The Contradictory Characteristics of Lady Macbeth’s in Macbeth

In the Shakespearean play Macbeth, the lead character of Macbeth is seduced by the thought of gaining power. Nevertheless, it equally concentrates on his ruthless and malevolent wife and her amplified desire for control. Over the course of the play, it is evident that the play’s protagonist, Macbeth, undergoes a substantial transition in his evolution from a fearless and loyal warrior to a tyrant who only seeks revenge and bloodshed. As the play progresses, we later realize that Macbeth’s bravery and ambition are accompanied by Lady Macbeth’s ruthless and manipulative character. Despite qualities women were expected to have in Shakespeare’s time, Lady Macbeth disregarded the manner in which most women of her time acted. During the Renaissance period, women had no status and relied on male figures for guidance and support (“Elizabethan Women”). Lady Macbeth challenges the role of women during Shakespeare’s time, as she is stronger, more vicious, and more ambitious than her husband. Shakespeare illustrates a contradictory characterization of Lady Macbeth in contrast to the subservient women of the Renaissance era, creating an intriguing relationship between her and Macbeth in their quest for power.

Upon the introduction of the Macbeths in the play, it is apparent that they do not exemplify the conventional men and women of Shakespeare’s day (“Elizabethan Women”). In public, Lady Macbeth interprets the role of the typical housewife and hostess, while Macbeth is acknowledged as a brutal and loyal warrior; however, the Macbeths behave in contrary in only each other’s company. Lady Macbeth blatantly classifies herself as the dominant partner in the relationship on numerous occasions. For instance, we can clearly realize that when Mac...

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...ong to the magnitude that she was able to speak her mind and indicate that even though she was a woman who lived during the Renaissance period, she had desires just like any other man. We can clearly conclude that Lady Macbeth’s aspiration was a deep passion for power, which she blatantly exposed through her manipulative words to her husband. Shakespeare’s illustration of Lady Macbeth was in complete contrast to the Renaissance era, in which women were supposed to be maternal, frail, nonviolent, and made to serve and obey their men (“Elizabethan Women”). It is quite distinct that Shakespeare elucidated a contrary depiction of Lady Macbeth in comparison to the passive women of the Renaissance era, which portrays Macbeth to have adopted a principle that goes against all the conventional concepts of how a female should be regarded by a male during Shakespeare’s time.