Sometimes, the same events will have drastically different effects on people. This is shown through the characters of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, in Shakespeares drama Macbeth. Lady Macbeth began as a cold, strong woman, but became troubled and weak. Macbeth also changed throughout the play, but instead of becoming weak, he grew strong and cruel, showing that fair [can become] foul, and foul [can become] fair.
When Lady Macbeth first heard the news of the witchs prophecies, she became persistant in pressuring her husband into seeing that they came true. She showed her strength of mind, convincing Macbeth to do what she wanted and remaining heartless and cunning until her plan came to fruition. Her plan of killing King Duncan succeeded, but she was disappointed when the reality of being Queen was not what she expected. In her remorse and disenchantment, she began to sleepwalk and mutter of the crimes that haunted her. Just as she suspected, her hands [would] neer be clean, and she chooses the cowardly option of ending her own life.
Macbeths changes, while just as dramatic, are the reversal of Lady Macbeths. He began as a noble and morally upright object of admiration. However, even though he was aware of many reasons not to kill his king, he allowed himself to be manipulated into committing the crime that changed not only his destiny, but his character. He became so deeply involved in crime that he found it as easy to continue as it would be to quit, and so proceeded to kill friends and foe alike, until he was known as the notorious, bloody tyrant Macbeth.
By the end of the play, the same crimes have had extremely different effects on Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. Macbeth, once a fair and noble man, has become so foul that Scotland must be rid of him. Lady Macbeth, on the other hand, transformed herself from the foul schemer that set the tragedy in motion, into a fair and repentant character.
Already have an account? Log In Now
6566