SAC: Macbeth
Examine the character of Lady Macbeth, offering an evaluation of her progression towards madness.
Macbeth is a play full of magic, mystery, murder and an overriding theme of ambition. Lady Macbeth is most likely Shakespeare's greatest and most fascinating female character, and is most susceptible to theses themes. During the play we can clearly define two different natures of Lady Macbeth. We first see her at the start of the play as a power hungry, brutally violent person vying for the throne as Queen of Scotland. Further in the play we find that she has turned into a disgraced, guiltful woman who commits suicide to get away from the pains of her actions. Thus becoming what she herself despised so much, an insecure weakling.
When Lady Macbeth first comes into the play in Act I scene V she is already presented as person lusting for the throne when she is presented with a letter from Macbeth telling her about his plans to kill the King for the throne.
Lady Macbeth by George Cattermole.
English: Poster of Thos. W. Keene in William Shake...
The sleepwalking Lady MacbethThis is when Lady Macbeths', first personality is shown, being very vicious and savage. She thinks little of the plan to kill King Duncan this giving the audience a sense that she has no morals or principles which encapsulate the makings of a normal human being. Knowing of the dangers which will come to hand she calls out ' Come you spirits, That tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here/ And fill me from the crown to the toe top full/ of driest cruelty, make thick my blood' this showing us that she wants the cold blooded aspects of a ruthless man so that she can kill the King with nor remorse or second thought. We see more of this ruthless behaviour by Lady Macbeth when, while...