Lady_Macbeth

Lady Macbeth is portrayed as a woman who has control over her husband as a thane and as a king, though in a lesser degree. She is able to convince and manipulate her husband at every turn in order to fulfill what the Witches have promised him. She asks her husband whether he would "live a coward in [his] own esteem,/ Letting I dare not' wait upon I would not'"(II.vii.43-44) than murder the king and claim the throne. It is obvious this woman is willing and desperate enough to manipulate the man she loves just to have him as King. Although she is a bit more controlling before Macbeth claims the throne, she still does the same after he becomes King. She proves her point by telling her husband not to worry about things that are done and in the past( III. ii.10-12) . We witness that she is once again accusing her husband of acting like a pusillanimous man who is afraid of his own destiny. However, Lady Macbeht's remorse about Duncan's murder is slowly manipulating her into a condition where she is not as controlling as before. Her controlling voice here is more offset by the fact that she thinks it is "safer to be that which we destroy/ Than by destruction dwell in doubtful joy" ( III.ii.6-7). Her passion for the throne ruined her affection towards her husband. As a controlling person, it is no surprise that Lady Macbeth also displays characters of a demanding person. Although her call to evil might not seem real in today's world, Shakespeare mentions it in order to illustrate Lady Macbeth's insistent attitude towards life. She adds to this play a demanding personality that responds differently and similarly to the circumstances before acquiring the throne as well as after the throne. She realizes she needs another source of evil in order to connive Duncan's murder and her husbands assertion of the throne once she receives news of the witches' prophecy from her husband. She blatantly demands the spirits to "unsex [her]fill [her] from the crown to the toe, top-full/ Of direst cruelty" (I. v. 42-43). In a way, she has no self worth, so she fixes this by demanding so much of herself. Even after Duncan's murder, she forces herself to forget the sin she and her husband committed. She forces her body to shut out the guilt that will no doubt affect her. However, this statement is contrasted when she demands nothing of Macbeth after finding out about his murderous plan for Banquos life. As a matter of fact, she persuades him to leave his thoughts alone (III. ii. 36). In Shakespeare's tradition, Lady Macbeth seems to demand while appearing not to demand anything. Her greediness is certainly leading her to destruction each time she makes a move. Lady Macbeth's principles are affected negatively as well as positively by her avarice before and after her husband claims the throne. As soon as she meets her husband in Act I, scene 5 , she does not say anything to comfort him or to congratulate him on his outstanding job as a soldier. She only feels the "future in the instant" (I. v. 58)! A medieval wife would have asked about her husband health and safety on the journey before getting on with business. This is especially effective in this case because Macbeth just came back from war! It is as if Macbeth's future has made her a business owner, and she has forgotten her duties as a wife. Even after she becomes queen, Lady Macbeth still does not show respect for her husband. While Macbeth has a vision of Banquo, she insults him in front of his friends by "dismissing his hallucination as mere nonsense[and] accusing him of being unmanly'"( III. iv. 54-59). It is not, however, entirely disrespectful, because in the midst of everything she is trying her best to distract the guests form figuring out the truth about Macbeth's deeds. Greed has enough power to make her forget that as a wife of a thane, she needs to respect her husband. Lady Macbeth's lacks the insight into the consequences of her sins as she is committing them as well as when she looks back, yet not as much before Macbeth becomes King. While she awaits for her husband to return from murdering Duncan, Lady Macbeth is heard saying "That death and nature do contend about them/ Whether they live or die" (II. ii. 6-7). She does not care who dies as long as she and her husband get the benefit. As she begins to lose her mind, she claims that "she [believed] that their power would keep them from being held accountable" (V. i. 32-35). Nevertheless, it is important to point out that she does retain some remorse because she ponders upon the Macduff's wife and "shows guilt about [her]"(V. i. 39). It's surprising that even though she was blinded while committing her sins, Lady Macbeth starts pondering about the outcomes of her sins while she is in a mental state of disorder. She is the complete epitome of what avarice is capable is capable of doing to someone's life as well as principles. Lady Macbeth's entire life has been destroyed by the entire situation of her husband's promise of the throne. In the process, she manages to lose the relationship with her husband, her womanly attributes, and her mind. However cruel Lady Macbeth may seem, her behavior in the play is completely true to its nature. Shakespeare has once again giving a magnificent character in order to portray a true and real problem in medieval times as well as modern times.