Essay

Behind Every Man is a Greater Woman Shakespeare’s work is indescribable! He wrote plays with great imagination. Some of his idea’s came from his friends telling stories to him. The time period that Shakespeare was around was not the greatest period. That period is around 16th& 17th century. His stories were loved by the people. They wanted more and more of his stories. He started small then gradually got bigger and more popular. ‘Macbeth’ was written with great style Shakespeare was really creative with his imagination. Shakespeare wrote some plays with gory scene because he knew it would please King James the 1st. Shakespeare wrote plays for people with Royal connections back then it was believed that Kings & Queens were chosen by God. ‘Macbeth’ in the different ways has changed our thinking and that of the 17th century’s audience. How you ask' Well for one the women these days! Women have more respect. Women have more strength they stand up for them selves. They have ambitions to achieve. If not for ‘Macbeth’ we would probably not have any laws. People would not get punished for their crimes. Between (1533-1603) Queen Elizabeth time period people were interested in idea of witchcraft. That’s probably why Shakespeare used the witches in ‘Macbeth.’ The witch’s prophecy leads to Macbeth to his insane rule over Scotland. All the madness happened because Macbeth listened to the witches. At the start of the play Lady Macbeth starts to out really powerful in her relationships with her husband. When Lady Macbeth got the letter Macbeth showed a great sign of respect by saying “My dearest partner of greatness.” That shows that he has a lot of respect for her because of her power and it shows that they are both equal. Lady Macbeth would feel great about that because back then Ladies had no respect they were just to be at home, and do house work. If you look at the beginning of the play you can see how much power she has. She has already come up with a plan before she has even talked to her husband Macbeth. She knows Macbeth has a great respect for Duncan who is the King. “It is too full O’ the milk of human kindness”. She is saying he is too weak to and to laid back to kill Duncan. In the play when Lady Macbeth is thinking to herself. She is basically saying Macbeth can’t think for himself. I need to think for him and make up all the plans for him. I was the one who had to come up with the idea for murdering Duncan. She wants to show what he needs to do to become king of Scotland. “Which fate and metaphysical aid doth seen to have thee crowned withal.” Lady Macbeth is controlling in the way she does things. She likes to take care of things. “You shall put thus night’s great business into my dispatel”. She basically saying let me take control of the murder. Macbeth tries to get words in but Lady Macbeth stops him and says “leave all the rest to me.” She is say it’s alright relax I will handle the rest of the plan. Lady Macbeth has already made the decision about the murder as she says, “the raven himself is hoarse that croaks the fatal entrance of Duncan under my battlements”. When Macbeth hears his wife’s plan he tries to think of all the reasons why he can’t kill Duncan. There is a time were Macbeth turn the story role around and tried to stand up for himself. There is one bit were he does stand up for himself and he says “we will proceed no further in the business”. Once he had stood up for himself he said “He hath honoured me of late and I have bought golden opinions from all sorts of people”. He is saying Duncan has been very good and kind to him all of his life. Basically saying look at where he has brought me too. Lady Macbeth tries different tactics to persuade Macbeth. One of the time is when starts questioning his man hood. “Art tho afraid to be in the same thrine own act a valour as tho art in desire'” She is saying to him manly enough to do all these tasks I have given to you. There she tricks him and convinces him. There she regained control of him. Macbeth responds angrily “prithee peace I dare do all that may come a man who dares do more is none.” He gets a wee bit of backbone. He is sick and tired of listening to her controlling him and everything. She continues to nag and insult him” when you dare do it, then you were a man.” Lady Macbeth changes tactics by showing ruthlessly and determined she is. She says she would dash out her babies’ brain if it helped her to reach her goals. Macbeth still doubts himself. “If we should fail.” He has given in and allowed himself to be persuaded. Lady Macbeth in the end convinces Macbeth to murder Duncan. After the murder Lady Macbeth had to deal with her husband because he has foolishly brought the daggers back. In this case he is basically showing that they committed the murder. When Lady Macbeth told Macbeth to take the daggers back he couldn’t. She said to him “Go, get some water, and wash this filthy witness from your hand. Why did you bring these daggers the place' They must lie there! Go, carry them, and smear these sleepy grooms with blood.” There is another bit were she is taking control over Macbeth again. She commands him to do things. Once Lady Macbeth had smeared the bloods on the guards and put the daggers back she went outside next to Macbeth. There they both stood washing their life, guilt of their hands. She said to Macbeth “My hands are your colour but I shame to wear a heart so white!” There she is saying basically ashamed to be a coward. Up until this time Macbeth hasn’t said anything. Until he says “Wake Duncan with thy knocking! I would thou couldn’t!” There he is saying he regrets killing Duncan, he wishes he could really wake Duncan up after his sleep. Once the morning had come everything was different. Macduff another lord wakes up to find the dead body of the King lying in bed covered in blood. Macbeth was told what happened because they don’t know if he knew: When Macbeth found out he said “What is you say' The life'” He is trying to act surprised when the news came around to Lady Macbeth she did the same thing as Macbeth and tried to act surprised. After the murder and all had been done Lady Macbeth started to lose control over Macbeth. Macbeth saw himself as so powerful and starts to make some of his own plans. Macbeth plans Banquo’s murder with two assassins. At this point of the play Macbeth does more of the talking than Lady Macbeth. This is because Macbeth is now making his own plans. He is in control over everything. Macbeth has planned the murder. The murder has all been done. Macbeth is going to have his dinner party and Banquo isn’t there because he has been murdered. During the dinner party Macbeth is about to sit down and he see someone in his seat. He looked it was Banquo sitting there covered in blood on his face. Macbeth starts to freak out because he is seeing things. He said which of you have done this' There he thinks someone has set him up and is playing a trick on him.. He is now showing his paranoia. Macbeth is so paranoia that he starts to reveal some of the stuff that he has done. This is a very good chance for Lady Macbeth to get back in control and take charge of everything, which she does. She said to her guest “sit, worthy friends. My lord is often thus.” She is sticking up for Macbeth. Lady Macbeth loses control over Macbeth again. She’s lost him because Macbeth goes and makes his own plans again. Macbeth this time plans to kill and assassinate Macduff’s family “the castle of Macduff I will surprise, seize upon fife give to the edge o’ to the sword his wife, His babies and all unfortunate souls that trace him in his line.” Macbeth wants rid of Macduff and his family. Macbeth has sent his men to the duty of killing the family. During the story not only did Macbeth go crazy! Lady Macbeth went crazy also. Lady Macbeth towards the end of the story starts to sleep walk. Whenever Lady Macbeth is sleep walking she always has the light with her. That is probably because she is scared of the dark. At one point the doctor said “What is it she does now' Look, how she rubs her hands.” The doctor doesn’t know what she is doing but we do she is trying to wash away the blood from her hands. Lady Macbeth told a wee bit to much one time by saying “What need we fear who knows it, when none can call our power to account' Yet who would have thought the old man to have so much blood in him'” All those lines change a lot of things she has just totally revealed the murder. She also basically said who can stop us now!