how does lady macbeth manipulate macbeth essay

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Manipulation in Lady Macbeth

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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 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 )

Read more Lady Macbeth quotes .

See All Macbeth Resources

Macbeth | Macbeth summary | Macbeth characters : Banquo , Lady Macbeth , Macbeth , Macduff , Three Witches | Macbeth settings | Modern Macbeth translation  | Macbeth full text | Macbeth PDF  |  Modern Macbeth ebook | Macbeth for kids ebooks | Macbeth quotes | Macbeth ambition quotes |  Macbeth quote translations | Macbeth monologues | Macbeth soliloquies | Macbeth movies | Macbeth themes

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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: Unravelling the Complexities of Shakespeare’s Iconic Character

Lady Macbeth, one of Shakespeare’s most captivating and enigmatic characters, continues to intrigue readers and audiences alike centuries after her creation. As the ambitious and ruthless wife of Macbeth, she plays a pivotal role in one of the Bard’s darkest tragedies.

Through her compelling presence and the complex layers of her personality, Lady Macbeth leaves an indelible mark on the play, raising profound questions about power, gender, and the human psyche.

The Power-hungry Temptress

Your face, my Thane, is as a book where men may read strange matters. To beguile the time, look like the time; bear welcome in your eye, your hand, your tongue; look like the innocent flower, but be the serpent under’it. Macbeth Act 1, Scene 5

From the outset, Lady Macbeth is established as a woman driven by an insatiable hunger for power. When she learns of the witches’ prophecy that Macbeth is destined to become king, her desire to accelerate their fate consumes her. Unbound by societal expectations of femininity, she challenged the traditional gender roles of her time, symbolizing a potent force of female agency in a male-dominated society.

The Manipulative Puppeteer

What cannot you and I perform upon the unguarded Duncan? What not put upon his spongy officers, who shall bear the guilt of our great quell? Macbeth Act 1, Scene 7

Lady Macbeth possessed an uncanny ability to manipulate her husband, Macbeth, by using her sharp wit and persuasive charm . Through her skilful rhetoric, she provoked his ambitions and fuelled his murderous intent. Her unyielding determination to seize the throne drove her to manipulate her spouse, preying on his weaknesses and sowing the seeds of guilt and doubt in his mind. This calculated manipulation unveils her astute understanding of human psychology, highlighting her complexity as a character.

The Fragile Façade

Out, damned spot! Out, I say! One, two: why then, ’tis time to do’t. Hell is murky. Fie, my lord, fie, a soldier, and afeared? Macbeth Act 5, Scene 1

Beneath Lady Macbeth’s resolute exterior lied a fragile psyche. Despite her ironclad determination, she found herself plagued by guilt and remorse after the bloodshed began. Her famous sleepwalking scene , where she was obsessively trying to cleanse her hands of imagined bloodstains, revealed the profound psychological toll exacted by her role in the regicidal plot. This vulnerability humanizes her character, presenting her as a victim of her own ambition, struggling to reconcile her actions with her conscience.

The Exploration of Gender

Lady Macbeth challenged the traditional gender norms of her time, defying the expectations imposed on women. Her desire for power transcended societal limitations, and she actively rejected her femininity, calling upon dark spirits to “unsex” her and fill her with masculine strength. In doing so, she asserted herself as a force to be reckoned with – defying the passive, submissive image assigned to women during the Renaissance era. Shakespeare’s portrayal of Lady Macbeth highlighted the complex relationship between gender, power, and identity.

Come to my woman’s breasts, and take my milk for gall, you murd’ring ministers! Macbeth Act 1, Scene 5

The Significance of Lady Macbeth’s Character in the Play

Lady Macbeth’s character is central to the plot of Macbeth. Without her ambition and manipulation, it is unlikely that Macbeth would have ever become king. Lady Macbeth’s character also raises important questions about gender roles and power dynamics, as she seeks to take on a traditionally masculine role in order to achieve her goals. Lady Macbeth’s guilt and descent into a mental breakdown also adds a layer of complexity to the play, as readers are shown the consequences of ambition and betrayal.

Lady M is often compared to other strong and complex female characters in Shakespeare’s plays, such as Cleopatra from Antony and Cleopatra and Volumnia from Coriolanus . Like Lady Macbeth, these characters are ambitious and powerful, but also suffer from their own flaws and weaknesses. However, Lady Macbeth is unique in her willingness to manipulate and control others in order to achieve her goals, making her one of the most complex and intriguing female characters in all of literature.

Lady Macbeth’s Soliloquies

Lady Macbeth has several famous soliloquies throughout the play, including her “unsex me” soliloquy in Act 1 and her sleepwalking scene in Act 5. These soliloquies offer a glimpse into Lady Macbeth’s inner thoughts and motivations, revealing her ambition, guilt, and descent into mental instability. Literary analyses of these soliloquies have revealed the complex and multi-faceted nature of Lady Macbeth’s character, as well as the themes of gender roles, power dynamics, and the consequences of ambition.

Lady Macbeth in Act 1, scene 5-7

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!

In this soliloquy, Lady Macbeth offers herself to be possessed by evil spirits. Why would a person offer themselves to evil spirits? Lady Macbeth wanted Duncan dead – as a King, God protected him, so for Lady Macbeth to penetrate that protection she had to appeal to the dark side to assist her in her plan. When she says to the spirits, “unsex me”, she wanted them to take away from her the fragile heart of a woman and instead give her the ruthlessness that is associated with men. Lady Macbeth’s determination to get rid of Duncan in order for Macbeth to become King became toxic and dangerous.

Lady Macbeth in Act 5, scene 1

There is a spot Come off you damned spot! Come off, I said! One ring, two rings. Well then, it must be time to do it. Hell is a murky place! Come on, my love, come on! You are a soldier and you’re afraid? Why should we be afraid that someone will find us out when no one can challenge our power? Still, who would have thought old Duncan would bleed so much? The Thane of Fife also had a wife. What happened to her? What will these hands never be clean? Stop that my love, stop that. You are going to ruin everything by showing so much fear. I can still smell the blood. All the perfume in Arabia could not stop my hand from smelling. Oh! Oh! Oh! Wash your hands and put on your robe, do not look so sick with fear. I will say it again, Banquo is buried in the ground and he is not going to come out of his grave! Go to bed, go to bed. I can hear knocking at the gate. Come, come, come, come hold my hand. We cannot undo what we have done. Go to bed, go to bed, go to bed. (Modern Translation)

In this soliloquy, the audience and readers can now see how the guilt of killing Duncan and Banquo is haunting Lady Macbeth. Her conscience gets the better of her, she starts hallucinating and she unconsciously reveals everything in her sleep. Her guilty conscience drove her to mental instability because her mind was struggling to come to terms with what her and her husband had done, all in the name of power. Being over ambitious can mentally destabilize a person.

Lady Macbeth, with her unwavering ambition, manipulative tactics, and ultimate descent into guilt and madness, stands as a compelling and complex character in Shakespeare’s canon. Her portrayal challenges societal expectations of gender, offering a nuanced exploration of power and its consequences. Lady Macbeth’s legacy endures as a timeless symbol of ambition and the human capacity for both triumph and tragedy. Lady Macbeth`s downfall serves as a cautionary tale, a stark reminder of the consequences that await those who choose to abandon their moral compass in the pursuit of power. Her journey serves as a potent reminder of the fragile balance between ambition and morality. Through her character, Shakespeare invites readers and viewers to ponder on the intricacies of the human psyche and the price one pays for succumbing to unchecked desires.

Some might say Lady Macbeth was not evil, rather, she was a mentally ill someone who was overly ambitious – what do you say?

What do you think? Leave a comment .

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41 Comments

I always had a theory that Lady MacBeth was the one who called evil on to her and her husband both. I always thought that she summoned the dagger that MacBeth saw. I thought she was more powerful than the witches. It’s only after she dies that MacBeth falls. My English teacher and I argued on it for all 3 weeks we covered this topic in class. Lmao!

I would like to know what the repercussions (grade wise) and final conclusions of said discussion were.

Although this is a very different interpretation which i am going to make a note of may i add! isnt macbeth’s fall or downfall gradual since he became king and lady macbeth was no longer the helpmate as she began to detiriorate from guilt of her actions? for example macbeth began seeing banquos ghost and being consumed by everything around him where he says oh full of scorpions is my mind dear wife where he becomes weak paranoid and crazy before lady macbeth’s demise.

Well, I concentrated more on Lady Macbeth not much on Macbeth

Lady macbeth girlboss!

Could you argue that, because Lady Macbeth is introduced by speaking the words of a powerful man, this initially gives her a sense of being powerful?

You could argue anything so long as you can back it up.

Always have I held a soft spot for Lady Macbeth. After loss of her child – she most likely lost her ability to conceive. She then in turn gives up her femininity – I think a sacrifice in grief of Motherhood and wanting to grasp for herself and her husband a higher status. Maybe the supernatural who took their child was offering a gift to be grasped. I truly believe she meant Duncan to be the only murder on their way to greatness. After Duncan’s murder – Macbeth deteriorates mentally and she sees it is her who assisted in this. He cannot stop what it is she fully opened the door too – and it breaks her. She then ends her life. I do not think she was inherently diabolical- I think she was broken by grief and then destroyed by what became of her role as both mother and wife.

I think LM is infact a witch herself and Shakespeare wrote about her being unnatural in order to please King James.

Lady Macbeth’s portrayal makes me think that she is a Sadist, unless she has a darker story behind her that already made her this unfeeling to murder.

I don’t think she is unfeeling to murder at all. Especially in Act 5 Scene 1 with the sleepwalking scene. In that scene in particular, you get to see how much Duncan’s murder affected her. Also, I don’t think she wanted anyone else to die as Macbeth is the one that killed Banquo and all the other characters.

She came up with the plans and Macbeth implemented them through her manipulation

This brings me back to year 11 english- the way me and all the girls in my class were obsessed with lady Macbeth.

I am playing Lady Macbeth in university and this has helped me get inside her head.

I find it interesting these character studies often Shakespeare is a wealth of case studies and I find the study of literature is very psychological and almost a reflection of the person who writes it, who they write for, and why are topics not taken seriously by the sciences in ways they truly ought to be. Creative Psychology is a great example of an area where the creatives and creations are examined in a scientific way, which is truly informative to the power of storytelling itself. Through it we learn about ourselves. Or others around us.

Lady Macbeth is my comfort character and favourite character ever, her penitence (arguably in contrast to her husband) as well as the ambiguity and unconventional themes within her character just make her the greatest of Shakespeare’s craft.

I personally see lady Macbeth as a character who subverts her femininity ,denying the Jacobean stereotypes which would be placed upon her. However I find that in this play Shakespeare portrays dominant and powerful women as the catalysts of Macbeths demise, with lady Macbeth and the witches. Therefore Shakespeare condemns a society where women step out of their natural order and dominate over their husbands.

Me too, I feel as though Shakespeare punishes Lady Macbeth for subverting the stereotypical roles of a Jacobean woman. Her madness and eventual death is a punishment for acting out of her confinements placed upon her by society. It’s as if Shakespeare is attempting to make a point to the female audience to stay submissive and not affect the ‘natural order’ of things, as it will only lead to chaos- a subtle reminder to women of the patriarchal society that they were below men, anything else was unnatural and would be punishable- or at least this was Shakespeare’s view. Nearing the end of the play, she is forced to conform and when she feels as though she can not (as her mental health has already declined) she commits suicide or so is implied. Her ultimate punishment for subverting the stereotype is madness, then death.

To add to your point a lot of this stems from the great chain of being, and the witches the first characters introduced break the whole idea of this so lady Macbeth in those times talked down too her husband and in a sense being higher who was seen higher not just because he was a man but a thane and soon to be king and she broke the role of the great chain of being just like the witches and similarly speak very much so similarly to the witches. and when Macbeth kills the king catastrophic events happens after following the chain of the great being. just a thought as Im currently enjoying studding Macbeth.

She’s not the only one punished. Her husband macbeth was punished too, since he too was going mad just as she is and he died at the end. So she and her husband were in fact both punished for their bad deeds. Macbeth was actually more feeble than Lady Macbeth was. Also, she’s punished because she does something evil not because she was asserting her power. She does this in the wrong way.

this is exactly my thoughts! it’s like a warning to women in the era to not try be more than an accessory, and for men to not let them step out of place because it will cause their downfall

Shakespeare wanted to highlight what guilt does to the human mind

I think Lady Macbeth is a character of negative subversion similar to the Witches because of the fact that her displaying such “masculine” traits is what was partially responsible for her own demise ( as she was too “weak” to survive her own partaking in the murder).

I partially agree, I think throughout the play there is an unbalance of feminine and masculine traits in all characters and areas; I believe this is to blame for the demise of Lady Macbeths’ ambition. Therefore, I see Shakespeares writing as a criticism of neither femininity nor masculinity – rather a lack of coordination and an understanding of traits.

I think that Shakespeare does present Lady Macbeth as subverting feminine stereotypes of the Jacobean era, however, rather than using that to outline a protofeminist viewpoint, he intends to present Lady Macbeth’s subversion as her hamartia or fatal flaw, and her eventual death is the consequence of her hamartia. Her and her relationship with Macbeth would have been a clear warning to the audience of what the consequences were of subverting the natural hierarchy of the relationship. Although a modern audience would see Lady Macbeth’s dominance as progressive and beneficial to the Macbeths, Shakespeare’s audience would have seen her dominance as disobedience and sickness.

I agree with this.

I see Lady Macbeth as a character that both appeals to modern ideas equality and women being able to have as much power as men and to the sexist ideas in the Jacobean era. I see Lady Macbeth as cautionairy character to women and men as it teaches the women should stick to their feminen roles and that men shouldnt listen to the ideas of their wives. I believe this is shown by Lady Macbeths mental breakdown and unimportant death as she dies off screen with no one to care for her.

Shakespeare presents Lady Macbeth as subverting feminine stereotypes to evoke the idea to both a modern and contemporary audience that women were simply a possession of men and so were deprived of their capabilities. Additionally through the application of Freud’s theory she could be percepted as having a conflicting mental state between her ‘id’ and ‘superego’ leading her to oppose the patriarchal society in order to achieve some sort of power. However contradictingly you could argue that she conforms to feminine stereotypes in order to conceal her true desires and achieve her duty as Macbeth’s husband.

Plot twist: macbeth was gay so he needed a strong woman as a substitute for a male companion.

I think that, as an alternative interpretation, Lady Macbeth acting against the social norm causes chaos in the world. Shakespeare could be showing his female audience that acting as Lady Macbeth (and the witches) do will disturb the Great Chain of Being. The witches fuel Macbeth’s ambition and Lady Macbeth persuades him to kill Duncan, therefore you could argue that these women, acting against their stereotypes, have caused the destruction in the play.

Lady Macbeth clearly felt remorse. I think there was a recognition in her that she should not have stepped out of her role in society at all, despite seeing the role as wife of the king as desirable. Just another person grasping for honour and doing it greedily all the while breaking natural and man-made laws. So, some sympathy for her remorse, but an acceptance that she did bring this on herself.

I just had the extreme pleasure of playing Lady Macbeth in a recent production, and the process was very taxing, yet very rewarding. Everyone I told had some idea of how to portray her and her journey, and I researched relentlessly. The most compelling aspect, to me, is her child loss. It’s a very quick mention, but reveals so much about her characterization. It was such an honour to bring one of my favourite characters to life on the stage, and I’m more than willing to share any info about it with anyone.

You covered one of my fav characters here!

Ack, Shakespeare. What is there not to love.

In Shakespeare’s play Macbeth, Lady Macbeth is depicted as a strong and dominant figure in a society that was largely controlled by men and their gender norms. She is a highly ambitious character who yearns for power and equality, which challenges the traditional gender roles of the time. The play highlights how women, who were traditionally considered insignificant, could be just as ruthless and ambitious in their pursuit of power as men.

In my opinion as a woman, lady macbeth is a woman stuck being a woman. like her husband she lusts for power but unlike him she had no power or agency. and its that lack of agency that corrupts her to that power so much. i think saying she is a character that existed only to aupport her husband whitewashes her too much. i think rather its more a situation of two snakes eating eachothers tails. macbeth uses his wife in a sense to propel himself towards murder while keeping himself almost innocent of his own actions because he was (he let himself be) manipulated while lady macbeth manipulates her husband to be powerful by proxy. her stripping herself of her own womanhood only adds onto my opinion of this. in the real world women will internalize toxic masculinity and apply it to ourselves. because we live in a world where this is the only way to win (if you are a man.) but these actions have consequences. because we are not men. we cannot play a mans game for men as men or as women. we arent men and women arent part of the game. lady macbeth ultimetly cant exist in this mans world as neither a man and no longer being fully woman. in a sense she had already commited suicide at the beggining of the play

I really like the featured image of this article. The painting “Ellen Terry as Lady Macbeth” by John Singer Sargent is so good. We see Lady Macbeth about to place the crown on her head showing her will for power and obsession to get anything she wants. The colours are great: red hair in long tresses, rich blue and green dress, golds and really represent the richness of her character.

This is a good snapshot and analysis of Lady MacBeth’s character. As the driving force of the plot, I found how she is portrayed in the play to be rather sympathetic and captivating. Sympathetic specifically in the sense that doing something that dark in the name of progress usually makes one remorseful and start to question their actions. I always kind of wondered what a redemption arc would look like for Lady MacBeth, if there could be one done at all, and, in that sense, she reminds me a bit of Azula from Avatar: The Last Airbender as well.

Great topic and article! As the original power-hungry female villain, Lady Macbeth certainly leaves an impression. Moreover, her desire to be “unsexed” begs to be plumbed, analyzed, criticized, and so on in the 21st century. When one considers the evolving concept of gender theory, the pressure on women to be strong, have it all, and do it all, and the accusation that men are being emasculated and feminized, Lady M takes on multiple, if not completely new, facets. Two of my favorite college courses were Shakespeare and a “linked” course called Women in Literature/Women in Religion (two profs in one room, double time slot). I would pay a fee all over again for a course like that, which had Lady Macbeth on the syllabus.

I think this is a very well written article but the topic leaves me wanting more. I’d be more interested to know why you think Shakespeare wrote LM to be “complex.” Do you find that by having LM denounce her femininity Shakespeare is demonstrating, or subconsciously adhering to, a gender barrier for writing complex characters? Also, while I do agree that LM is one of Shakespeare’s more developed female characters, I don’t know if I’d go as far as to say she is complex. I think for her character to be considered complex, we’d need more explanation of her motivations. Her lust for power lacks complexity. Why does she want power so bad she’s willing to kill for it? The only explanation I can come up with is a feeling of powerless she might feel from everyday womanhood, or more specifically from her lost child. Yet, neither of these reasons get much written attention. This child is mentioned only once during the “unsex me ” speech and given no further context. LM also lacks interaction with other characters, only conversing with Macbeth. I’ll agree that her manipulating of her husband adds complexity to her character, but take these marital interactions out and she’s a rather isolated character. For that reason she has always seemed to me to be more of a vessel for commentary on gender rather than a complex character. Then again I’d just as quickly argue many Shakespearean characters lack complexity.

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William Shakespeare

• Literature Notes
• Lady Macbeth
• Macbeth at a Glance
• Play Summary
• About Macbeth
• Character List
• Summary and Analysis
• Act I: Scene 1
• Act I: Scene 2
• Act I: Scene 3
• Act I: Scene 4
• Act I: Scene 5
• Act I: Scene 6
• Act I: Scene 7
• Act II: Scene 1
• Act II: Scene 2
• Act II: Scene 3
• Act II: Scene 4
• Act III: Scene 1
• Act III: Scene 2
• Act III: Scene 3
• Act III: Scene 4
• Act III: Scene 5
• Act III: Scene 6
• Act IV: Scene 1
• Act IV: Scene 2
• Act IV: Scene 3
• Act V: Scene 1
• Act V: Scene 2
• Act V: Scene 3
• Act V: Scene 4
• Act V: Scene 5
• Act V: Scene 6
• Act V: Scene 7
• Act V: Scene 8
• Act V: Scene 9
• Character Analysis
• Character Map
• William Shakespeare Biography
• Critical Essays
• Major Themes
• Major Symbols and Motifs
• Macbeth on the Stage
• Famous Quotes
• Film Versions
• Full Glossary
• Essay Questions
• Practice Projects
• Cite this Literature Note

Character Analysis Lady Macbeth

Macbeth 's wife is one of the most powerful female characters in literature. Unlike her husband, she lacks all humanity, as we see well in her opening scene, where she calls upon the "Spirits that tend on mortal thoughts" to deprive her of her feminine instinct to care. Her burning ambition to be queen is the single feature that Shakespeare developed far beyond that of her counterpart in the historical story he used as his source. Lady Macbeth persistently taunts her husband for his lack of courage, even though we know of his bloody deeds on the battlefield. But in public, she is able to act as the consummate hostess, enticing her victim, the king, into her castle. When she faints immediately after the murder of Duncan , the audience is left wondering whether this, too, is part of her act.

Ultimately, she fails the test of her own hardened ruthlessness. Having upbraided her husband one last time during the banquet (Act III, Scene 4), the pace of events becomes too much even for her: She becomes mentally deranged, a mere shadow of her former commanding self, gibbering in Act V, Scene 1 as she "confesses" her part in the murder. Her death is the event that causes Macbeth to ruminate for one last time on the nature of time and mortality in the speech "Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow" (Act V, Scene 5).

Previous Macbeth

Next Duncan

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..

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Shakespeare’s Lady Macbeth: Manipulation & Ruthlessness

• Shakespeare’s Lady Macbeth: Manipulation &…

When Lady Macbeth first appears in the play, she is learning of the witches’ prophesies from a letter sent to her by Macbeth. Almost immediately after reading this letter, she starts to think of a way to assure that Macbeth becomes king.

She wants to kill King Duncan. “Yet I do fear thy nature. It is too full of the milk of human kindness to catch the nearest way. Thou wouldst be great, art not without ambition, but without the illness that should attend it” Here she is saying how she is concerned that Macbeth may be too kind-hearted to do anything dire in order to become king.

When Lady Macbeth sees Macbeth in person, she is very eager to discuss their plans but Macbeth isn’t so keen, he’s anxious, so Lady Macbeth decides to give him the advice to calm him down a little, “Look like th’ innocent flower, but be the serpent under ’t.” She’s telling him to act like he’s innocent and appear like he always has, kind, brave and fair, but actually be a cunning, cruel, ambitious person in order to become king. This is where her manipulative persona comes into play.

When the planned night of King Duncan’s murder comes, Macbeth is having second thoughts about it all. When he tells Lady Macbeth this, she acts like he is weak for wanting to do what is right, like he isn’t man enough. When Macbeth asks Lady Macbeth what might happen if they fail, she replies; “We fail? But screw your courage to the sticking-place, and we’ll not fail.” She’s saying that if he gets his courage up, they won’t fail.

After Macbeth murders Duncan, he’s still feeling very troubled and whenever he mentions that to Lady Macbeth, she just tells him not to worry and not to think about it. “These deeds must not be thought after these ways. So, it will make us mad.” – Lady Macbeth telling him not to feel bad about it, otherwise it may drive them crazy.

When Lady Macbeth discovers that Macbeth had not put the daggers where they were supposed to go, and refuses to go back to the scene of the crime, she is infuriated and calls him a coward and when she comes back, she says this, “My hands are of your color, but I shame to wear a heart so white.” This means that she is as much involved in the murder as he is, but she is not weak enough to let it affect her as he has.

On the day that Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are going to host a dinner party, Macbeth is still feeling guilty and anxious that they might get found out. Again, Lady Macbeth reassures him and tells him to relax and stop talking nonsense.

Macbeth then goes on to tell her that he is nervous as Banquo and Fleance are still alive, and if anyone was to figure out what they had done, it’d be Banquo and the witches had said that Fleance would become king, so they’re both threats to him. Lady Macbeth tells him “in them nature’s copy’s not eterne.” Meaning they can’t live forever, which makes Macbeth feel better, knowing that Banquo and Fleance will be killed soon.

After Banquo dies, Macbeth starts seeing his ghost, and Lady Macbeth simply tells him to stop being so stupid and man up.

Looking at how doubtful Macbeth was about the whole situation if it wasn’t for Lady Macbeth convincing Macbeth that killing Duncan was the right thing to do, chances are, he probably wouldn’t have done it. If Lady Macbeth hadn’t reassured him every time he felt guilty about killing Duncan, he may have turned himself in, then no one else would’ve been hurt and Malcolm could be king.

If it wasn’t for Lady Macbeth, instead of being killed by Macduff, Macbeth could’ve been laying in bed wondering how his life would’ve planned out if he went through with the murder of Duncan.

Does that mean Lady Macbeth is responsible for the murder of Duncan and the incidents that followed? Lady Macbeth obviously had some kind of power over Macbeth, but isn’t he responsible for his own actions? Macbeth obviously already had the idea of killing Duncan in the back of his mind because Lady Macbeth didn’t really mention it, straight out; he just knew what she was talking about. Maybe if she hadn’t of gone along with it and urged him on, she could’ve been one of the people he killed. Although Lady Macbeth had a huge influence on Macbeth’s downfall, she’s not the only one to blame.

What about Macbeth? He could’ve taken a completely different path as Banquo did, he could’ve just not let the power get to him and become greedy and power-hungry. Banquo is a great example of the path Macbeth could’ve taken, but didn’t. Banquo chose not to let the witches’ prophesies affect his life at all, apart from telling Macbeth that he had had a few nightmares about them, he never mentioned them.

Macbeth could’ve chosen not to listen to Lady Macbeth, she isn’t in charge of him, and he is his own person and can make decisions on his own. Lady Macbeth didn’t tell Macbeth to kill Macduff’s wife and son, but he still did, and for no reason at all but to hurt Macduff out of spite.

The witches were also a huge part of Macbeth’s downfall; they’re probably the main reason for it. Before he had the meeting with the witches, he was a brave and well-respected man who was moving up in the world, slowly but fairly. He was well-liked by those around him, especially the king. Everyone wants to be king, but Macbeth was happy and a Thane, but when the witches told him that he was to become king, he became obsessed with making sure it happened.

They planted that seed in his head. As if the witches hadn’t already done enough to make Macbeth’s life turn upside-down the leader of the witches, Hecate, decided to make things a little bit more difficult for him and bring his confidence up, just to make it come crashing down when he realizes that he isn’t as unstoppable as he thinks.

So, was Lady Macbeth responsible? Yes, but not completely. Almost everyone took part in Macbeth’s downfall and the things that came with it, but it was mainly Macbeth himself. He could’ve chosen not to listen to her or the witches, but he didn’t and now he’s dead and he has no one to blame but himself.

Related Posts

• Fear in Shakespeare’s Macbeth
• The Woman's Role In Shakespeare’s Macbeth
• Shakespeare’s Macbeth: Tragic Hero
• Ambition in Shakespeare’s Macbeth
• Lady Macbeth: Character Analysis

Author:  William Anderson (Schoolworkhelper Editorial Team)

Tutor and Freelance Writer. Science Teacher and Lover of Essays. Article last reviewed: 2022 | St. Rosemary Institution © 2010-2024 | Creative Commons 4.0

Thanks that allowed me to understand the play better I was struggling on the Shakespearean language.

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Lady Macbeth Manipulation Essay

Macbeth manipulates everybody that he comes into contact with. Macbeth is a tragic hero because he starts off his manipulation of others as an innocent bystander, but eventually Macbeth feels forced to manipulate others in order to save himself from the guilt for what he has done. Macbeth needs Lady Macbeth’s help throughout this tragedy because she was always willing to go further than Macbeth was. Macbeth first manipulates Banquo by making him believe that Macbeth will not be king anymore if Macduff joins them.

Macduff then joins both Macbeth and Banquo at their meeting where they are supposed to meet three witches that prophesy Macduff not joining them due to Macbeth seeing Macduff’s “children pricking their fingers,” and Macduff then tells Macbeth that he cannot come to Macbeth’s coronation. Macbeth goes on to manipulate Banquo into believing that Macbeth will kill him if he does not help hunt down the rebels in the north. Macduff joins them during this conversation and requests to go with them, but Macbeth denies his request saying, “I pray you, do no such thing; / For we will fetters put upon you both, / And you shall be my prisoners. (Act 3, Scene 4).

Banquo is killed by Macbeth at the banquet where Lady Macbeth encourages her husband to kill Macduff. Macbeth then sends Macduff’s wife a letter saying that Macduff is dead and Lady Macbeth convinces Macbeth to kill Macduff by telling him, “The fear o’ the people / From whence doth this our watchful peace proceed? / Who can with patience hear it? ” (Act 4, Scene 1). Macbeth succeeds in killing Macduff and continues his manipulation of Malcolm and Donalbain while they try to escape Scotland by denying them passage on ships because all ports are blocked off.

Macbeth manipulates Lady Macduff into believing that her husband is safe after he tricks her into handing over her son for protection before murdering her entire family. Macbeth manipulates Macduff and Lady Macduff into trusting him when he tells them, “This castle hath a pleasant seat; the air / Nimbly and sweetly recommends itself / Unto our gentle senses. ” (Act 4, Scene 3). Malcolm is manipulated by Macbeth to stay in Scotland for Macbeth’s coronation instead of leaving with Donalbain.

Macbeth manipulates the entire kingdom by having them believe that he is their rightful king at his coronation where Macduff was supposed to crown Macbeth but instead reveals Macbeth’s true nature as a murderer. Lady Macbeth manipulates her husband throughout this tragedy because she was always willing to go further than Macbeth and Macbeth always took her advice, “Yet do I fear thy nature; It is too full o’ the milk of human kindness / To catch the nearest way. (Act 1, Scene 5).

Macbeth manipulates Banquo to try to convince him not to attend the coronation by saying there are witches that are prophesying Macbeth will die if he goes. Macduff has knowledge about Macbeth’s manipulation throughout this tragedy because he knew what Macbeth had done before Macduff was informed of it, Lady Macduff could have told Malcolm about Macbeth’s manipulation after she returned from visiting her family but did not tell anyone else.

The witches were manipulated since they first promised Macbeth that he would be king, but manipulated Banquo into having descendants that would also rule Scotland. Macduff was manipulated into staying in Scotland until Macbeth’s coronation despite Macduff clearly wanting to leave and Macbeth denies Macduff’s request to go with him right after Macduff says he wants to join them. Malcolm and Donalbain were manipulated by Macbeth into remaining in Scotland for Macbeth’s coronation instead of leaving the country together because all ports were blocked off.

The kingdom were manipulated by Macbeth when they crowned him as their rightful king at his coronation since Macduff had knowledge about Macbeth’s actions before Macduff could have revealed Macbeth’s true nature to the kingdom. Macbeth was not manipulated by Banquo, Lady Macduff, Macduff, Malcolm and Donalbain, and the kingdom because Macbeth already knew what they didn’t want him to do; Macbeth is therefore responsible for his own actions in this tragedy.

Although Macbeth starts off as a loyal subject of Duncan, he is ambitious and this is a weakness, which allows him to be manipulated by a few factors in the play. Macbeth is manipulated by his own ambition, Lady Macbeth and the witches; Macbeth knows what they want him to do but Macbeth still chooses to listen to them. Macduff was a victim in this tragedy because Macbeth manipulates him into staying in Scotland for Macbeth’s coronation instead of leaving with Donalbain when Macduff clearly wants to leave.

Lady Macbeth manipulates her husband throughout this tragedy because she was always willing to go further than Macbeth and Macbeth always took her advice, “Yet do I fear thy nature; It is too full o’ the milk of human kindness / To catch the nearest way. ” (Act 1, Scene 5). Macbeth manipulates Macduff and Lady Macduff into trusting him when he tells them, “This castle hath a pleasant seat; the air / Nimbly and sweetly recommends itself / Unto our gentle senses. ” (Act 4, Scene 3).

Macbeth was not manipulated by Macduff because Macduff wanted to leave Scotland with Macbeth despite Macbeth clearly wanting to stay. The kingdom were manipulated by Macbeth when they crowned him as their rightful king at his coronation since Macduff had knowledge about Macbeth’s actions before Macduff could have revealed Macbeth’s true nature to the kingdom. Although Macbeth starts off as a loyal subject of Duncan, he is ambitious and this is a weakness, which allows him to be manipulated by a few factors in the play.

Macbeth is manipulated by his own ambition, Lady Macbeth and the witches; Macbeth knows what they want him to do but Macbeth still chooses to listen to them. Macduff was a victim in this tragedy because Macbeth manipulates him into staying in Scotland for Macbeth’s coronation instead of leaving with Donalbain when Macduff clearly wants to leave. Malcolm and Donalbain were manipulated by Macbeth into remaining in Scotland for Macbeth’s coronation instead of leaving the country together because all ports were blocked off.

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Relationship

Macbeth - loving and submissive husband.

In Macbeth and Lady Macbeth's relationship, Macbeth seems kinder and more caring, whereas Lady Macbeth appears to have more control.

Significance of the letter

• It is interesting that he seems to treat her more equally – this could suggest that he either cares about her, or he values her opinion. Perhaps she has helped him with decisions in the past?
• It might give the audience a clue about why he lets her influence him in the way that she does at the start of the play. Many men would not talk such things with their wives.

Structure of Act 1, Scene 5

• Macbeth uses loving language towards his wife, 'My dearest love' .
• Lady Macbeth greets him by flattering his status, 'Great Glamis, worthy Cawdor' .
• He seems the more caring of the two here.
• Lady Macbeth decides the plan for them. Macbeth tells her they will speak later, but Lady Macbeth seems to interrupt him.
• This makes us question things about his character – is he desperately in love with her and keen to please? Or is he really weak mentally?

Pleasing his wife?

• In Macbeth’s soliloquy (speech to himself), when he sees the vision of the dagger before him, he thinks of many reasons why he shouldn't act on his ambition but seems to deny all these fears because of his wife.
• Does he go ahead with the plan to kill the king to please his wife?

Lady Macbeth's Treatment of Macbeth

Lady Macbeth seems to view Macbeth as weak and controls him accordingly.

• Lady Macbeth thinks that Macbeth is too nice to go for the things that he truly wants, such as the crown: 'I fear thy nature, / It is too full o' th' milk of human kindness / To catch the nearest way' (1,5).
• Shakespeare uses this metaphor to suggest that Macbeth is a good man. But milk, a substance that mothers make to feed to their young, might also suggest that Lady Macbeth sees his kindness as weakness.
• In this way, as is the case with many Shakespearian plays, the male character seems to have more stereotypically feminine traits (i.e. Macbeth seems kinder and more caring, whereas Lady Macbeth appears to have more control).

Pressurising

• Macbeth is very torn about whether he should kill the king or not. He decides not to go on because he does not think ambition alone is a good enough reason to want the crown.
• But his wife quickly persuades him to continue with the plan. This suggests that she has power over her husband.
• It seems that one of the key things holding him back is fear of people retaliating. He addresses this at the beginning of his speech in Act 1, Scene 7. Later on in the scene, he asks Lady Macbeth what would happen if they fail. She says that if he is brave, they won't fail: 'But screw your courage to the sticking-place, / And we'll not fail' (1,7).

• When Macbeth sees Banquo's ghost, Lady Macbeth asks him, 'Are you a man?' (3,4).
• This suggests that a lack of courage makes him less of a man.
• People often saw mental disturbances as a female problem.

Macbeth's Changing Relationship

Macbeth seems to become more distant from his wife as the play progresses.

Banquo's murder

• Lady Macbeth was the key motivator behind the murder of King Duncan. But Macbeth doesn't even discuss his plan to kill Banquo.
• He tells her it is better that she doesn't know: 'Be innocent of the knowledge, dearest chuck' (3,2).
• Perhaps he wants to save her the suffering that he feels: 'O, full of scorpions is my mind, dear wife!' (3,2).
• It seems he has taken control and there has been a power shift in their relationship.

Effect of murdering Duncan

• Lady Macbeth almost bullies Macbeth throughout the first two acts of the play, insisting that if he does not murder King Duncan, then he is not a real man.
• When he finally does murder the king and his personality changes, his relationship with his wife does change – he begins to take control, perhaps believing that the more power he gains, the more his wife will respect him.

1 Literary & Cultural Context

1.1 Context

1.1.1 Tragedy

1.1.2 The Supernatural & Gender

1.1.3 Politics & Monarchy

1.1.4 End of Topic Test - Context

2 Plot Summary

2.1.1 Scenes 1 & 2

2.1.2 Scene 3

2.1.3 Scenes 4-5

2.1.4 Scenes 6-7

2.1.5 End of Topic Test - Act 1

2.2 Acts 2-4

2.2.1 Act 2

2.2.2 Act 3

2.2.3 Act 4

2.3.1 Scenes 1-3

2.3.2 Scenes 4-9

2.3.3 End of Topic Test - Acts 2-5

3 Characters

3.1 Macbeth

3.1.1 Hero vs Villain

3.1.2 Ambition & Fate

3.1.3 Relationship

3.1.4 Unstable

3.1.5 End of Topic Test - Macbeth

3.2 Lady Macbeth

3.2.1 Masculine & Ruthless

3.2.2 Manipulative & Disturbed

3.3 Other Characters

3.3.1 Banquo

3.3.2 The Witches

3.3.3 Exam-Style Questions - The Witches

3.3.4 King Duncan

3.3.5 Macduff

3.3.6 End of Topic Test - Lady Macbeth & Banquo

3.3.7 End of Topic Test - Witches, Duncan & Macduff

3.4 Grade 9 - Key Characters

3.4.1 Grade 9 - Lady Macbeth Questions

4.1.1 Power & Ambition

4.1.2 Power & Ambition HyperLearning

4.1.3 Violence

4.1.4 The Supernatural

4.1.5 Masculinity

4.1.6 Armour, Kingship & The Natural Order

4.1.7 Appearances & Deception

4.1.8 Madness & Blood

4.1.9 Women, Children & Sleep

4.1.10 End of Topic Test - Themes

4.1.11 End of Topic Test - Themes 2

4.2 Grade 9 - Themes

4.2.1 Grade 9 - Themes

4.2.2 Extract Analysis

5 Writer's Techniques

5.1 Structure, Meter & Other Literary Techniques

5.1.1 Structure, Meter & Dramatic Irony

5.1.2 Pathetic Fallacy & Symbolism

5.1.3 End of Topic Test - Writer's Techniques

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Ambition & Fate