lady macbeth change essay

Lady Macbeth Character Analysis

Lady Macbeth is possibly Shakespeare’s most famous and vivid female character. Everyone, whether they have read or seen the Macbeth play , has a view of her. She is generally depicted in the popular mind as the epitome of evil, and images of her appear over and over again in several cultures. She is usually portrayed in pictures as something like a Disney character, a cross between Cruella DeVille and the wicked stepmother in Snow White.

Although she has some of the most bloodthirsty lines in Shakespeare she is not quite Cruella De Ville or the wicked stepmother. The response she gets from the male characters suggests that she is a young, sexually attractive woman and, indeed, in her effort to influence Macbeth, she uses every method at her disposal, including the employment of her sexual charms.

She is usually depicted as a strong, tough woman and, in her drive to induce Macbeth to murder King Duncan, she appears to be that, but, having succeeded, it does not take long for her to crumble and break down, destroyed by guilt, and she ends up committing suicide.

Shakespeare does not have any evil characters. What he has are ordinary human beings, like you and me, placed in situations that challenge and test them. Some of them, like Iago in Othello , have personality defects, but that’s rare in Shakespeare and it’s not the case with Lady Mcbeth.

The challenges that Shakespeare presents his characters with generates different responses from different people. Lady Macbeth’s challenge is that she discovers that her husband has been tempted by an encounter with three witches to do something about their prediction that he will become king. She knows that the king would have to die for that to happen. When she gets a message that King Duncan plans to spend the night with them at Glamys Castle it seems to confirm the thought that they would have to kill him and that this was their once in a lifetime opportunity. That’s the situation into which she has been thrust.

She is as ambitious as Macbeth but she knows that for all his bravery in battle, all his soldierly and diplomatic qualities, he is basically much too soft –“too full of the milk of human kindness” – to take advantage of the opportunity. She makes up her mind to make him do it.

And she is right about his lack of resolve – they talk it over and he tells her that he just can’t do it. She goes into high gear and virtually holds his hand through it. One of her strongest qualities is persistence and she shows it here. Macbeth hesitates, equivocates and falters but she holds firm. She argues the case, she mocks him, bringing his manhood into question, she appeals to his sense of loyalty to her, she takes him to bed, and she finally prevails.

Macbeth kills Duncan in his sleep and from that moment their marriage begins to fall apart. They each fall into their own guilt-trip and hardly speak to each other. As king, Macbeth fears his political enemies and embarks on a reign of terror while Lady Macbeth stays in bed, unable to sleep, having nightmares when she does manage it. While walking and talking in her sleep she gives the game away about what they have done and sinks into a moral, physical and spiritual collapse. When Macbeth is on his last legs, with the rebels closing in, he gets the message that she’s dead. At that point, he says he doesn’t have time to think about it. “She should have died hereafter,” he says. Their partnership in this murderous enterprise has destroyed their marriage.

The promise of strength that we see in her at the beginning of the play is an illusion. What we are seeing is naked ambition and a willingness to act on it without having the resources to deal with the consequences. We see how guilt can eat up your soul and destroy you. We see how hollow ambition is, both in her journey and Macbeth’s. (Read the most significant Macbeth ambition quotes .)

Character attributes

Some significant character attributes of Lady Macbeth are:

Controlling – she understands that her husband doesn’t have the savageness required to murder the king of his own accord, so she manipulates him. She plans out the murder, then takes control of events when Macbeth loses his mind.
Cruel – she is a violent, cold-blooded character who is happy to scheme the murder. She ridicules Macbeth when he doesn’t agree to participate in her violent plans.
Two-faced – she welcomes King Duncan like a friend whilst at the same time planning his murder. She also advises Macbeth to be two-faced.

Erika Sunnegårdh playing Lady Macbeth stands on stage in a blue dress holding a large axe

Erika Sunnegårdh as Lady Macbeth

Top Lady Macbeth Quotes

“I fear thy nature; It is too full o’ th’ milk of human kindness

( act 1, scene 5 )

“To beguile the time, Look like the time; bear welcome in your eye, Your hand, your tongue; look like th’ innocent flower, But be the serpent under’t.”

“ The raven himself is hoarse That croaks the fatal entrance of Duncan Under my battlements”

“Come, you spirits That tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here,

“Would’st thou have that Which thou esteem’st the ornament of life, And live a coward in thine own esteem, Letting “I dare not” wait upon “I would,” Like the poor cat i’ th’ adage? “

( act 1, scene 7 )

“I have given suck, and know How tender ’tis to love the babe that milks me. I would, while it was smiling in my face, Have plucked my nipple from his boneless gums And dashed the brains out, had I so sworn as you Have done to this.”

“ Out! damned spot! “

( act 5, scene 1 )

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Common Questions About Lady Macbeth

Is lady macbeth a true story.

Although Shakespeare used the names of real historical people in writing Hamlet, the events of the drama are mostly made up. So in that sense, Lady Macbeth is not a real character. There was an 11th-century Scottish king named Mac Bethad Mac Findlaich . Presumably, he had a wife but we know nothing about her.

What kind of character is Lady Macbeth?

Lady Macbeth is ambitious. She is manipulative and uses several techniques of a skilled manipulator to entice Macbeth into the murder of Duncan. Usually thought of as a hard, ruthless woman, she is, in reality, soft. Not long after the murder, unable to cope with her guilt, she falls apart and loses all sense of herself.

What happens to Lady Macbeth?

Lady Macbeth tries to prop her husband up as he descends into a guilt-ridden hell but she soon falls victim to the same condition. Her whole life literally becomes a nightmare, in which she relives the event that has brought her condition about. Her life becomes unbearable and she commits suicide.

Who does Lady Macbeth kill?

Lady Macbeth does not personally kill anyone. She conspires in the murder of the king, Duncan, though, and actively encourages Macbeth to kill him. It is Macbeth who does the actual killing. Lady Macbeth plays no part in the many further killings that Macbeth engineers. Soon after the killing of Duncan the two don’t even talk to each other.

What made Lady Macbeth go crazy?

Lady Macbeth is partly responsible for the kind of killing that was taboo in Mediaeval Scotland – murdering one’s king, murdering one’s relative and murdering a guest in one’s house. In killing Duncan the couple did all three. She begins to have nightmares about the murder and, in particular, the blood on her hands, which she can’t get rid of no matter how hard she scrubs. That drives her to suicide.

How does Lady Macbeth feel after the killing of Duncan?

Once Duncan is killed Lady Macbeth is pleased that her ambition to be the wife of a king has been achieved, but that feeling very soon turns sour as guilt begins to eat away at her. She then she has feelings that she can’t live with, and ends up killing herself (one of 13 suicides in Shakespeare’s plays ).

Is 2016 film Lady Macbeth based on Shakespeare’s Lady Macbeth character?

No. Lady Macbeth is a 2016 British film based on Nikolai Leskov’s novella Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District , and starring Florence Pugh.

Lady Macbeth as Powerful

The essay below uses this simple structure:, an introductory paragraph to summarise an answer to the question, one paragraph about the extract, one about the rest of the play, one about context., lady macbeth:, the raven himself is hoarse, that croaks the fatal entrance of duncan, under my battlements. come, you spirits, that tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here,, and fill me from the crown to the toe top-full, of direst cruelty. make thick my blood., stop up the access and passage to remorse ,, that no compunctious visitings of nature, shake my fell purpose, nor keep peace between, the effect and it come to my woman’s breasts,, and take my milk for gall , you murd'ring ministers,, wherever in your sightless substances, you wait on nature’s mischief. come, thick night,, and pall thee in the dunnest smoke of hell,, that my keen knife see not the wound it makes,, nor heaven peep through the blanket of the dark, to cry “hold, hold”, starting with this speech, explain how far you think shakespeare presents lady macbeth as a powerful woman., write about:, how shakespeare presents lady macbeth in this speech, how shakespeare presents lady macbeth in the play as a whole., the essay below is written using a simple structure:, an introductory paragraph to summarise an answer to the question., one paragraph about the extract., one about the rest of the play., before you read the answer below, why not have a think about how you'd answer this question. i've highlighted the quotes i'd write about - do you agree or would you focus elsewhere also, which sections from the rest of the play would you focus on and what contextual factors influenced lady macbeth's presentation, most importantly, though, have a think about how you'd write that opening paragraph - answer the question in two or three simple sentences., an example answer, during the majority of the play, lady macbeth is presented as being a powerful woman who defies the expected gender stereotype of the caring, soft, gentle female. by the end of the play, however, she kills herself as she discovers that although she can order the rest of the world around, she cannot control her own guilt, right at the opening of this speech, lady macbeth makes her position known when she describes “my” battlements. the use of the possessive pronoun emphasises that she thinks of the castle walls as being her own. she follows this by calling “come you spirits.” the use of this magic spell has two effects on the audience: firstly, she is calling for dark magic to come and support her. this would have reminded the audience of the possibility that she was a witch and had all the evil powers connected with them. also, she is using an imperative here: “come you spirits.” she’s not asking them but telling them. this shows that she expects even the supernatural world to answer to her demands. one of the things she demands is that they “stop up the access and passage to remorse.” this means that lady macbeth doesn’t want to feel any regret for what she is about to do, which would make her powerful. she is no longer going to be slowed down by feelings of compassion or care in her pursuit of power. finally, she says that the spirits should “take my milk for gall.” here, she is asking that her own milk be turned to poison. this suggests that she is turning something caring and supportive into something deadly, giving her even more evil powers. also, milk is pure white and suggests innocence and purity so lady macbeth is asking that what is innocent and pure about her gets turned into something deadly. throughout this speech lady macbeth sets herself up as being someone very powerful, who is able to control even the spirits., her power continues throughout the play. lady macbeth suggests the murder and talks macbeth into it – showing that she is powerfully persuasive. she also plans the murder, showing that she is intelligent as well. she also stays calm under pressure, such as when macbeth arrives with the daggers from the murder scene but lady macbeth returns them to the scene so that they don’t get caught. she is also able to manipulate macduff when she faints in shock after they discover duncan’s body. you could easily argue that lady macbeth’s ambition was more powerful than macbeth’s, and that the murder wouldn’t have ever happened with her involvement. she is determined to become powerful and will stop at nothing to get it. at the end the play though she is caught sleepwalking, and she confesses to all that they’ve done. this is interesting, however, as while she is sleep-walking she is not in control of herself so she is not really aware of what she’s doing. it could be the case that lady macbeth herself never felt guilty, though she couldn’t hide her real feelings from her dreams. in the end, she dies. malcolm claims that she killed herself quite violently, but since it happens off-stage we cannot be sure. what is clear is that although she could push macbeth around, and trick macduff, and even order the spirits to do her bidding, she couldn’t order the blood off her own hands., shakespeare presents a very powerful female character in lady macbeth, and although this would have been quite radical for people in jacobean england there were other powerful, female role models to choose from: bloody mary or queen elizabeth are good examples. this play, however, was written for king james who had just taken the throne of england, and james was not a fan of queen elizabeth – who had killed his mother, mary queen of scots (and he might not even have been a big fan of his mum, because she married the man who killed his dad) as a result, james would have enjoyed seeing this powerful woman become such a villain and then getting punished for her crimes..

Illustration of bloody hands reaching for the sky in the night

by William Shakespeare

Discussion Topic

The evolution of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth's relationship throughout the play

Macbeth and Lady Macbeth's relationship evolves from a close partnership to a distant and strained connection. Initially, they are united in ambition and crime, conspiring together to murder King Duncan. However, as Macbeth becomes consumed by paranoia and guilt, he increasingly isolates himself. Meanwhile, Lady Macbeth, overwhelmed by guilt, descends into madness, leading to their ultimate disconnection and tragedy.

characters: Macbeth

characters: Lady Macbeth

plot: Act 1

plot: act 3

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I have a minor in psychology, a BA in English, and an MA in teaching.

How does the relationship of the Macbeths evolve from the start of the play to their deaths?

Since the question lacks what specific aspects of the relationship need to be charted (and how they would be charted), the answer will follow and illustrate the relationship between Macbeth and his wife, Lady Macbeth (William Shakespeare's Macbeth ).

In the first scene where readers see Lady Macbeth , she fails to show much love for her husband. In fact, Lady Macbeth does not think very much of her husband at all.

Yet do I fear thy nature; It is too full o’ the milk of human kindness(15) To catch the nearest way.

Here, Lady Macbeth suggests to readers that her husband is less than a man, being too similar to a child/infant. She goes on, during her soliloquy , to state that she should be the one who should insure the throne passes to her husband. She, clearly, does not respect her husband.

Macbeth, on the other hand, refuses to challenge his wife. He seems to understand that she is far more powerful than he, and he does not wish to question her. In fact, when she openly discusses her plan to murder Duncan , Macbeth simply states that they "will speak further" at another time, pushing the discussion to the side. He simply does not wish to be confrontational with her.

As the play progresses, Macbeth's ability to stand up to his wife increases. At one point, after deciding to murder Banquo , Macbeth tells his wife to "be innocent of the knowledge, dearest chuck" (3.2.46). He has finally become a man and knows what must be done. He does not need his wife to look out for him any longer. Macbeth knows what must be done, and he takes a stand on his own.

Once Lady Macbeth becomes apparently ill, Macbeth does begin to worry about her. He recognizes that her death will cause him great sadness, and her death does impact him. That said, Lady Macbeth's feelings for her husband are somewhat masked. Outside of her coming to his rescue at his celebration dinner (where she makes excuses for his questionable behavior), one can support the idea that she is only helping him because she wants the throne as much as he does. Her actions do not necessarily state anything about how she really feels about her husband.

Upon Macbeth's death, nothing is said of his wife. Readers cannot assume that he misses her, that her life or death meant anything to him. In fact, one can more readily state that Macbeth's wife only helped him to get what he desired (the throne). After that, he no longer needed her (nor she him in reality).

Cite this page as follows:

Stowers, Lorna. "The evolution of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth's relationship throughout the play" edited by eNotes Editorial, 21 Oct. 2013, https://www.enotes.com/topics/macbeth/questions/the-evolution-of-macbeth-and-lady-macbeth-s-3129457.

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How does the relationship between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth evolve throughout Macbeth?

In Acts I and II of Macbeth , Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are integrated (share the same views) in their desire for power. Their marriage seems to be a practical means to a political end. Neither have married, it seems, for love or children. Rather, they seem intent are being collaborative power brokers, using the semblance of marriage for show.

Lady Macbeth knows that women have no independent power in Medieval Scotland; instead, women must live vicariously through their husbands. Therefore, she resorts to motivating Macbeth by any means necessary: she de-genders herself privately and calls out his manhood publicly. Then, she devises the plan to murder the king. Taken together, she becomes a persuasive accomplice, a validation of Macbeth's own secret desire, a Freudian id who sways him from away from the guilt of superego . Lady Macbeth, however, cannot cross-over into the violent world of men; she cannot stab Duncan herself, which shows that she needs Macbeth more than he needs her.

In Act III, after Macbeth has become King, the relationship changes from integrated to more segregated. There is a division of labor in the marriage. Her front-end work done, Lady Macbeth dissolves into the background and into mental illness. Macbeth does not consult her in the murder of Banquo; rather, he wants to surprise her with his own plan and execution. Macbeth goes on more killing sprees ("blood will have blood"), while Lady Macbeth cannot reconcile her guilt over the murder of Duncan, perhaps because he looks too much like her father.

While Macbeth continues to let his id run amok in Acts IV and V, Lady Macbeth becomes a sleepwalking superego , confessing her sins to her chamber-maid nightly. In the end, the blood and guilt are too much, and she uses suicide as the ultimate cleansing agent. Macbeth, though, is determined to fight to the death. Herein lies a major gender difference. Having been deceived by the riddles and plans of women, Macbeth resorts to what men do best: combat. His unremorseless soliloquy and show of violent defiance are but his final assertions of unadulterated manhood: he is no longer married to woman, God, or country; instead, he is a free agent thane hell-bent on nihilism.

Stultz, Michael. "The evolution of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth's relationship throughout the play" edited by eNotes Editorial, 2 Nov. 2010, https://www.enotes.com/topics/macbeth/questions/the-evolution-of-macbeth-and-lady-macbeth-s-3129457.

What is the evolution of the relationship between Lady Macbeth and Macbeth throughout the play?

As the play Macbeth begins, the relationship between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth seems to be one of trust and commitment. Macbeth finds himself caught up in the predictions the witches make and he confides what he has learned from the witches in a letter to Lady Macbeth. She pridefully boasts and begins to allow her ideas of his possible power to spin out of control. She uses all of her womanly influence to manipulate him into killing his cousin, Duncan, to become king. She goes so far as to question his manhood if he does not kill him. She realizes that the sleeping Duncan reminds her of her father and cannot do this herself. As Macbeth gets deeper and deeper into his plots of murder and power, he confides less and less in Lady Macbeth, which at this point she realizes that her influence is not as powerful over him and she becomes frightened of the ghosts that he begins to see. He does not tell her of his murderous exploits that drag him further and further towards total destruction as a character. He does orders killings of women and children, which seem our of character for the war hero that we meet in the beginning of the story. Murder and lies begat murder and lies. She realizes that she has lost control over Macbeth and her feelings of guilt over the murders leads her to hallucinate that she has blood, which represents her guilt, that she cannot wash away. This leads to her destruction and suicide.

Dudley, Terri. "The evolution of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth's relationship throughout the play" edited by eNotes Editorial, 26 Oct. 2009, https://www.enotes.com/topics/macbeth/questions/the-evolution-of-macbeth-and-lady-macbeth-s-3129457.

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How does the relationship between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth deteriorate in Macbeth?

I think you have a good start there. A thesis statement should be direct and clear, and to the point. You have the beginning of a good thesis statement because you have made an argument about Lady Macbeth and Macbeth. You just need to go one step further and explain.

I would add to this thesis statement with an explanation of why their relationship deteriorates. Here is an example:

In Macbeth , the relationship between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth deteriorates as the play progresses because after she pushes him to kill Duncan, he becomes more and more violent.

Consider the conversations between Lady Macbeth and Macbeth. He writes her a letter, but when he meets her face to face all she can talk about and think about is how he is going to become king. She does not listen to him when he seems to talk himself out of killing Duncan because the king has done nothing to deserve it. Macbeth tells her they will “proceed no further in this business” because the promotion is enough.

Was the hope drunk Wherein you dress'd yourself? Hath it slept since?(40) And wakes it now, to look so green and pale At what it did so freely? (Act 1, Scene 7, p. 23)

When Macbeth asks her what should happen if they fail, certainly a reasonable question, she scoffs at him again.

We fail? But screw your courage to the sticking-place, And we'll not fail. (Act 1, Scene 7, p. 24)

She is basically telling him as long as he is brave he will not fail. She is completely dismissing his justifiable concerns. With him pushing her on, he can do nothing put go through with the plan.

Unfortunately, Lady Macbeth has unleashed a force she cannot control. She does not want him to kill Banquo or Macduff ’s family, and in fact does not know he is going to do this. She goes mad with guilt, and kills herself. Macbeth’s reaction? “She should have died hereafter” (Act 5, Scene 5, p. 84).

Macbeth goes on to make a beautiful, if not dismal, speech about how life is meaningless, but he does not properly grieve for her. The two have been separated, and the gulf between their emotional states is too wide.

Tracy, Trinity. "The evolution of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth's relationship throughout the play" edited by eNotes Editorial, 10 Oct. 2012, https://www.enotes.com/topics/macbeth/questions/the-evolution-of-macbeth-and-lady-macbeth-s-3129457.

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How and why does the relationship between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth change?

Before he commits the murder of Duncan, Macbeth seems to realize something that Lady Macbeth does not. He says, "If it were done when 'tis done, then 'twere well / It were done quickly" (act 1, scene 7, lines 1–2). In other words, if he could simply become king, secure in his power and position, only by committing this one terrible act, then it wouldn't be so bad to just do it and get it over with so that he and his wife could begin this next chapter. However, Macbeth seems to understand that it will not be enough to just kill the king; more will ultimately be required of him and his wife in order to maintain their new privilege.

To be fair, Macbeth seems never to have told Lady Macbeth about the "weird sisters'" prophecy for Banquo, that he would father kings, and so she is, perhaps, unaware of any reason that Macbeth would feel the need to get rid of his one-time best friend. Later, still, Macbeth tells Lady Macbeth, "We are yet but young in deed" (act 3, scene 4, line 176). Lady Macbeth has long thought of her husband as somewhat weak, implying that he is not a man if he will not kill Duncan or if he cannot stop hallucinating. Thus, Macbeth arranging for the murder of Banquo, the attempted murder of Fleance , and the horrifyingly unnecessary murders of the wife and children of Macduff must come as a shock to her. She has helped to create a monster, so to speak, and the extent of the evil to which Macbeth is driven seems to weigh heavily on her conscience. When she sleepwalks in act 5, scene 1, she asks,

The Thane of Fife had a wife, Where is she now? —What, will these hands ne'er be clean? (act 5, scene 1, lines 44–45)

Thus, she links the deaths Macbeth has caused to her own guilty conscience, and this seems to be a major factor in their changing relationship. She had evidently been prepared for one murder but not for multiple—and certainly not for the murders of a woman and children who had done nothing wrong.

Her developing understanding of the monster she created drives Lady Macbeth and Macbeth apart. He is prepared to go to much greater lengths than she is to retain their power, and his conscience is better able to support these crimes than hers is because he was more prescient than she was prior to the first one.

Guggenheim, Laura. "The evolution of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth's relationship throughout the play" edited by eNotes Editorial, 28 Nov. 2020, https://www.enotes.com/topics/macbeth/questions/the-evolution-of-macbeth-and-lady-macbeth-s-3129457.

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Initially, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are the ultimate power couple. They are both committed to Duncan's murder—albeit with varying degrees of commitment—and see Macbeth's subsequent elevation to the throne of Scotland as fulfilling his destiny.

There is a sense that once Macbeth has achieved his wicked goals, Lady Macbeth will attain a position of equal power and authority within the kingdom, since without her, Macbeth would not have been able to rise so far and so fast. She was the main mover behind the plan to assassinate Duncan; she was the one who constantly cajoled, bullied, and pleaded with Macbeth to go ahead with the murder when he seemed to be getting cold feet. It's not unreasonable, then, for Lady Macbeth to expect great power to come her way once her husband is safely ensconced on the throne.

But that's not what happens. Once Macbeth becomes king, his wife fades from the picture, marginalized and ignored by the man she whom helped to grab the biggest prize. As Macbeth descends deeper and deeper into outright tyranny, he finds that he no longer needs his wife—he can rule just as well without her, he thinks. The irony here is that it was Lady Macbeth's sheer bloody ruthlessness more than anything else that led to Macbeth's becoming king of Scotland. Yet now, as he develops into a blood-thirsty despot, he makes increasingly cruel, barbaric decisions on his own—decisions that (again, ironically) Lady Macbeth would almost certainly not have advised him to make.

Morrison, David. "The evolution of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth's relationship throughout the play" edited by eNotes Editorial, 28 July 2019, https://www.enotes.com/topics/macbeth/questions/the-evolution-of-macbeth-and-lady-macbeth-s-3129457.

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I have been teaching high school level English (grades 10-12) for 20 years.

Initially, Lady Macbeth seems to be the one to 'wear the pants' in the relationship. She is the one to first suggest that King Duncan die before leaving Macbeth's castle, and she calls on the spirits to 'unsex her' or take away her femininity so that she can play her part in the murderous scene. Macbeth is very unsure about murdering the king whereas Lady Macbeth is confident and zealous to accomplish the deed. She is the one who makes all the plans, and keeps them from Macbeth until the time is right.

After the murder is committed, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth begin to almost switch places. Macbeth keeps secrets from Lady Macbeth, such as Banquo's death. Lady Macbeth becomes the one who is unstable and unsure - to the point where she goes insane because she cannot handle what she has done. Macbeth becomes seemingly harsh and evil, confidently deciding to kill whoever might threaten his time on the throne.

For both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, their greed, selfishness, and desire for the throne blind them to everything else and deteriorate their relationship to the point that upon Lady Macbeth's death, Macbeth barely seems to be concerned.

Lowery, Elinor. "The evolution of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth's relationship throughout the play" edited by eNotes Editorial, 11 July 2007, https://www.enotes.com/topics/macbeth/questions/the-evolution-of-macbeth-and-lady-macbeth-s-3129457.

At first, the Macbeths are a power couple, with Lady Macbeth taking a dominant role in their partnership. It is she who constantly urges and cajoles her husband into taking the fateful decision to murder Duncan. But once the dirty deed has been committed, Macbeth marginalizes his wife, no longer paying heed to her advice. He becomes so obsessed with fulfilling the witches' prophecies that he develops into a full-blown tyrant, destroying anyone who might conceivably be a threat to his throne.

The murder of Duncan, though brutal and treacherous, did at least have a certain logic to it. But the killings that Macbeth commits after ascending to the throne are truly diabolical and would arguably not have happened had Macbeth continued to listen to his wife's advice. The power that Lady Macbeth sought to gain was purely of this earth, but Macbeth made a stand with the forces of darkness, and it is from there that he derives the sanction for his increasingly tyrannical rule.

Morrison, David. "The evolution of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth's relationship throughout the play" edited by eNotes Editorial, 5 Oct. 2018, https://www.enotes.com/topics/macbeth/questions/the-evolution-of-macbeth-and-lady-macbeth-s-3129457.

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Reynolds has taught for more than ten years at the university level.

Macbeth and Lady Macbeth grow more distant as time goes on. They no longer confide in each other. Their crime has damaged their relationship.

There is also a strong element of role reversal as the play goes on. Lady Macbeth starts out as the person who wants to kill all conscience and remorse and who berates Macbeth for his horror at a little blood. She initially and forcefully prods him to be a "man" and not have qualms about murder. She says he must keep to his resolution to kill Duncan, as she would keep a promise, even if it meant dashing her baby's brains out.

By the end of the play, however, Lady Macbeth is so overwhelmed with remorse that she routinely sleepwalks and tries to wash the blood of murder off her hands. She is not as hard and ruthless as she imagined herself when the play began. Her guilt becomes so unbearable that she, in fact, kills herself. Macbeth, on the other hand, who started off knowing he was doing a terrible thing that would lead to more and more bloodshed, becomes the one truly hardened and morally bankrupt by the end of the play.

Reynolds, D.. "The evolution of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth's relationship throughout the play" edited by eNotes Editorial, 2 Oct. 2018, https://www.enotes.com/topics/macbeth/questions/the-evolution-of-macbeth-and-lady-macbeth-s-3129457.

In the beginning of the play, Lady Macbeth is very much the driving force in the marriage. Macbeth tells her about the prophecies, and she tells him that he needs to kill Duncan. He is reluctant, and she pushes him on. Lady Macbeth is annoyed. Why did he even bother to tell her about the witches if he wasn’t going to do anything about it?

What beast was't then That made you break this enterprise to me? When you durst do it, then you were a man;(55) And, to be more than what you were, you would Be so much more the man. ( Act I , Scene 7)

Lady Macbeth plans everything carefully, and makes sure Macbeth carries out her orders to the letter. She gets annoyed with him for feeling fear and doubt, and she scolds him for being a coward. Gradually, he begins to gain confidence. When Malcolm and Donalbain flee and he sees that the plan has worked, the tables turn. Now he begins to take control of the relationship. Fearing that she has created a monster, and Macbeth is no longer following her lead, she asks him what he is planning.

Be innocent of the knowledge, dearest chuck,(50) Till thou applaud the deed. (Act 3, Scene 2)

He shuts her out, and she no longer knows what is going on inside his head. His plans become more erratic, and more murderous. He has Banquo killed, and Macduff’s entire family. Soon he has become trapped, holed up in his castle with whoever is still loyal to him, while Malcolm’s army comes. At this point, Lady Macbeth can no longer bear the guilt she had in causing this. She kills herself.

Tracy, Trinity. "The evolution of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth's relationship throughout the play" edited by eNotes Editorial, 10 Apr. 2013, https://www.enotes.com/topics/macbeth/questions/the-evolution-of-macbeth-and-lady-macbeth-s-3129457.

1,177 answers

I have been teaching English at the high school level for twenty-four years.

In the beginning, Macbeth depended upon Lady Macbeth for his motivation. Macbeth had changed his mind about murdering King Duncan:

We will proceed no further in this business. He has recently honored me,

When Macbeth had changed his mind about the murdering of King Duncan, Lady Macbeth influenced him to follow through with the murder:

Are you afraid To be the same man in reality As the one you wish to be?

Macbeth agreed to follow through with the murder, claiming that Lady Macbeth had convinced him to proceed with the terrible event:

I’m convinced, and I commit Every part of my body to this terrible event.

After the murder, Macbeth began to take charge. He no longer depended upon Lady Macbeth for courage. He began planning Banquo's murder without sharing his plans with Lady Macbeth. Although she knew he was planning something, she did not know exactly what Macbeth was planning. Macbeth talks in riddles of his fear of Banquo:

We have crushed the snake, but we haven’t killed it; She'll recover, and be herself, while our poor evil-doing Remains in danger of her poisonous bite.

Here, Macbeth is referring to Banquo. Since Banquo heard the witches' prophecies to Macbeth, Banquo is a threat. Here, Macbeth is contemplating the murder of Banquo. He does not seem to need Lady Macbeth's influence. Macbeth is taking charge of the situation without the influence of his dear wife.

Macbeth is in torment for what he has done. He and Lady Macbeth seem to be growing apart. Macbeth begins making decisions without her consent or approval. He has Macduff's wife and children killed of his own will. Lady Macbeth begins going down her own road toward insanity. She cannot wash the bloodstains from her hands:

Out, damned spot! Out, I say! One; two; why, then it is time to do it. Hell is murky! For shame, my lord, for shame! A soldier, and afeard? 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 had so much blood in him?

The doctor cannot help Lady Macbeth. She is lost in her own guilt. While she struggles with sanity, Macbeth has gone on his own way, killing whoever gets in the way of his plan. He no longer needs Lady Macbeth for strength. He is stronger than ever it seems. Lady Macbeth has taken a turn for the worse. She is no longer capable of encouragement or influence. Truly, Macbeth has lost Lady Macbeth. She has crossed over into insanity. She is no longer capable of helping Macbeth. The two of them have grown apart.

Sumner, Loreen. "The evolution of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth's relationship throughout the play" edited by eNotes Editorial, 9 Sep. 2011, https://www.enotes.com/topics/macbeth/questions/the-evolution-of-macbeth-and-lady-macbeth-s-3129457.

Immediately after Duncan's murder, Macbeth seems overwhelmed by his guilt, while Lady Macbeth seems immune to it. He begins to panic because he could not, physically, pronounce the word "Amen," and he interprets this as the result of his complete loss of God's blessing. She tells him, "These deeds must not be thought / After these ways; so, it will make us mad" (2.2.45-46). Lady Macbeth is afraid that if they dwell on the murder and all the possible repercussions, it will actually drive them insane. Likewise, Macbeth fears that he will never be able to sleep peacefully again because he murdered Duncan while the king was asleep. Finally, he claims that there is not enough water in the ocean to cleanse his hands of Duncan's blood: "this my hand will rather / The multitudinous seas incarnadine, / Making the green one red" (2.2.79-81). However, his wife claims that "A little water clears [them] of this deed" (2.2.86). She seems utterly without guilt over what they have done.

By the last act of the play, though, Lady Macbeth is seen sleepwalking as a result of her guilty conscience. Whereas Macbeth once thought that he would not be able to sleep peacefully, it is now she who cannot. She said then that she only needed a little water to put the deed behind her, but now she says that "All / the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little / hand" (5.1.53-55). She warned Macbeth not to dwell or else he would go crazy, and it becomes clear that she's been dwelling on the murder and it has driven her mad. She imagines that Duncan's blood is still on her hands and that she cannot get the "damned spot" out (5.1.37). Macbeth, on the other hand, has become as ruthless as Lady Macbeth once tried to be, even arranging for the murder of innocent women and children in a show of power.

Guggenheim, Laura. "The evolution of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth's relationship throughout the play" edited by eNotes Editorial, 23 May 2016, https://www.enotes.com/topics/macbeth/questions/the-evolution-of-macbeth-and-lady-macbeth-s-3129457.

M.A. from The University of Alabama

Educator since 2008

16,104 answers

I have taught English and French at the college level. I take great delight in reading and writing about literature.

Macbeth, the brutal warrior of Act I who is referred to a "Bellona's [the goddess of war]bridegroom" defeats Macdonaldwald and is awarded the title of Thane of Cawdor by the king for his bravery. Yet, knowing her husband, Lady Macbeth fears his nature:

It is too full o' th'milk of human kindness/To catch the nearest way. Thou wouldst be great,/Art not without ambition, but without/The illness should attend it. (I,v,16-18)

So, in order for Macbeth to attain what Lady Macbeth can except for his trepidation, she continues,

And that which rather thou dost fear to doThan wishest should be undone. Hie thee hither,/That I may pour my spirits in thine ear,/And chastise with the valor of my tongue/All that impedes thee from the golden round/Which fate and metaphsical aid doth seem/To have thee crowned withal. (I,v,24-29)

Thus, Lady Macbeth becomes the driving force for Macbeth's ambition to be king. She "unsexes" herself and goads him into killing Duncan when he visits their castle.

However, as the play progresses, it is Macbeth who surpresses conscience to desire, killing recklessly, while Lady Macbeth finds her conscience and, guilt-ridden, commits suicide.

"The evolution of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth's relationship throughout the play" edited by eNotes Editorial, 9 June 2009, https://www.enotes.com/topics/macbeth/questions/the-evolution-of-macbeth-and-lady-macbeth-s-3129457.

Educator since 2007

3,250 answers

I have a BA in English and taught at the elementary level for several years.

At the beginning of the play, Macbeth is a good man, a nobleman, and a respected warrior. Lady Macbeth, on the other hand, is ruthless and ambitious. When Macbeth reveals the witches' prophesies to his wife, it is Lady Macbeth who wants to take things into their own hands to make them come true. She is excited that it has been foretold that her husband will be King, and wants it to happen right away. She plots to kill Duncan, the present King, so that Macbeth will ascend to the throne immediately, and is afraid only that Macbeth is too soft, "too full o' the milk of human kindness" (I,v,17) to take the direct route to fulfill their ambitions. She scorns her husband for not having the ruthlessness to kill Duncan so his own quick accession to the throne will be assured.

Macbeth is essentially goaded by his wife into killing Duncan, but once he has embarked on the road of immorality and murder, he continues with a vengeance, even though he is at times wracked by guilt. Lady Macbeth, on the other hand, is tormented by remorse to the point that her sanity is threatened and eventually lost. As Macbeth arranges to have Duncan, Banquo, Fleance, Duncan's attendants, and Macduff's family murdered, Lady Macbeth descends into madness, sleepwalking in the night and envisioning blood on her hands. While Macbeth, driven now by ambition, arises to forcefully secures the throne, Lady Macbeth loses touch with reality and sinks to the point to where she finally kills herself.

Matsuoka, Donna. "The evolution of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth's relationship throughout the play" edited by eNotes Editorial, 9 June 2009, https://www.enotes.com/topics/macbeth/questions/the-evolution-of-macbeth-and-lady-macbeth-s-3129457.

237 answers

Teacher, coach, reader, B.A. M.A. B.Ed.

At the beginning of the play MacBeth is a soldier who listens to the advice and suggestions of Lady MacBeth, his figurative "general." At first MacBeth is indecisive and cannot see the larger battefield that is their lives. He meets with the weird sisters and is baffled by their prophecies. It is Lady MacBeth who urges MacBeth to "screw his courage to the sticking place" and literally make the prophecies come true. When her husband leaves the murdered Duncan, she returns the daggers to the scene of the crime and smears the guards with blood. Lady MacBeth is at her bloodiest and most cruel. She has prayed to the dark powers to take her milk for gall and fill her up with the "direst cruelty."

Later in the play, (after the psychological festering of their guilt) each of the characters become what the other is not. MacBeth becomes hollow and without feeling and Lady MacBeth becomes disturbed, weak, and ends up killing herself. How does MacBeth react to this? He offers one of the most nihilistic speeches in Shakespeare--his "tomorrow and tomorrow and tommorrow" speech. MacBeth has changed from the passionate soldier into an unfeeling empty shell of a man.

Gleichner, Amy. "The evolution of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth's relationship throughout the play" edited by eNotes Editorial, 9 June 2009, https://www.enotes.com/topics/macbeth/questions/the-evolution-of-macbeth-and-lady-macbeth-s-3129457.

It seems that Lady Macbeth's character undergoes a change when her guilty conscience becomes too much for her to bear. In Act 5, Scene 1, the sleepwalking scene, she is clearly reliving the night of Duncan's murder, except now she imagines that her hands are still stained with his blood. At the time, she'd said, "a little water clears us of this deed" (2.2.86); now, however, she says that "All the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand" (5.1.52-55).

Further, it was Macbeth who initially feared that he would not be able to sleep anymore because he murdered Duncan while he was sleeping; now, it is Lady Macbeth who cannot sleep due to guilt. She remembers chastising Macbeth for what she perceived as weakness and cowardice, and she repeats many of these phrases, but they are peppered with references to Duncan's blood, Macduff's family, and her inability to wash the blood from her hands. In Macbeth, she's created a monster who will do anything to hold on to the power that he is taken by force, including things she never planned on, like when he orders the murders of Macduff's wife and small children. While she sleepwalks, she says, "The Thane of Fife had a wife. Where is she now?" (5.1.44-45). It seems that she she bears some of the guilt for these deaths as well, because it was she who coerced Macbeth to commit the first murder.

Also notable is the fact that Lady Macbeth no longer speaks in verse, as she has always done in the past. Shakespeare typically reserves verse for nobility, but he also sometimes has characters speak in prose to indicate some kind of mental break. (For example, Ophelia, in Hamlet , speaks in prose after she's gone mad, and Hamlet speaks in prose when he wants others to believe that he's gone mad.) Now, Lady Macbeth speaks in prose, and this gives us some clue as to just how guilty she feels, so guilty that it has driven her insane.

Guggenheim, Laura. "The evolution of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth's relationship throughout the play" edited by eNotes Editorial, 13 Feb. 2016, https://www.enotes.com/topics/macbeth/questions/the-evolution-of-macbeth-and-lady-macbeth-s-3129457.

B.A. from Rhodes University

Educator since 2020

I have been teaching English Home Language in South Africa for over 10 years.

How does Shakespeare develop the relationship between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth throughout the play?

When the reader is first introduced to Lady Macbeth, it is through the letter in which Macbeth shares the witches’ prophecies with his wife.

This have I thought good to deliver thee, my dearest partner of greatness, that thou mightst not lose the dues of rejoicing, by being ignorant of what greatness is promised thee. (2.5.9–12)

It is significant to see Macbeth, in a male dominated society, address his wife as his “dearest partner of greatness.” In this way, Shakespeare lays the foundation for a relationship between equals—a partnership where they share the ambition to be elevated to royal status.

After reading the letter, Lady Macbeth reveals her knowledge of her husband’s weaknesses and her confidence in being able direct him along the path that will ensure he is crowned king. Her speech reveals that she understands her husband’s deepest qualities and is confident in her ability to influence him.

Yet do I fear thy nature; It is too full o’ the milk of human kindness To catch the nearest way. Thou wouldst be great; Art not without ambition, but without The illness should attend it. (2.5.14—18)

A few lines later, she says,

Hie thee hither, That I may pour my spirits in thine ear, And chastise with the valor of my tongue All that impedes thee from the golden round, Which fate and metaphysical aid doth seem To have thee crown'd withal. (2.5.22-27)

By including these lines, Shakespeare clearly indicates that Lady Macbeth and her husband must have a close relationship in which she knows his weaknesses and is able to influence him.

The relationship between the Macbeths is further developed when Macbeth arrives at his castle and is welcomed by his wife. The audience can see Lady Macbeth immediately take the initiative to plan Duncan’s death. Although Macbeth is hesitant, he does not outright reject his wife’s ideas. Even after Macbeth’s soliloquy in which he seems to decide against killing Duncan, he is easily swayed by his wife’s admonition and follows through with her plan.

It is significant to note that it is Lady Macbeth who outlines the murder plot and who ensures that Macbeth follows the plan. When he returns from killing Duncan and is in a state of shock, it is Lady Macbeth who returns the daggers to the sleeping guards and ensures they are framed for the murder. She takes control of the situation. However, by ensuring both Macbeth and his wife play an active role in the murder plot, Shakespeare initially strengthens their relationship in terms of the guilt and secret they share.

Viewers may expect their relationship to grow, as they are bound by their secret guilt. However, Shakespeare shows how the guilt they share drives them apart. Macbeth assumes a more independent role and does not inform his wife of his plans to have Banquo assassinated.

The first recognizable change in their relationship can be seen where Lady Macbeth asks the servant for access to her husband. When she speaks to him, she asks him why he isolates himself. It is clear from this that she is concerned about his well-being and is now no longer included in his plans for ruling the kingdom.

How now, my lord! Why do you keep alone, Of sorriest fancies your companions making, Using those thoughts which should indeed have died With them they think on? (3.2.10–13)

Macbeth instructs her to pay close attention and show favor to Banquo. However, he does not tell her what he has planned for Banquo and does not consult her advice. Shakespeare shows the beginnings of cracks in their relationship. The main reason for these cracks is surely their guilt.

Macbeth hints to her that he has plans in hand which include “A deed of dreadful note” (3.2.48). However, he does not detail what it will be.

LADY MACBETH: What's to be done? MACBETH: Be innocent of the knowledge, dearest chuck, Till thou applaud the deed. (3.2.49–51)

This shows significant change from the “dearest partner of greatness” of act 2. Shakespeare further underscores the change occurring by suggesting that the Macbeths switch roles. Compare Lady Macbeth’s speech from 2.5.51–55 and Macbeth’s speech from 3.2.51–55

Come, thick night, And pall thee in the dunnest smoke of hell, That my keen knife see not the wound it makes, Nor heaven peep through the blanket of the dark To cry, “Hold, hold!” Come, seeling night, Scarf up the tender eye of pitiful day, And with thy bloody and invisible hand Cancel and tear to pieces that great bond Which keeps me pale!

The guilt which the Macbeths share seems to be the death knell for their relationship, and from act 4 on, Shakespeare shows little interaction between the two. Lady Macbeth is left alone to dwell on her guilt. Surely the most pitiable sight is of this strong female character who resorts to sleep walking and wringing her hands. In contrast, Macbeth seems to direct all his energy in eliminating all enemies and attempting to control his paranoia and mistrust of all around him.

The disconnection in their relationship is shown to be complete when Shakespeare has Lady Macbeth die offstage. In response to this, Macbeth utters the following lines which critics seem to disagree about:

She should have died hereafter; There would have been a time for such a word. (5.5.19–20)

Do these lines suggest that Macbeth has become so callous that he cares nothing for her death? Or is he so utterly miserable and hopeless that he wishes she would have only died after the battle so that he would be able to mourn her properly? Either way, Shakespeare clearly shows that their relationship, once so close, has now disintegrated.

Spencer, Loren. "The evolution of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth's relationship throughout the play" edited by eNotes Editorial, 23 July 2020, https://www.enotes.com/topics/macbeth/questions/the-evolution-of-macbeth-and-lady-macbeth-s-3129457.

How does Lady Macbeth's character change over time?

Lady Macbeth is ruthless and power-hungry, but by the end of the play, her guilty conscience has ruined her mind and made her feel that her life is not worth living.

She told her husband, immediately after Duncan's murder, that they should not dwell on what they had done or else it would "make [them] mad"; clearly she did not take her own advice because she has essentially gone mad, imagining that she cannot wash Duncan's blood off her hands. Further, she had said then that "a little water clears us of this deed," and it was Macbeth who feared that there was so much blood on his hands that it would turn the ocean red. By the end, however, it is Lady Macbeth who feels that not even "all the perfumes of Arabia" could get the scent of blood off her hands.

Moreover, Macbeth was initially afraid that he would never be able to sleep peacefully because he murdered Duncan while he was sleeping. However, it seems that it is Lady Macbeth whose sleep is fitful as a result of her guilt. She seems to feel guilty for creating a monster: she only wanted Macbeth to kill Duncan; then Macbeth arranged for the murder of Banquo and attempted murder of Fleance without consulting her, and now she cries, "The Thane of Fife had a wife. Where is she now?" Her husband ordered the murder of this poor woman and her children all because he was angry at her husband. This doesn't seem to sit well with Lady Macbeth. Finally, we never see the Macbeths together after the banquet scene and the only other time she appears on stage is during the sleepwalking scene, and this seems to confirm the distance that has grown between she and her husband and their priorities. Her eventual suicide confirms how guilt-ridden she is.

Guggenheim, Laura. "The evolution of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth's relationship throughout the play" edited by eNotes Editorial, 15 Apr. 2016, https://www.enotes.com/topics/macbeth/questions/the-evolution-of-macbeth-and-lady-macbeth-s-3129457.

Macduff serves as a character foil to Macbeth because their contrast conveys with greater clarity Macduff's strengths -- humility, loyalty, and goodness -- and Macbeth's flaws -- excessive ambition, disloyalty, and ruthlessness . Macduff is not overly ambitious, and he does not seek to increase his power. When Macbeth is crowned, Macduff doesn't go to the coronation; nor does he attend Macbeth's dinner party later on in the play. If Macduff were more interested in advancing himself, he could neglect his scruples, as Macbeth has done, and make a bid for greater power.

Further, Macduff is loyal to Duncan, and his loyalty never seems to waver. When he discovers Duncan's body, he says, "Confusion now hath made his masterpiece. / Most sacrilegious murder hath broke ope / The Lord's anointed temple and stole thence / The life o' th' building" (2.3.76-79). He doesn't see Duncan's death and Malcolm's flight as an opportunity for himself; instead, he sincerely grieves the death of a good and kind king.

Finally, when Macduff travels to England to see Malcolm, he leaves his wife and children behind, and it doesn't seem to occur to him that Macbeth would direct any violence toward them. He has honor, something Macbeth lacks. Macduff initially intends only to unseat Macbeth, but once he learns that Macbeth has murdered his innocent family and servants, he vows to kill the king. However, it takes a great deal for him to reach this conclusion and it takes relatively little to convince Macbeth to murder.

Guggenheim, Laura. "The evolution of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth's relationship throughout the play" edited by eNotes Editorial, 27 Oct. 2016, https://www.enotes.com/topics/macbeth/questions/the-evolution-of-macbeth-and-lady-macbeth-s-3129457.

What is a good thesis statement for an essay on Macbeth regarding how and why one character (I'm doing Macbeth) changes throughout the play?

One could devise many different thesis statements regarding the protagonist of William Shakespeare 's tragic play Macbeth .

Macbeth does change over the course of the play. His ability to discern right from wrong is heavily outweighed by his growing ambition. Therefore, one could construct an essay based upon any of the following suggestions for themes regarding Macbeth's change in character.

1. While Macbeth, at first, wished to allow "chance" to crown him, his growing ambition fueled his desire for power.

2. Macbeth's desire to fill the robes which hung loose about him forced him to find ones which he found to be a better fit. Given that he could not rest until his robes fit, Macbeth was forced to change.

Stowers, Lorna. "The evolution of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth's relationship throughout the play" edited by eNotes Editorial, 6 Feb. 2012, https://www.enotes.com/topics/macbeth/questions/the-evolution-of-macbeth-and-lady-macbeth-s-3129457.

Educator since 2012

2,384 answers

I tutor high school students in English and maths and work with children of primary school age with learning challenges.

Please help with an introductory paragraph which includes a thesis about changing character in Macbeth.

In Macbeth , it is Macbeth himself who points out in Act I, scene iii, line 141, that "Nothing is but what is not." He is highlighting his own confusion and the fact that, having been told by the witches that he will, first of all, be Thane of Cawdor and, secondly, king, before even Duncan's men have a chance to share the news of his new title as Thane of Cawdor, the only possible reality for him at that moment is what is not real. He therefore becomes obsessed with the need to be king and soon forgets that perhaps he can become king "without my stir" (143), meaning without any scheming and dishonesty. When this is considered with the likelihood that "Fair is foul and foul is fair," from Act I.i.10, the audience must prepare itself for many changes.

Presumably, this essay will cover changes in various characters and the extent to which those changes contribute to the plot and development of the story. The introductory paragraph needs to attract the reader's attention and make him or her sufficiently interested to read on and actually become involved, in this instance, with the characters. The thesis statement, which will appear in the introductory paragraph, basically states the writer's purpose and so must be general enough to outline the essay. Finally, the introductory paragraph must make the transition to the first body paragraph smoothly by including a "hook" which ensures that the essay flows. A possibility to consider is:

William Shakespeare's Macbeth is full of intrigue and deceit. It is the characters who drive the plot forward as they manipulate and shape circumstances to fit their own agendas: (Thesis). The witches will transform from spell-making sisters, strange and cunning, into the source of Macbeth's confusion. They will become for him the driving force behind his own transformation from noble and decorated soldier to murderous villain. Add to this Lady Macbeth's contribution to Macbeth's obsession and her own altered identity as she changes from a woman unnerved by her own "direst cruelty" (I.v.40) into a delusional and guilt-ridden person, obsessed only with the "damned spot" (V.i.33) which plagues her conscience. It is the changes in these characters which bring about the devastating end to the play: (hook).

You can then proceed, in the body paragraphs, to elaborate on the characters, their specific changes and their influences on the outcome of Macbeth .

Sheehan, Pauline. "The evolution of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth's relationship throughout the play" edited by eNotes Editorial, 6 May 2015, https://www.enotes.com/topics/macbeth/questions/the-evolution-of-macbeth-and-lady-macbeth-s-3129457.

Educator since 2018

175 answers

How does Macbeth and Lady Macbeth's relationship shift in Macbeth, Act 3, Scene 4?

Act 3, scene 4, of Macbeth is famous because it is Banquo's "ghost scene." Macbeth and Lady Macbeth plan a banquet in honor of Macbeth's kingship. Although Macbeth asks his best friend Banquo to join them at the beginning of act 3, and Banquo promises to "not fail the feast," Macbeth secretly hires murderers to rid himself of Banquo and his son Fleance in an attempt to stall the prophecies made about Banquo's descendants. As the feast begins, the ghost of Banquo appears but is only seen by Macbeth. This scene has many implications on the play as a whole, but it is especially telling of the Macbeths' marriage.

Throughout the play, the Macbeths are fascinating to study both individually and as a couple. Although Lady Macbeth certainly appears to be the more bloodthirsty and courageous of the two in act 1, Macbeth soon supersedes her. There has already been tension between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth earlier in act 3. In scene 2, Lady Macbeth certainly seems aware that Macbeth has planned something regarding Banquo, but he asks her "to be innocent of the knowledge" (act 3, scene 2). So, when Banquo's ghost appears and Macbeth begins yelling at a person who is invisible to the other characters, Lady Macbeth is forced into a position of covering for her husband, even though she has little idea of what he is saying. At one point she says, "My lord is often thus / And hath been from his youth" before going on to challenge his manhood, much like she did in act 1 when attempting to convince him to kill Duncan (act 3, scene 4, 56-57). With each exit and reappearance of the ghost, Macbeth gets more irritated, as does Lady Macbeth. She is put in the position of acting as if his actions are a normal occurrence to their many guests.

This scene can be seen to represent the last time that we see Macbeth struggling with feelings of remorse, but also the first time Macbeth acted alone in the planning of the murder. Lady Macbeth's role fades as the play progresses, and this scene provides a last display of strength from her and the last appearance from her when she is awake and aware. From this point, Macbeth's character continues to become more bloodthirsty as he also plans and executes the murder of Macduff's family in the next act. Thus, this scene reveals that the Macbeths' relationship has become more fractured and has, in many ways, resulted in a reversal of roles.

Eason, Phoebe. "The evolution of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth's relationship throughout the play" edited by eNotes Editorial, 12 Sep. 2018, https://www.enotes.com/topics/macbeth/questions/the-evolution-of-macbeth-and-lady-macbeth-s-3129457.

Ph.D. from University of North Carolina at Greensboro

5,906 answers

Ph.D in early American history and M.A. I taught literature as well as European, world, and US history in public high schools for ten years.

This is the scene where Macbeth sees (or thinks he sees) the ghost of Banquo at the banquet table. Lady Macbeth asks his guests to leave and shepherds her husband out of the room, fearing that he will confess to the crime. This marks the final time that Macbeth is tormented by spirits, and it is the first time that Lady Macbeth is not able to chastise him into forgetting his conscience. His conscience, indeed, mostly disappears later in the play, as Lady Macbeth's worries her more and more. Macbeth decides that he will go and see the witches, and it seems that his wife will not play an important role in his life after this.

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Cranford, Alec. "The evolution of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth's relationship throughout the play" edited by eNotes Editorial, 16 Oct. 2012, https://www.enotes.com/topics/macbeth/questions/the-evolution-of-macbeth-and-lady-macbeth-s-3129457.

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Miss Huttlestone's GCSE English

Because a whole class of wonderful minds are better than just one!

‘Macbeth’ Grade 9 Example Response

Grade 9 – full mark – ‘Macbeth’ response

Starting with this extract (from act 1 scene 7), how does Shakespeare present the relationship between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth?

In Shakespeare’s eponymous tragedy ‘Macbeth’, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s relationship is a complex portrait of love, illustrating layers of utter devotion alongside overwhelming resentment. Though the couple begins the play unnaturally strong within their marriage, this seems to act as an early warning of their imminent and inevitable fall from grace, ending the play in an almost entirely different relationship than the one they began the play with.

In the exposition of the play, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth initially appear immensely strong within their marriage, with Macbeth describing his wife as ‘my dearest partner of greatness’ in act 1 scene 5. The emotive superlative adjective ‘dearest’ is a term of endearment, and acts as a clear depiction of how valued Lady Macbeth is by her husband. Secondly, the noun ‘partner’ creates a sense of sincere equality which, as equality within marriage would have been unusual in the Jacobean era, illustrates to a contemporary audience the positive aspects of their relationship. Furthermore the lexical choice ‘greatness’ may connote ambition, and as they are ‘partner(s)’, Shakespeare suggests that Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are equal in their desire for power and control, further confirming their compatibility but potentially hinting that said compatibility will serve as the couple’s hamartia.

However, the strength of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s relationship falls into a rapid downward spiral in the subsequent scenes, as a struggle for power within the marriage ensues. This is evidenced when Macbeth, in act 1 scene 7, uses the declarative statement ‘we will proceed no further in this business’. Here, Macbeth seems to exude masculinity, embracing his gender role and dictating both his and his wife’s decisions. The negation ‘no’ clearly indicates his alleged definitive attitude. However, Lady Macbeth refuses to accept her husband’s rule, stating ‘when you durst do it, then you were a man’. She attempts to emasculate him to see their plan through. The verb ‘durst’ illustrates the risk taking behaviour that Lady Macbeth is encouraging; implying an element of toxicity within their relationship, and her harsh speech makes the cracks in their relationship further visible to the audience. It is also probable that a contemporary audience would be made severely uncomfortable in the presence of Lady Macbeth’s unapologetic display of power, and it is possible that Shakespeare attempts to paint Lady Macbeth as the villain of the play, playing upon the audience’s pre-determined fears of feminine power. Though Lady Macbeth appears to be acting entirely out of self-interest, another reader may argue that she influences her husband so heavily to commit the heinous act of regicide, as she believes that he crown may as a substitute for the child or children that Shakespeare suggests she and Macbeth have lost previously, and in turn better Macbeth’s life and bring him to the same happiness that came with the child, except in another form.

As the play progresses, Shakespeare creates more and more distance between the characters, portraying the breakdown of their relationship as gradual within the play but rapid in the overall sense of time on stage. For example, Lady Macbeth requests a servant ‘say to the king’ Lady Macbeth ‘would attend his leisure/ for a few words’. Here she is reduced to the status of someone far lesser than the king, having to request to speak to her own husband. It could be interpreted that, now as king, Macbeth holds himself above all else, even his wife, perhaps due to the belief of the divine right of kings. The use of the title rather than his name plainly indicated the lack of closeness Lady Macbeth now feels with Macbeth and intensely emotionally separates them. This same idea is referenced as Shakespeare develops the characters to almost juxtapose each other in their experiences after the murder of Duncan. For example, Macbeth seems to be trapped in a permanent day, after ‘Macbeth does murder sleep’ and his guilt and paranoia render him unable to rest. In contrast, Lady Macbeth takes on an oppositional path, suffering sleepwalking and unable to wake from her nightmare; repeating the phrase ‘to bed. To bed’ as if trapped in a never-ending night. This illustrates to the audience the extreme transformation Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s relationship undergoes, and how differently they end up experiencing the aftermath of regicide.

In conclusion, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth begin the play almost too comfortable within their marriage, which seems to invite the presence of chaos and tragedy into their relationship. Their moral compositions are opposing one another, which leads to the distancing and total breakdown of their once successful marriage and thus serves as a warning to the audience about the effects of murder, and what the deadly sin of greed can do to a person and a marriage.

gcseenglishwithmisshuttlestone

Secondary English teacher in Herts. View all posts by gcseenglishwithmisshuttlestone

9 thoughts on “‘Macbeth’ Grade 9 Example Response”

wheres the context

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It is also probable that a contemporary audience would be made severely uncomfortable in the presence of Lady Macbeth’s unapologetic display of power, and it is possible that Shakespeare attempts to paint Lady Macbeth as the villain of the play, playing upon the audience’s pre-determined fears of feminine power.

Also ref to ‘divine right of kings’

Thank you! This is a brilliant response. Just what I needed. Could you also please include the extract in the question.

We will proceed no further in this business. He hath honored me of late, and I have bought Golden opinions from all sorts of people, Which would be worn now in their newest gloss, Not cast aside so soon.

—> until end of scene

She did (Act 1 Scene 7)

Another great resource for grade 9 Macbeth analysis https://youtu.be/bGzLDRX71bs

In order to get a grade 9 for a piece like this would you need to include a wide range of vocabulary or could you write the same thing ‘dumbed down’ and get a 9.

If the ideas were as strong then yes, but your writing must AT LEAST be ‘clear’ for a grade 6 or above.

This is really great, I’m in Year 10 doing my Mock on Thursday, a great point that i have found (because I also take history) Is the depiction of women throughout the play, during the Elizabethan era, (before the Jacobean era) many people had a changed view of women as Queen Elizabeth was such a powerful woman, glimpses of this have been shown in Jacobean plays, in this case Macbeth, Lady Macbeth is depicted as powerful although she had to be killed of to please King James (as he was a misogynist) women are also depicted as evil in the play, such as the three witches, I also found that the Witches are in three which could be a mockery to the Holy Trinity.

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William Shakespeare

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How does Lady Macbeth Change During The Course Of The Play ‘Macbeth’

Lady Macbeth’s character changes a lot during the course of the play. The character at the beginning is so different to the one presented in her final scene would not even be recognised as the same person. The play accurately depicts the progression of Lady Macbeth from a dominating, confident, ruthless killer, to a weak, mentally unstable, dying woman.

The first scene she appears in shows Lady Macbeth reading a letter from Macbeth regarding his encounter with the witches after they predicted he would become King. This scene illustrates the immensely strong bond between her and her husband, in the way that she doesn’t doubt him for a moment. As soon as she finishes reading the letter, she immediately starts formulating and doesn’t question how or why or when he is to become king:

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“Glamis thou art and Cawdor and shall be

What thou art promised”

This scene can also be said to display impatience in her character. She accuses Macbeth of being:

“Too full o’th’milk of human kindness

To catch the nearest way”

…instantly deciding that murder is the quickest (and therefore preferable) method to ensuring this prediction is made flesh. Rather than accepting that Macbeth would not be willing to go to these lengths whatever the reward, she continues toying with this idea, planning how it could be done despite this.

Just to prove how much this would mean to Lady Macbeth, she states that since Macbeth suggested it in the first place, she would rather:

“while [our child] was smiling in my face, have pluck’d my nipple from his boneless gums and dashed the brains out”

than allow Macbeth to back out now. This once again shows her shrewdness, as she’s obviously deliberately using very violent imagery as a shock tactic to guilt Macbeth in to submission. She knows that if they are going to murder Duncan they have to do it tonight, so she’s using every method she can think of to persuade him before it’s too late and the prospect of power becomes seemingly unreachable.

The audience since her first soliloquy has established that she has more ambition, and craves more domination than a woman (particularly at that time) is thought rightly to have. The notions that she has conjured up do not seem to be likely of a particularly feminine personality. She shows very little compassion or worry.

Lady Macbeth has powerfully changed Macbeth, using his moral weaknesses exposed by his ambition, to change his mind. Macbeth has let his wife’s iron will destroy his conscience and his somewhat ‘sophisticated’ moral sense. The audience are nevertheless left with sub-conscience doubts about Lady Macbeth’s appearance of unshakeable strength.

There is an obvious change once the actual murder takes place, however. Once she returns from drugging the guards with alcohol she says:

‘That which hat made them drunk, hath made me bold

What hath quench’d them, hath given me fire…’

…which shows a lapse in her confidence. Although this may seem like a obscure reference, I believe that up until her last scenes Lady Macbeth puts on a convincing front to cover up any weaknesses. She seemed enormously self-assured when trying to persuade Macbeth, but now considers alcohol as a way to gain the ‘boldness’ she feigned earlier.

Despite how much she obviously wants Macbeth to be king and the lengths she went to convince him he wanted it too, she refuses to kill Duncan herself. Previously, Lady Macbeth had said:

“Leave all the rest to me”

…so she had maybe intended to do the deed herself, but once faced with the actual opportunity to do so, she looses her nerve and says that:

“Had he not resembled

My father as he slept, I had done’t”

This shows a very different attitude to the one she was hoping to adopt earlier on in the play. This is clearly not her being ‘unsexed’ as she is still showing compassion and sentimentality and must still have a conscience if it matters how much the victim looks like someone close to her. It seems surprising that the same woman who had previously stated that she would be willing to kill her own child than go back on her word, would be less willing to take the life of someone who merely resembles a family member, for which she would gain the reward of being Queen.

This action can show one of two things: she either honestly planned to let Macbeth ‘leave it to her’ or this is another exhibit of her scheming ways in the view that Macbeth most likely feel it’s too late to abandon the plot now and would probably be reluctant, due to Lady Macbeth’s constant persuasion, to allow power to slip away now after it was so nearly in his grasp. There is more evidence to suggest that she was building up a faï¿½ade to Macbeth to convince him that every deed she is ‘willing’ to undertake is completely necessary to their livelihood but is nothing worth being apprehensive about.

Not only did she contradict this by walking into the room in which Duncan was sleeping and walking straight back out again, but she is also obviously very nervous herself. A bird, which should be the least of her worries, startles her and the dialogue between the couple consists of very short broken-up sentences suggesting anxiety, and it is evident that they are both not listening to each other, practically talking to themselves. Lady Macbeth continues to suppress her unease with the situation and attempts to recover from the lapse of equanimity earlier, showing that she feels it’s important that Macbeth sees her as calm and collected in the hope that he will follow suit. She knows that she is the influential one in the relationship and so believes it is almost her duty to stay sane for Macbeth’s sake. She remains ever meticulous and tells Macbeth to wash his hands of blood and says:

“A little water will clear us of this deed,

See how easy it is then!”

Lady Macbeth remains composed during the rest of this scene, and is ensuring nothing seems out of the ordinary. She realises that if Macbeth answered the knocking at the door in his normal attire at this time in the morning it would seem suspicious and so tells him to get changed. This shows that even under the pressure Lady Macbeth is thinking of every possible clue that could be held against them.

In the scene set the morning after the murder, it is debateable if the character of Lady Macbeth has drastically changed or not as once again, it can be read two ways. She could faint because of the shock of Macbeth’s vivid descriptions, the murder itself or the following murders of the guards (She had only prepared for Duncan’s murder and was not expecting anyone else to be killed) are proving too much stress for her to take, or she’s remaining entirely in control and is merely trying to distract the attention away from her husband in case he starts to crack under the weight of suspicion upon him. Just before she faints she says:

“Help me hence, ho!”

…which to me suggests it’s the latter, as this would divert the congregations attention effectively if delivered in a theatrical way, whereas realistically she probably would have not thought to make it so known that she was about to faint.

Lady Macbeth is understandably fearful that homicide now is becoming way too easy for Macbeth. In my opinion she’s starting to feel guilt but not entirely about the murder itself, more for warping Macbeth. She is aware that he now finds it necessary to kill everyone in his way, and it was her allegation of being a coward that sparked this attitude as a way to prove his masculinity:

“When you durst do it, then you are a man”

The next few scenes mark the beginning of the deterioration of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s relationship. In the first scene that Lady Macbeth appears in, they seem -as previously mentioned- to understand each other perfectly and not doubt each other’s judgment. Now, however, he fails to consult her or even inform her on his actions which puts a great strain on their relationship as neither of them are used to the role they are taking on. Lady Macbeth is slowly becoming the weaker of the two. Now it is Macbeth who is scheming, and his failure to discuss any of his plans with her. The breakdown in communication between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth is illustrated in Act Three Scene Two where Lady Macbeth feels that it is required for her to ask permission to speak to her own husband. She says to a servant:

‘Say to the king, I would attend his leisure

For a few words.’

This formality would not be unusual heard from anyone else due his rise to the throne, but from his wife, this impersonal use of ‘the king’ rather than ‘my husband’ or his name suggests a mutual feeling of detachment. In Lady Macbeth’s four line soliloquy, she says:

‘Nought’s had, all’s spent,

Where our desire is got without content’

Here she is saying that nothing is gained, everything is lost when what they had wished for was brought without happiness, leaving her without the loving relationship demonstrated in the first half of the play and without any hope of it returning.

The Banquet scene is the first scene in which we see Macbeth and Lady Macbeth together as a couple in the public eye. There is obviously going to be another side shown of Lady Macbeth, the one she wants her people to see. There were certain expectations a Queen was meant to live up to and so it would be in her interest to conform to these as much as possible. Lady Macbeth sees their public image as imperative and she expresses this to Macbeth telling him to:

“Sleek o’er your rugged looks, be bright and jovial

Among your guests tonight.”

She also wants to make certain nothing seems dubious about the death of Banquo.

Lady Macbeth is trying not to let the details of her failing marriage be known to the congregation, as this may show weakness and although they don’t converse throughout the scene except to reprimand each other, they ensure this is done in private. The passion has left their relationship and leaves it on a totally formal basis. Lady Macbeth refers to her husband as “My Royal Lord” whereas much more colloquial terms would be expected from a wife in normal circumstances.

When Macbeth starts to see the apparition of Banquo, this worries Lady Macbeth. It is a possibility that his guilt-ridden mumblings will cause the guests to doubt him. If it doesn’t arouse suspicion surrounding the murder of Banquo, it may instigate people questioning his suitability as King. When he first begins speaking to the ghost, she almost immediately comes up with the excuse that it is a frequent occurrence, and that the guests should take no notice of him.

She tries to cover this episode up and pass it off as “momentary fit”. This mirrors some of the qualities seen in Lady Macbeth in the murder scene, where even under pressure she manages to do everything in her power to avoid the suspicion, for example realising that Macbeth should change his clothes before answering the door. She tries to use the same techniques of persuasion she put in to practice successfully previously in the play, but as the situation has changed, so has Macbeth. She has no influence over him anymore and whereas before he strived to prove his masculinity once she challenged it, in this scene he responds to the question “Are you a man?” with:

“Ay, and a bold one”

This frustrates Lady Macbeth, as this is not the way he should be reciprocating. She continues to try to use this technique, but it becomes apparent that it’s not accomplishing anything and in desperation, she requests the guests leave before Macbeth makes even more of a spectacle of himself.

This scene is the final scene in the play where Lady Macbeth displays her quick witted nature, with the possible reasons for this becoming apparent in the next scene. As always, she delivers her excuses perfectly timed and without any sign of hesitation. She manages to completely rationalize Macbeth’s inner turmoil to their guests. This once again emphasises this side of her character, and leaves the audience convinced beyond reasonable doubt that despite the recent adaptations in her role she is nonetheless still the sharper of the two.

Almost to contradict this statement, Lady Macbeth goes in completely the opposite direction in her final scene. Although her wavering sanity has been subtly suggested throughout the last few scenes she appears in, it is only made concrete now, such as her overly nervous gesticulations shown in Act Two Scene Three and her confession later one to regretting the murder, which is unexpected for someone who had planned it so thoroughly.

Although after the murder she was assuring Macbeth that as soon as they wash their hands of the blood they are free of the guilt, ironically this is the subject of her hallucinations. She is sleepwalking in this scene and delivers one of the most famous lines of the play:

“Out, damned spot! Out, I say!”

…referring to the blood that was so easily washed off in the murder scene. What is not so effortlessly removed is the guilt and the dawning realisation of what she has done. her mind has rekindled the association with the blood on her hands, and this has made itself apparent in her fitful sleep.Lady Macbeth has finally been crushed under the weight of her own suppressed remorse. This proves that she does indeed have a conscience, contrary to her cold, unfeeling exterior.

There many reasons why Shakespeare could have chosen to make Lady Macbeth change so dramatically through the play. One possibility is that he is simply mirroring the attitude towards women at the time, which was they are not emotionally or physically capable of anything remotely strenuous or stressful. Lady Macbeth having to ask to be ‘unsexed’ to be able to carry out the murder could support this idea, along with her being reduced to what we see of her nearer the end after she carried out actions that were associated with men. This could be perceived as a kind of punishment for denying her femininity. Although this is a possibility I think that from what we see of women in other Shakespeare plays such as Twelfth Night his attitude seems to be very advanced for the time, and he does pretty much present the two sexes as equal throughout his work, and so I feel that he probably isn’t trying to convey a negative attitude to Lady Macbeth because of her gender.

Another suggestion is that he is trying to illustrate how emotions can be vulnerability in the way that the murder was a success until Lady Macbeth started to cave under the guilt and allowed her more emotional side to take control. Personally however, I feel that it’s simply exemplifying how everything has consequences and has the ability to escape your control. I think this because Lady Macbeth was an extremely important part in the beginning of the play but wasn’t even on stage for her death, which is unusual because without her the murder of Duncan would have probably not happened at all and so the whole plot is dependant on her character.

One way to explain this is that Lady Macbeth ‘created a monster’ so to speak, and although their relationship was matriarchal (which was very unusual for the time), Macbeth started to break away from her and she began to lose control of him; for example, the murder of Banquo. She presents an outwardly stable foundation of control in which she grasps. As Macbeth becomes less dependent on his wife, she loses more control. She loses control of her husband, but mostly, of herself, proving her unstable truth. She no longer matters to Macbeth and it becomes impossible for her to finish what she started. The consequence of Lady Macbeth’s insistence to make Macbeth more ambitious and to take the life of the King was that it made him feel he had to prove his bravery even more and ended up seeing murder as the only way to achieve what he wanted and he slowly but surely became a slave to his own ambition.

Ironically, both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth died because of the very things they saw as the most important, whether directly or indirectly. In conclusion, the ultimate reason in my opinion that Shakespeare chooses to allow Lady Macbeth’s character to change so considerably, leading to her seemingly inconsequential death, is to demonstrate that although some people may be easily influenced, it is impossible to control someone. Lady Macbeth tried to control Macbeth for her own means to become Queen, but made it so he got to a point where no-one mattered, and once she couldn’t make him prove his love for her anymore, she was left with nothing but her guilty conscience to contend with, which became the death of her.

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Shakespeare: Model Answers ( AQA GCSE English Literature )

Revision note.

English Senior Content Creator

Model Answers

Below, you will find a full-mark, Level 6 model answer for a Shakespeare essay. The commentary below each section of the essay illustrates how and why it would be awarded Level 6. Despite the fact it is an answer to a Macbeth question, the commentary below is relevant to any Shakespeare question.

As the commentary is arranged by assessment objective, a student-friendly mark scheme has been included here:



		when techniques are explained fully and relevant to your argument

Model Answer Breakdown

The commentary for the below model answer as arranged by assessment objective: each paragraph has a commentary for a different assessment objective, as follows:

The introduction includes commentary on all the AOs

Paragraph 1 includes commentary on AO1 (answering the question and selecting references)

Paragraph 2 includes commentary on AO2 (analysing the writer’s methods)

Paragraph 3 includes commentary on AO3 (exploring context)

The conclusion includes commentary on all the AOs

The model answer answers the following question:

image-merged-model-answer-shakespeare-master-aqa-gcse-english-literature

Level 6, Full-Mark Answer

Shakespeare presents Lady Macbeth as a female character who changes dramatically over the course of the play: she changes from a ruthless, remorseless woman who is able to manipulate her husband, to one that is sidelined by Macbeth and, ultimately, totally consumed by guilt. Shakespeare is perhaps suggesting that unchecked ambition and hubris, particularly for women, have fatal consequences.

Commentary:

The introduction is in the form of a thesis statement

It includes a central argument based on my own opinions

It includes keywords from the question:

"Shakespeare presents Lady Macbeth as a female character who changes dramatically over the course of the play"

It takes a whole-text approach, referencing changes across the whole play:

"she changes from a ruthless, remorseless woman who is able to manipulate her husband, to one that is sidelined by Macbeth and, ultimately, totally consumed by guilt."

It acknowledges Shakespeare as an author making deliberate choices and conveying a message:

"Shakespeare is perhaps suggesting that ..."

It includes modal language to show a conceptualised approach

Lady Macbeth’s strength – and ability to command and manipulate those around her – dramatically diminishes from the first time the audience sees her, in Act I, Scene V, to the last time, here in Act V, Scene I. The first time she is presented to the audience, Lady Macbeth is presented as a very untypical woman: far from being a dutiful and subservient wife, she is shown to be plotting on Macbeth’s behalf, speaks of him disparagingly (she worries he is too kind to carry out her plan), and is presented as having power over both Macbeth and her surroundings. This dominance can be seen in her use of imperatives, both when she is directing Macbeth to disguise his true intentions to Duncan (and be a “serpent underneath”), and later, more forcefully, when she orders Macbeth to “give” her the daggers. This shows that Lady Macbeth has almost assumed the dominant position in their relationship, and taken on the typically ‘male’ characteristics of authority and strength (whereas Macbeth’s “kindness” can here be seen as a sign of weakness). However, there is an irony in Shakespeare’s use of imperatives later in the play: in Act V, Scene I, Lady Macbeth is shown to have lost her power to command those things around her and her use of imperatives (“Out, damned spot! Out, I say”) speaks more of abject desperation than her authority. She has lost the power to command her husband, her surroundings and even her own mind. Shakespeare could be suggesting that the unusual power dynamic presented at the beginning of the play is unnatural, and that, as a woman, Lady Macbeth would never be able to maintain this type of authority without succumbing to madness.

The paragraph begins with a topic sentence

Topic sentence directly addresses the question (the “change” the character undergoes)

Topic sentence has a narrower focus than the thesis statement

The whole paragraph is related to the topic sentence

The paragraph includes at least one reference to the extract

The paragraph includes multiple references to the rest of the play

All references are linked to the question and support the argument of my topic sentence

Shakespeare presents Lady Macbeth as a character whose self-control and authority over her own mind evaporates by Act V. We see this in the repetitious and fragmented language Shakespeare has her use in this scene. The repetition of several words and phrases (“to bed”; “come”; “O”) shows a character who is not in control of her own thought processes and has lost agency over her own mind. Shakespeare emphasises this by using contrasting verse forms for Lady Macbeth as the play progresses. Initially, she uses the order and authority of blank verse, which reflects her own power and control. However, in this scene, Lady Macbeth does not use the regular or ordered language of blank verse, but rather the disordered form of prose. This reflects both her loss of status and power (prose is often used by commoners in Shakespeare’s plays), but also her own mental illness. Indeed, the description of her having a “disease” in this scene is ironic, since earlier in the play she describes Macbeth as “brainsickly” and “infirm”: it is now she who is the weaker of the two. Perhaps Shakespeare uses this role reversal once again to suggest that women assuming positions of dominance is unnatural and may lead to mental decline.

The analysis provides evidence for the points in the topic sentence (all evidence relates to Lady Macbeth’s mental state)

Whole-text analysis of Shakespeare’s methods, not just focused on the extract

Not just analysis of Shakespeare’s language, but also of form

The analysis includes other wider choices made by Shakespeare:

Characterisation

All analysis is explained fully in terms of the question and my own argument

The analysis explained in terms of Shakespeare’s overall message

Shakespeare presents Lady Macbeth as a character who loses her resolve over the mortal sin of regicide as the play progresses. Initially, Lady Macbeth is presented as a character who believes that both she and her husband will be able to evade the typical consequences of committing a crime – the murder of a king – that would have been seen as truly heinous. Not only is it a crime punishable by death, but the religious consequences would be dire: eternal punishment in Hell. Shakespeare presents her as acknowledging the seriousness of the crime in Act I, Scene V where she references Heaven and Hell prior to the murder of Duncan, but she believes, arrogantly, that she is strong enough to evade capture, as well as cloak herself from feelings of guilt and remorse. Her hubris is also shown later in the play, after the regicide has been committed, when she tells Macbeth that “a little water clears us of this deed”, implying that it will be straightforward to escape the psychological impact of committing a mortal sin. However, by Act V, Scene I Lady Macbeth is shown to have completely lost her resolve, and is haunted by those psychological impacts: she sees blood, which symbolically represents guilt, on her hands, which she cannot wash off. Indeed, later she states that Duncan had “so much blood in him”, an admission that a little water could never have cleansed the guilt from her conscience (“what’s done cannot be undone”). This irony is highlighted again by Shakespeare when Lady Macbeth states that “all the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand”, the hyperbole emphasising the enormity of her crime. Shakespeare could be suggesting that no one can escape the psychological and theological consequences of regicide. Indeed, the Doctor states that he has never seen anyone in Lady Macbeth’s state die “holily”, echoing Lady Macbeth’s own earlier reference to Hell.

Does not include any irrelevant historical or biographical facts

All context is linked to the topic sentence (“loses resolve over the mortal sin of regicide”) and the argument as a whole

All context is integrated into analysis of Shakespeare’s methods

Understanding contextual ideas and perspectives provides additional insight into my main argument

Context is sometimes implied, rather than explicit. This still shows sophisticated awareness of ideas (here about religion and Hell)

In conclusion, Shakespeare presents Lady Macbeth as a female character who changes from a character who assumes dominance over her husband and her surroundings, to a woman who loses all agency. Moreover, initially, Shakespeare presents her as a character who seemingly has the mental fortitude to deal with the mortal sin of regicide with a clear conscience, but this mental strength also evaporates. Shakespeare could be issuing a warning to those people who believe they can escape the psychological and theological consequences of sin, especially if they are women who assume an atypical and unnatural position of power.

The conclusion uses keywords from the question

The conclusion links to the thesis

The conclusion sums up more detailed arguments outlined in the topic sentences of all paragraphs

It also gives a fuller understanding of Shakespeare’s intentions, based on ideas explored in the essay

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Lady Macbeth's Character Changes Throughout the Play Macbeth Essay

Lady Macbeth's Character Changes Throughout the Play Macbeth In the Shakespearian play "Macbeth" Lady Macbeth is a very significant character. Written in the 17th century but set in 1050, she was ahead of her time. Lady Macbeth is such a strong, dominant character it would have shocked the audience because women at the time were meant to be subordinate. Her ambition leads to the breakdown of Scotland and the death of her and her husband. There is such a stark contrast between Lady Macbeth and Macbeth at the beginning. Lady Macbeth is so strong, determined and unnatural whereas Macbeth is the weaker person in the relationship. Although she was strong by the end of the play she had lost her sanity …show more content…

"O Never shall sun that morrow see" shows that Duncan will never see the light of the following morning because the murder is planned for that very night. This shows her determination because some people would think it through and plan for a very long time. She, however, has only just received the news and her plan is already set for that very night. Lady Macbeth is also very manipulative. She tries to make Macbeth more like herself. "Yet I do fear thy nature/It is too full o' the milk of human kindness." Lady Macbeth fears that Macbeth will be too soft to be able to kill Duncan. She wants her husband to be less kind. She wants him to be less human to not feel anything as normal humans feel so he can commit the murder he would not be able to commit if he was as kind as he usually is. "I feel now the future in the instant". She feels her plan becoming more solid, more likely and she feels that she must tell Macbeth what he has to do to become King. She wants to become one step closer to controlling the country through Macbeth and making him do as she wishes. "Look like an innocent flower but be the serpent under it." She tells Macbeth to be more secretive. He must be dark and deadly in order to kill the King. The flower shows that Macbeth must look pretty and do nothing. He must seem

How Does Lady Macbeth Change Throughout The Play

In some instances, men tend to fall under the rule of strong woman. Lady Macbeth rejects her womanly, submissive traits in order to the stronger character and Macbeth's backbone. Macbeth is a great example on how women influence men because he is insecure and a coward. I will show how without Lady Macbeth, Macbeth would have lived and prospered. Lady Macbeth is very good at manipulating her husband, as the play movesalongg she become more bloodthirsty than Macbeth and she encourages him to use his power for violence. In this play author, William Shakespeare, is trying to show how easy it is for evil to penetrate your head and make you act out. The play Macbeth is centered in Scottland with characters fighting over the power of the land with Macbeth ending up as king of Scottland. In the end however Macbeth's guilt over comitting murder makes him go delusional, showing how weak his mind really is.

Within William Shakespeare’s play “The Tragedy of Macbeth” Lady Macbeth is a character that sincerely believes that she knows what she wants. We can see the determination and the desire to get what she wants when she says to Macbeth “I would, while it [the baby] was smiling in my face, Have plucked my nipple from his boneless gums, And dashed the brains out, had I so sworn as you Have done to this. (Act 1 Scene 7 Lines 56-58) Through this same quote we can also see her manipulative ways. Throughout most of the play she is a strong woman that strives to get what she wants, but in the end she realizes that she never understood what she wanted. In the end, she realized that the one thing she wanted was the one thing that was destined to doom

How Macbeth's Character Changes Throughout The Play

The story of Macbeth, by William Shakespeare is a tragedy. A tragedy is a kind of play, in which character’s actions have inevitable consequences. The characters made bad mistakes and deeds that are never rectified. In this tragedy, there is a transformation in Macbeth’s character. Macbeth’s character opens as a strong general leader, and a devoted husband. Throughout this play these characteristics change. He becomes a remorseful, sleepless, paranoid and less caring husband. Macbeth made some bad mistakes that changed his life.

How Does Macbeth Change Throughout The Play

The play Macbeth is about a character named Macbeth who ultimately crumble under the pressure and changes himself not for the better. It can be argued that three things were a playing factor as to why Macbeth changed into the killer he is. These three things are, the three witches from the beginning of the play, Macbeth wife, and evidently Macbeth himself. The beginning of the play starts with the introduction of three witches these witches are the start to Macbeth's downfall. The second and third contribution to Macbeth's destruction is his wife and himself, they provoke the problem further changing each of them not for the better.

Macbeth Character Analysis Essay

Life can make the most sane person a celebrity in insanity land. In The Tragedy of Macbeth by William Shakespeare, the main character experiences a major change in character and morals. The story takes place during the middle ages in Scotland and England in the year 1606. The most significant characters include Macbeth, Lady Macbeth, Macduff, Lady Macduff and Duncan just to name a few. The reader will see that each of these characters favor the kinds of people they see on a daily basis. In the beginning the reader will view Macbeth as a hero but towards the end they will see how much the world changes one’s moral priorities.

In 1602 Shakespeare created a couple of characters that brought a whole new level of mayhem to the stage. Macbeth is one of the greatest tragic characters ever to take the stage. Macbeths wrong doings and courageous acts makes the story exciting. Macbeth is an ambitious character who murders and betrays people for power and what he wants. With all of Macbeths courageous acts and greed it brought an abundance of tragedy and death throughout the story.

Lady Macbeth Character Analysis Essay

Lady Macbeth: Looks: -She noticed that he is getting a little frightened and anxious, she is angry because he is not acting like a man about the situation. Evidence: “Your constancy Hath left you unattended.” Actions: -Macbeth would not finish the plan so this made her angry. Evidence: “Give me the daggers: the sleeping and the dead Are but as pictures: 'tis the eye of childhood” Speech: -Macbeth does not have what is technically his and lady Macbeth wants him to get what is his.

Character Changes In Macbeth

In Macbeth by William Shakespeare, there is a great amount of disorder due to one character’s ambitions. Macbeth is this character, and he lets his want for the throne take over him, leaving a trail of blood behind him. Macbeth’s character changes drastically from the beginning, to the end due to his ambition taking over him, giving the story a plot and much character interaction.

In contrast to the typical standards of Elizabethan times, Macbeth appears to be submissive and obedient compared to Lady Macbeth’s dominant, manipulative personality. When the couple discusses their plot to kill the king, Macbeth is initially hesitant and attempts to do away with the morbid plan several times. However, when he voices his thoughts to Lady Macbeth, she is quick to use the account of her own love to guilt him into carrying out the murder. Not only does she threaten to cease her love for him (1.7.39), but she also insults his character by saying that he “live a coward in thine own esteem” (1.7.43). Lady Macbeth reveals an ultimate distaste for cowardice and weakened virtue, and she uses this, as well as her irrefutable bond with Macbeth, to

The Character of Macbeth in William Shakespeare's Play Essay

The Character of Macbeth in William Shakespeare's Play Shakespeare’s ‘Macbeth’ is a play about murder and tragedy. When we first meet Lady Macbeth’s husband, Macbeth, we see him as a loyal and honourable man, however as we read further into the play his character changes. Macbeth says to Lady Macbeth: “False face must hide what the false heart doth know.” Macbeth creates an alter-ego to help hide the truth.

Lady Macbeth is a very interesting character. She is very ambitious and sneaky; these qualities are what drive her to go after what she wants, no matter what she has to do to get there. In scene three of act one, Macbeth meets the Three Witches. They tell him he would be king, but he is startled by what they are saying. He doesn’t believe he could ever be king or thane of Cawdor like they are saying, because both of the men are alive, rich, and powerful. Macbeth doesn’t understand why the Three Witches are saying these things, he tried to ask them more questions but they disappeared. When Lady Macbeth hear of this news she went crazy. Lady Macbeth became overwhelmed with the feeling of future power and questions if her husband has the guts to be king.

Within Shakespeare’s Macbeth, themes of inner disorder are woven frequently throughout the play. The audience is shown how powerful exterior influences can contribute heavily to said turmoil. During the plot of the play, Macbeth suffers a tragic deterioration of his sanity and life entirely. This downfall is credited to many factors, such as the guilt Macbeth suffers following his murders. However, Macbeth’s miseries are shown to be a result of his wife’s constant persistence. Within the chosen passage, the audience is shown that Lady Macbeth’s character is represented as evil, unsympathetic, and greedy. She is a motive for killing more than she is anything else. She is not portrayed as a woman, but rather, as the ultimate cause of her

Lady Macbeth Character Analysis

it’s quite a image, Ophelia, topped in flowers, singing to herself because the current pulls her underneath the water. It’s particularly quite a image once you notice that Gertrude stood there and watched the entire factor.

Two scenes later, Shakespeare delves deeper into Lady Macbeth's character which adds another perspective to the predicament Macbeth finds himself faced with. Lady Macbeth makes apparent, to the audience, regarding her husband, that she has 'fear' concerning 'thy nature', and that Macbeth is 'too full o' th' milk of human kindness'. This suggests that Lady Macbeth fears that her husband is incapable of producing what she deems necessary for him to gain the kingship. He possesses the desire, but the ruthlessness required in order to secure kingship and usurp the throne, is something that Lady Macbeth opts to take upon herself after minimal deliberation, which reveals much about her and her husband, in terms of Lady Macbeth's dominance that would shock a contemporary audience. The word 'milk' is perhaps alluding to her belief that Macbeth doesn't possess the strength of character that at the time was seemingly synonymous with masculinity. The audience may well feel as though Lady Macbeth believes that Macbeth yearns for the kingship, yet he will not be proactive in going about obtaining it by illegitimate means as she labels him as too kind to take a leading role in an approach of that ilk. Shakespeare arguably here raises a wider debate by using the play as a mouthpiece to voice his concerns regarding the twisted society of the time in that kindness could be seen as something that would be detrimental to an individual. Shakespeare also perhaps intends to voice concerns over

William Shakespeare was born in 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon. As an English actor and playwright, Shakespeare wrote many plays which were performed for entertainment. In total he wrote 37 plays. Shakespeare died in 1616.

The Transformation of Lady Macbeth in Shakespeare's "Macbeth"

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Introduction

The assertive lady macbeth: catalyst for ambition.

The Unraveling Psyche: Lady Macbeth's Descent

The erosion of macbeth and lady macbeth's relationship.

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The Transformation of Lady Macbeth in Shakespeare's "Macbeth" essay

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Home — Essay Samples — Literature — Macbeth Ambition — Lady Macbeth: From Ambition To Madness

Lady Macbeth: from Ambition to Madness

Categories: Macbeth Macbeth Ambition William Shakespeare

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Published: Nov 8, 2021

Words: 1147 | Pages: 3 | 6 min read

Works Cited

Shakespeare, W. (2003). Macbeth. Washington Square Press.
Bloom, H. (2004). Shakespeare: The Invention of the Human. Riverhead Books.
Hazlitt, W. (2018). Characters of Shakespear's Plays. Franklin Classics.
Kliman, B. (2014). Macbeth. John Wiley & Sons.
Pearson, E. J. (2010). Lady Macbeth: A Psychological Analysis. JSTOR, 20(1), 69-84.
Rosenberg, M. (2010). Lady Macbeth as the Fourth Witch. In Macbeth: New Critical Essays (pp. 143-165). Routledge.
McEachern, C. (2018). Lady Macbeth: A Critical History. Cambridge University Press.
Seaton, R. (2007). Macbeth: A Guide to the Play. Greenwood Publishing Group.
Crawford, A. (2005). Lady Macbeth's "Unsex Me" Speech: Shakespeare's Source Material. Shakespeare Quarterly, 56(3), 375-383.
Jankowski, T. (2017). Lady Macbeth: An Icon of the Early Modern Period. Polish Journal for American Studies, 11(1), 69-82.

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Sample Gcse Essay About Lady Macbeth As A Powerful Character

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Lady Macbeth And Macbeth Change English Literature Essay

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William Shakespeare

How does the Relationship between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth change throughout the Play?

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How does the Relationship between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth change throughout the Play?

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Character Change In Lady Macbeth: [Essay Example], 715 words
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Throughout the course of the play, Macbeth's character changes from good to evil. As the audience we are given ample opportunities to look at the way in which he changes and the influences that help bring about the shift in character. Shakespeare also uses dramatic devices to highlight Macbeths change. In this essay the influences that ...
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s on transfers all that built-up rage into it. Lady Macbeth is shown by Shakespeare to be strongly emotional, passionate and ambitious; these act almost as her ham. rtias leading to her eventual suicide in act 5. Shakespeare's specific portrayal of Lady Macbeth is done to shock the audience, she. is a character contradic.
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A Lady Macbeth Essay Model Paragraph. Below is a model paragraph for the past paper question above. For a full model answer, including annotations on why the response would be given full marks (and, therefore, represents a Grade 9 response) click through to our Shakespeare: Model Answer page.. Lady Macbeth is certainly presented as perhaps the most powerful of all Shakespeare's characters in ...
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Lady Macbeth's state of mind is further deteriorating with her hallucinations linked to her guilt. In the extract her speech is fragmented and confusing to the audience especially when she says, "Out, damned spot! out, I say!". This gives the audience the audience the impression of madness a psychological trauma. Good!
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The power of Lady Macbeth. On Macbeth's day of success, Shakespeare introduced Lady Macbeth by reading out a letter from her husband. In the 17th century, many women didn't have the confidence and power which Lady Macbeth had, this made her character very abnormal in comparison to other women. In act one scene five, Shakespeare mentions ...
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For example, Macbeth seems to be trapped in a permanent day, after 'Macbeth does murder sleep' and his guilt and paranoia render him unable to rest. In contrast, Lady Macbeth takes on an oppositional path, suffering sleepwalking and unable to wake from her nightmare; repeating the phrase 'to bed. To bed' as if trapped in a never-ending ...
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The essay will focus on how Lady Macbeth changes during the play, specifically her mental and emotional state. It will discuss how she goes from being a strong, ambitious woman to a broken, paranoid wreck. ... There many reasons why Shakespeare could have chosen to make Lady Macbeth change so dramatically through the play. One possibility is ...
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Level 6, Full-Mark Answer. Shakespeare presents Lady Macbeth as a female character who changes dramatically over the course of the play: she changes from a ruthless, remorseless woman who is able to manipulate her husband, to one that is sidelined by Macbeth and, ultimately, totally consumed by guilt.Shakespeare is perhaps suggesting that unchecked ambition and hubris, particularly for women ...
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In the Shakespearian play "Macbeth" Lady Macbeth is a very significant character. Written in the 17th century but set in 1050, she was ahead of her time. Lady Macbeth is such a strong, dominant character it would have shocked the audience because women at the time were meant to be subordinate. Her ambition leads to the breakdown of Scotland and ...
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Lady Macbeth: from Ambition to Madness. Many believe that in order to become the person whom they wish to be, they must change their The play Macbeth by William Shakespeare explores the idea that an individual is often unable to stray from their fundamental character despite their desires for change. This idea is specifically developed in the ...
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Lady Macbeth And Macbeth Change English Literature Essay. Power is a theme used by Shakespeare throughout the play Macbeth. Power is used by certain characters in the play to influence others. One such character is Lady Macbeth. At the beginning of the play, she is shown to be a strong-willed character. She takes on the role of a dominant female.
How does the Relationship between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth change
In Act 1 Scene 5 Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are very close he addresses her in the letter as, 'my dearest partner of greatness' Lady Macbeth is keen to see Macbeth to discuss the murder with him, but fears he is, 'too full o' the milk of human kindness'. Which proves how well she understands her husband. She respects him by calling him, 'Great ...

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