Summary
Lady Macbeth is one of the most complex and fascinating characters in Shakespeare's Macbeth. She is the wife of Macbeth, a Scottish general who becomes the king of Scotland after murdering the previous king, Duncan, and several other rivals.
Lady Macbeth is the driving force behind Macbeth's ambition and his descent into evil. She persuades him to kill Duncan by questioning his manhood and courage, and she helps him cover up the crime by smearing blood on the sleeping guards. She also tries to calm his fears and guilt by telling him to wash his hands and forget the deed.
However, Lady Macbeth is not as cold and ruthless as she appears. She suffers from nightmares and hallucinations, and she eventually confesses her guilt and kills herself. Lady Macbeth is a tragic figure who shows the destructive power of ambition and guilt, and the limits of human nature.
Quotes
This quote is from Lady Macbeth's soliloquy in Act 1, Scene 5 of Shakespeare's Macbeth. She is reading a letter from her husband, who has just been informed by the witches that he will become king. She is excited by the prospect, but she also doubts Macbeth's ability to achieve his ambition. She fears that he is too gentle, too compassionate, too moral to do what is necessary to seize the crown. She uses the metaphor of "the milk of human kindness" to suggest that Macbeth is too nurturing and soft-hearted, qualities that are usually associated with women and mothers. She contrasts this with "the nearest way", which implies the shortest and most direct path to the throne, which is murder. She implies that Macbeth is too loyal and honorable to betray and kill his king, Duncan, who is also his relative and guest. She reveals her own ruthless and manipulative nature, as she is willing to do anything to make Macbeth king and herself queen. She also foreshadows the tragic consequences of their actions, as their ambition will lead to guilt, madness, and death.
This quote is from Lady Macbeth in Shakespeare's Macbeth, when she is advising her husband on how to deceive King Duncan and murder him. She is telling Macbeth to appear loyal and innocent, like a flower, but to hide his true intentions and be ruthless, like a serpent. This quote reveals Lady Macbeth's ambition, cunning and cruelty, as well as her influence over Macbeth. She is the one who comes up with the plan to kill Duncan and convinces Macbeth to go along with it. She also contrasts the image of the flower and the serpent, which are symbols of good and evil, to show the theme of appearance versus reality in the play. Lady Macbeth's quote also foreshadows the downfall of Macbeth and herself, as their deception and guilt will eventually consume them and lead to their tragic end.
THEMES
FEMALE HYSTERIA
Some critics have interpreted her character as an example of the hysteric woman, a term used in psychoanalysis to describe a woman who exhibits excessive or uncontrollable emotions, often as a result of repressed sexual desires or trauma. According to this view, Lady Macbeth's hysteric symptoms, such as sleepwalking, hallucinations, and obsessive hand-washing, are manifestations of her unconscious conflicts and anxieties. She tries to deny her feminine nature and adopt a masculine role, but she cannot escape her own conscience and the consequences of her actions. Lady Macbeth's character thus challenges the gender norms and expectations of her time, and reveals the psychological and social pressures that women face in a patriarchal society.
AMBITION
One of the most prominent themes in Macbeth is the role of ambition and how it drives the characters to commit terrible deeds. Lady Macbeth is a key example of this, as she is the one who instigates Macbeth's murder of King Duncan and encourages him to seize the throne. Lady Macbeth is motivated by her desire to be queen and to share in Macbeth's glory, as well as by her fear of his weakness and hesitation. She uses her influence over him to manipulate his emotions and challenge his masculinity, often questioning his courage and loyalty. She also resorts to supernatural means, such as calling on the spirits to "unsex" her and fill her with "direst cruelty". Lady Macbeth's ambition ultimately leads to her downfall, as she becomes consumed by guilt and paranoia, and eventually loses her sanity and commits suicide. Lady Macbeth's character shows how ambition can corrupt and destroy a person's moral sense and humanity.
GUILT
Guilt is a major theme in the play, and it affects Lady Macbeth in different ways. At first, she seems to be able to suppress her guilt and justify her actions, but as the play progresses, she becomes increasingly tormented by her conscience. She starts to have hallucinations, sleepwalks, and confesses her crimes in her sleep. She also loses her influence over Macbeth, who becomes more paranoid and tyrannical. Eventually, she succumbs to her guilt and kills herself, unable to bear the weight of her sins. Lady Macbeth's character arc shows how guilt can destroy a person's sanity, morality, and relationships.
