbeth: “False face must hide what the false heart doth know. ”

    Read More

  • The Character of Macbeth in William Shakespeare's Play

    1470 Words  | 3 Pages

    The Character of Macbeth in William Shakespeare's Play At the beginning of the play Macbeth is seen as a courageous soldier

    Read More

  • Macbeth: Corruption of Power

    561 Words  | 2 Pages

    Macbeth's desire to become king is strongly supported by his wife, Lady Macbeth. Lady Macbeth is a highly ambitious woman who, like her husband, is willing to do anything to obtain power. Shakespeare uses a series of imagery to vividly portray the desire for power in Lady Macbeth's soliloquy: “Come, you spirits/That tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here,/And fill me from the crown to the toe top-full/Of direst cruelty!” To achieve her ambition, Lady Macbeth urges Macbeth “to catch the nearest way.” This means she wants him to kill Duncan so that he can become king. However, she fears that Macbeth is “too full o' th' milk of human kindness” to “catch the nearest way.” When Macbeth is reluctant to kill Duncan, Lady Macbeth starts attacking his masculinity. “Then you were a man,” she said. Lady Macbeth also uses the power of emotional blackmail to manipulate Macbeth into killing Duncan.

    Read More

  • The Breakdown of Lady Macbeth in William Shakespeare's Macbeth

    1077 Words  | 3 Pages

    is worthy of the position as the king as she expresses him as … " too

    Read More

  • Lady Macbeth: A Dynamic Character

    1263 Words  | 3 Pages

    In our society, as a rule, the man is the head of the household. However, in Shakespeare’s Macbeth, Lady Macbeth appears to be the neck that turns the head. William Shakespeare is one of the greatest writers in history, but he wasn’t recognized until the nineteenth century. He wrote many plays, sonnets, plays, and narrative plays. It was during the sixteenth century that he wrote the tragedy of Macbeth. Lady Macbeth, wife to the protagonist Macbeth, is one of Shakespeare’s most famous and evil female characters. At the start of the play, Lady Macbeth is ruthless, ambitious, cruel, and manipulative; however, by the end of the play she becomes insane and helpless. The transformation of these characteristics makes Lady Macbeth a very dynamic character.

    Read More

  • Lady Macbeth: A Multifaceted Character

    779 Words  | 2 Pages

    The play Macbeth, by William Shakespeare, explores the darkest corners of the human psyche. It artfully takes its audience to a place that allows one to examine what a human being is truly capable of once tempted by the allure of power. In the play, Scottish noble Macbeth and his wife inevitably fall prey to their own self corruption. Initiated by prophesies made by three mysterious witches, the Macbeths set their sights on the throne. When the curtains open on the plot to murder King Duncan, Lady Macbeth is the driving force. Her criminal mind and desire for ruthlessness have led many a critic to define her as evil. Closer examination, however, reveals that she is a multifaceted character; other sides to her persona include: genuine good will towards her husband, coy manipulation, and feminine tenderness.

    Read More

  • Characterization Of Lady Macbeth

    1106 Words  | 3 Pages

    Shakespeare’s piece, as an immeasurable ravine, would always be inaccessible for me to read due to the ancient English and the ancient background under which all the story had token place. I remember the first time of reading Macbeth was when I was in 8 grades. I was too young to appreciate the tragical theme; thus, my first impression of Macbeth was barely left, except knowing its short length. When I was watching the actual Shakespeare playing on the stage, my memory of my earlier reading suddenly was retrieved. However, in the end, Macbeth still left lots of questions for me to concern.

    Read More

  • Consequences of Actions in Macbeth by William Shakespeare

    773 Words  | 2 Pages

    “When you first do it, then you were a man, And to be more than what you were, you would, be so much more the man” (I. VII, 54-56). After struggling with the thought of killing Duncan, Macbeth is reprimanded by Lady Macbeth for his lack of courage. She informs him that killing the king will make him a man, insinuating that he isn’t a man if he doesn’t go through with the murder. This develops Lady Macbeth as a merciless, nasty, and selfish woman. She will say, or do anything to get what she desires, even if it means harming others.

    Read More

  • Macbeth Character Analysis Essay

    1563 Words  | 4 Pages

    Lady Macbeth is the first to strategize a way to kill Duncan. As a character foil to Macbeth she juxtaposes their possession of guilt and ruthlessness, which creates irony and excitement to the play. Originally, she is very power hungry and wants to utilize her husband’s position in status to become queen. Macbeth objects to the plan to kill Duncan because he believes Duncan is Macbeth’s kinsman, host, and an overall virtuous ruler (Act. 1 Scene. 7) and thus feels very guilty for taking advantage of Duncan’s trusting quality towards the Macbeth family. She refers to Macbeth as weak and rebukes his manhood (Act 1. Scene 7.) . As the play progresses, Lady Macbeth and Macbeth have a character role reversal of their possession of guilt and ruthlessness. The character foil is extant, however Macbeth’s ruthlessness overcomes his guilt, and Lady Macbeth’s guilt vanquishes her drive for power. In addition to an alteration in character foils, Shakespeare introduces situational irony because now Lady Macbeth succumbs to the weakness Macbeth once possessed and Macbeth is the one who is formidable and ambitious. Macbeth’s ability to transcend his guilt exemplifies his struggle for power and reinforces the theme of evil ambition because Macbeth is able to secure the throne and power only by mass

    Read More

  • Shakespeare's Characterization in Macbeth

    1196 Words  | 3 Pages

    William Shakespeare is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the history of English literature as well as the world’s paramount playwright. Possibly the most superlative writing attribute he possessed was his unmatched ability of characterization. Shakespeare created unique, opaque, and eminent characters who related to almost everyone. When one thinks of these famous characters, Shakespeare’s tragedy of Macbeth comes into consideration. Macbeth is possibly Shakespearian Theatre’s densest and most disturbed character, and this prestigious title can be credited to his obvious psychological problems. The troubled mind of Macbeth can be related to several modern day psychological problems.

    Read More

  • The Role of Lady Macbeth

    1523 Words  | 4 Pages

    Throughout William Shakespeare’s play, Macbeth, Lady Macbeth is presented as an evil, cold-hearted person, but, when it comes to the actual act of committing the murder, Lady Macbeth does not commit murder. In the end, it is Macbeth who plunges the knife into Duncan’s heart. Lady Macbeth had planned the whole murder, brought the daggers, and even intoxicated the guards, but it is Macbeth who ultimately killed Duncan. After the crime is committed, it is Macbeth who collapses and Lady Macbeth who smears blood on the guards to complete their plan. From Lady Macbeth actions, it is readily apparent that she is physiologically and physical capable of committing murder, but why does she not? Lady Macbeth is unable to kill Duncan because of the 1600s notion of how a woman should be, Macbeth, being a man should, be the one to seek power, and Lady Macbeth’s feminine qualities forbid her to commit such a crime.

    Read More

More about The Characterization of Lady Macbeth in William Shakespeare's Macbeth

Open Document