From the very beginning of the play, Lady Macbeth is viewed as very controlling, strong, and certain Essay Example For Students

From the very beginning of the play, Lady Macbeth is viewed as very controlling, strong, and certain Essay From the very beginning of the play, Lady Macbeth is viewed as very controlling, strong, and certain; saying that Macbeth Shalt be what thou art promised. This shows Lady Macbeths command, she is ordering Macbeth to become what the witches have foreseen, not questioning whether he will achieve it, or even not try. From the very start therefore we see just how powerful Lady Macbeth is, if she can command her husband to murder the king of Scotland. Her power is also shown in the way she taunts Macbeth, saying he is too full of the milk of human kindness. This shows how cold Lady Macbeth is, she is implying Macbeth is too much like a kind child to murder anyone, which is another method used to spur Macbeth on into killing his king. Her coldness and control is again shown when she begins to plot Duncans murder with Macbeth, she says he should look like the innocent flower but be the serpent under it, more advice for the killing of his king, and leave the rest to me shows her cold and calm control over the matter. Lady Macbeth also shows a more helpful side, offering help. I may pour my spirits in thine ear, which although seemingly providing a contrast to her cold hearted plotting earlier, is in fact another way in which she is convincing Macbeth to kill Duncan, she in now being nice to Macbeth to try an show him that she is on his side and is kind and friendly, but is in fact plotting, and this perhaps shows an untrue innocent side to Lady Macbeth. Macbeth however is on the other side in their relationship, and once he builds up the courage to tell her he does not want to continue with the murder. But she rallies, calling him a coward, saying that if he could murder Duncan he were a man. This to Macbeth, a proud and mighty warrior is a deep insult, and he soon is convinced that he will carry out the murder. Lady Macbeths cold hearted side again shows, saying she would dash out the brains of her own child because she is so sure Macbeth should kill Duncan. We also see how Lady Macbeths influence has rubbed off on Macbeth, as he says False face must hide what the false heart doth know, which is very similar to Lady Macbeths words of the innocent flower earlier. In act 1 we see how Lady Macbeth has a power over Macbeth, she is cunning and calculated, and despite the fact that Macbeth is the hardened warrior, she is the one who laughs at murder and Macbeth who declines, however we see her exert her power over Macbeth to make him want to murder Duncan, showing how the power in the relationship is all in Lady Macbeths hands in the first act. In act two, after murdering Duncan, Macbeth says This is a sorry sight, but Lady Macbeth again shows her power over Macbeth. A foolish thing to say a sorry sight. This shows how she is still cold hearted, as she thinks it is foolish for a man to show remorse at a murder he committed. She orders him to not think so deeply, saying that thinking about the deed will make us mad and unbend your noble strength. Here we see a slightly weaker side to Lady Macbeth; she is herself feeling vulnerable to guilt, almost immediately after the murder. This is shown in will make us mad. The us shows that she is no longer only concerned for Macbeth, but is worried about her own mental state too, worried that she may go mad with guilt. But soon after, Lady Macbeth regains her control, and begins to once more organise affairs in her cold and careless way, go get some water and wash this filthy witness from your hand. This implies that Lady Macbeth wants Macbeth to get dispose of himself, as she asks him to dispose of this filthy witnessÂÂ ´, suggesting that Macbeth rid himself of the part of him that was uncertain and stood watching the other side of him murder Duncan. Again this is another massive request from Lady Macbeth, but Macbeth seems to obey anyway, showing her power over him. The winter's tale - A monologue from the play by William Shakespeare EssayThe killings have had a profound effect on her, as earlier in the play, she was a cool, calm, controlling wife who could make her proud warrior husband kill at the click of her fingers, whereas now she is overcome with guilt. From this, it is clear that her absence from act four has been time alone, where the ramifications of her actions have been sinking in. Later, we see Macbeth admit that what he has done is wrong, and that he regrets it, but only in private. I have loved long enough, implying that he wishes to die for what he has done, the deeds are so terrible. He also says Honour, love, obedience, troops of friends I must look not to have, suggesting that he does not have the respect, care or friends associated with achievements of this kind. This shows how all passion or love and even respect has been lost in Lady Macbeths and Macbeths relationship, as he feels he has none of these things. This is a co ntrast to before, when even if Lady Macbeth was being cold; she was always at his side to help him. But now, we see a change in their roles, Macbeth is making his own plans, he is in control and can come to terms with his guilt, shown in I will fight till from my bones my flesh be hacked, which not only shows great courage in Macbeth, despite the guilt he is feeling, but also echoes his words earlier, those of the brave captain seen in act one. This quote shows how Macbeth has changed since the murder of Duncan. Had he want to protect what he has done, he would have said I will fight until I have driven off Macduff for example. But he only mentions until his death occurs. This shows that firstly, he knows what he has done is wrong, but he wants to die for his crimes, but will retain the great pride he had as a noble warrior at the start of the play and fight until he falls. In act five scene five we see again the change in Macbeths character, he has gone from the man who was appalled be every noise, as said someone who would be a nervous wreck, to a man who has almost forgot the taste of fears as has supped full with horrors. This implies that Macbeth no longer fears anything, for he has seen too much violence and fear to be affected anymore. This is a vast contrast to the nervous wreck which killed Duncan, and shows how much he has changed. After news of Lady Macbeths death is brought to him, Macbeth reflects on the futility of his actions Lifes but a walking shadow, a poor player that struts and frets his hour upon the stage and then is heard no more. It is a tale told by and idiot, full of sound and fury signifying nothing. This shows a man who has looked back on his life and seen that he has achieved nothing. For Macbeth, this is particularly prominent, as he has made the sacrifice of his inner peace due to what boils down to his and his wifes ambition. However in this speech, he recognises that his actions were futile, as no matter how hard one struts and frets in life, it is but a walking shadow and signifying nothing, and Macbeth has thrown away his hour, as his life or his play was full of sound and fury. However, we must ask whether it is this futility in life discovered by Macbeth, or the fact that their relationship has been deteriorating that Macbeth almost shrugs off his wifes death? Perhaps it is her cold hearted ways which have taught him not to care. But in any case, here we see how their relationship has deteriorated to such a state that Macbeth no longer cares if she is alive or not, where as before he had trouble with Duncans death, someone far less close to him than his own wife.