Character: Lady Macbeth

Character: Lady Macbeth

Initial Introduction

  • Lady Macbeth: Her character is as central as Macbeth himself within Shakespeare’s play. She is initially depicted as enormously strong-willed and power-seeking.

Lady Macbeth’s Ambition

  • Shakespeare initially presents Lady Macbeth as driven by ruthless ambition. Her determination to see her husband as king outweighs any moral doubt or fear.
  • She manipulates Macbeth, challenging his masculinity to provoke him into carrying out the murder of Duncan.
  • Her function is to propel Macbeth towards his fate - she is integral to his initial decision to commit regicide.

Lady Macbeth’s Relationship with Darkness and the Supernatural

  • Lady Macbeth calls on darkness and supernatural forces to aid her desires. Her famous line, “unsex me here,” highlights her wish to be free of her feminine weaknesses to commit the terrible act.

Lady Macbeth’s Descent into Madness

  • As the play progresses, Lady Macbeth’s strong exterior begins to crumble. She is unable to escape the guilt and her inability to wash the imaginary ‘damned spot’ from her hands leads to her tragic end.
  • This contrasts with Macbeth. Where once he was tortured by his conscience, he later becomes desensitised to death and murder: a process Lady Macbeth doesn’t undergo.

Lady Macbeth as a Tragic Hero

  • Lady Macbeth as a tragic hero follows a distinct trajectory of aspiration, guilt, and downfall. Her relentless ambition brings about her husband’s ruin and her own madness and death.

Lady Macbeth’s Relationship with Macbeth

  • Despite the deeds she supports and drives, Lady Macbeth truly loves her husband. Her ultimate fear is that the murder of Duncan may not secure the throne for Macbeth.
  • By Act 3, she realises Macbeth no longer needs her to make decisions. This frustration, coupled with her consuming guilt, pushes her towards her demise.

Power dynamics

  • The shifting power dynamic between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth throughout the play is notable. Initially, Lady Macbeth has the reins of the relationship, later this power is wielded by Macbeth.

Themes

  • Lady Macbeth and the theme of masculinity: Her relationship with masculinity is instrumental in understanding the character. She continually criticises Macbeth’s masculinity to goad him into murder.
  • Lady Macbeth and the theme of Unnatural vs Natural: Her ambition reverses the ‘natural’ gender roles, as she plans the murder instead of her husband. However, her guilt and madness restores the theme of natural order.

Overall, Shakespeare presents Lady Macbeth as a complex character - driven by ambition, willing to set aside morality, yet ultimately succumbing to guilt and madness.