Lady Macbeth in Macbeth Essay

Is Lady Macbeth Truly a Fiend Like Queen?

I intend to study Lady Macbeths character to come to a conclusion is Lady Macbeth truly a fiend like queen. We learn that she is evil and manipulative at the beginning of the play but as it persists she is revealed to be full of bewail and remorse. I will aim to find out whom and what has made her feel that way.

To begin with, we first see Lady Macbeth in the play in act 1 scene 5. From this point onwards we learn that she is a decisive and a calculating character. She takes full control of situations for example the plot to assassinate King Duncan, in a cold blooded murder. This also shows fiend-like traits. Pour my spirits in thin ear. We discover that she wants to become evil, to carry out these evil deeds. Also from that quote we learn that it wasnt unusual to believe in the super natural in the 17thcentury.

She also is portrayed as being evil when she calls on evil spirits to make her devil like. Come you evil spirits unsex me here. Fill me from crown to toe top full of direst cruelty. From this quote the audience would be shocked and annoyed at lady Macbeth being so ruthless and callous. Again the audience would be shocked at lady Macbeths intentions, when she informs her husband that she would kill their her own son before she would lie to him. Dashed the brains out. This is very graphic and disturbing yet again this portrays her of being fiend like.

Furthermore we comprehend that lady Macbeth is a very domineering women. To full of human kindness to catch the nearest way. From this we understand that she has decided that Macbeth is too good and decent of a person to perform such an action therefore she shall be the master mind behind the plot. Again this shows her authority over Macbeth. This quit remarkable because in that era of the 17th century or even today on that matter the man is usually in control, therefore dominant in the relationship.

In addition to this we again discover that she is manipulating and overpowering to get her own way. She inflicts emotional blackmail on her husband to get what she wants and what she wants is evil and wicked therefore fiend like. Art tho feard. This makes Macbeth feel intimidated and frightened. Therefore he would rather do it than be branded a coward.

Furthermore we see Lady Macbeth as being unremorseful after they have assassinated Duncan. She informs Macbeth that a little water clears us of this deed, this shows that there us no signs regret or repentance. She makes it sound easy to forget what an awful crime they have committed. But little do they know that they will never be able to cleanse it from there conscience.

Once more we see Lady Macbeth as being in control when she orders Macbeth to go get some water, go carry them. The repetition of go, makes it more instructive. The orders she imposes on Macbeth are evil and calculating therefore fiend like traits are shown.

Yet again we see Lady Macbeth as being cunning and scheming when she notifies her Husband to look like th innocent flower but be the serpent undert. This indicates that she is thinking advance to be welcoming to there faces but stab them in there back. This is a metaphor meant literally but by means of a vivid comparison.

On another occasion she is quick thinking also decisive when she backs up the fact such an evil action could not happen in her house. Woe alas what in our house? This is a fiend like trait because she already knows there was a murder because she was the assassin.

All over again she is cunning when she dramatically faints. Help me hence ho. This displays dramatic irony because the audience knows what really happened. She is calculating because we she fainted hence it took away from the fact that she could have been the murderer. The fainting made her look like she was traumatized and shocked that there was a murder.

On the other hand we discover a totally different side of Lady Macbeths character, a sensitive child like character. Most of these are traits of regret and repentance of the murder.

Firstly we see the first signs of sensitivity when she comes clean to Macbeth that she could not perform the assassination, because Duncan bear a resemblance to her own father. Had not he resembled my father as he slept I had donet. She was ambiguous to do it or not. From this quote it shows that she shows affection towards her father. She didnt go through with the murder because it would be like killing her own father.

We begin to learn that the tables have turned in the relationship. At the beginning Lady Macbeth was in control of making the decisions. But now Macbeth has started taking control and making choices for himself. She is unaware of what is happening. What to be done? This shows that she is intrusive and it also shows confusion.

In Act 5 Scene 1 there is a dramatic change in Lady Macbeths character. From being in total in control of herself and ones around her to being in complete vulnerability.

Se becomes a liability to herself and Macbeth because her fragmented language echoes her and Macbeths words about the past murders. More needs she the divine than the physician. From this quote we learn that all the guilt has built up to total despair also the doctor says that nothing can save her only gods mercy. The audience would be grant mercy and sympathy.

In addition to this we begin to see child like traits. She has light by her continually. This shows that there is a great deal of fear and regret about the murders. She is resembling a child. Children have a tendency to leave a light by their sides whilst sleeping it is a sense of comfort and protection. But there is nothing that can save Lady Macbeth from her conscience. Again from quote the audience would feel sympathy towards Lady Macbeth.

She displays remorse when she talks to herself about the murder and how she shall never be clear of this evil deed. All the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand o o o. This shows repetition of despair. There is imagery shown, little is like a Childs hand therefore childlike and vulnerable.

We Lady Macbeth dies there is know sorrow or morning shown from anybody, not even her husband. Out out, brief candle, lifes but a walking shadow a poor prayer. This a metaphor shown by Macbeth to describe life. He shows no kind of sadness what so ever.