/ When you durst do it, then you were a man” (1.7.47-49).. She defines manhood as stark aggression to achieve power in any means necessary such as killing Duncan. Macbeth, had compassion for Duncan but due to fear of being demasculinized if he did not act on his ambition results in his submission into temptation. As said from a female, it makes the reverse psychology from Lady Macbeth even more potent due to the preservation of gender roles. As one progresses through the story, Macbeth becomes more emotionally numb and tyrannical, for he then kills Banquo for fear of his intelligence on the murder of King Duncan. Then he kills Macduff’s family out of anger.
Although, Macbeth takes the dagger and kills King Duncan, Lady Macbeth was the one who planned to kill him that night and frame his guards. I believe that Lady Macbeth played a huge part in the murder of King Duncan. Macbeth was ambitious about becoming King, yet, at moments he felt uneasy about the idea of murdering Duncan. Lady Macbeth convinced him otherwise challenging his manhood and planning the murder to the finer details. Lady Macbeth went to great measures to make sure Duncan was killed; she even called upon the evil spirits to aid her.
This quote spoken by Lady Macbeth is showing her desire for Macbeth to become more daring and wicked. He has many doubts in his mind about killing Duncan, but Lady Macbeth convinces him to do it. Before he kills the king and shortly after becoming king, Macbeth’s
The points that will be argued are, that Lady Macbeth played a large role in the murder of King Duncan, The three witches planted the idea in Macbeth’s head, and that the murder of King Duncan was all Macbeths doing. In many ways, Lady Macbeth drives Macbeth to the murder and acts as more of a physical spur, as opposed to the witches who use a mental approach. She bullies him, uses emotional blackmail and knows he is morally sensitive so he must be pushed. She mocks his bravery and knows he is a warrior and will be insulted. When Macbeth is thinking about not going ahead with the plan she says, “When you durst do it, then you were a man; and, to be more than what you were, you would be so much more the man”.
Brutus was the last of the conspirators to stab Caesar, while Lady Macbeth plots the murder of Duncan. Brutus also made a plan how do kill Caesar, similar to Lady Macbeth who manipulated her husband to commit a murder. These two character are great planners and liars, because their victims didn’t know what they are up to. Lady Macbeth and Brutus are both loyal and loving wife and husband, however, when Macbeth doubts his intension to kill Duncan, Lady Macbeth, manipulates him effectively by questioning his manhood, while when Portia kills herself, Brutus seems like he doesn’t really care about his wife’s death. This could be explained by Lady Macbeth’s ambition and the fact that Brutus was in state of chaos when his wife killed herself.
His wife then puts his conscience at ease. The wife was being immoral by persuading Macbeth to kill Duncan and trying to soften the blow of Duncan's death by reassuring her husband that everything was going to be all right. Macbeth was being immoral by actually killing King Duncan. Macbeth is already starting to feel guilty, but Lady Macbeth seems not to be affected, as of now. The second malicious decision chosen by Macbeth and Lady Macbeth was to have Banquo and his sons killed.
It suggests a certain foreshadowing of things to come in the play, implying that all may be not what it seems. The quote can also be said to represent the characteristics of Macbeth and his wife Lady Macbeth. In the beginning of the play, Lady Macbeth is the foul, ruthless woman who tries to convince her husband to commit regicide in order to become King. She manipulates him into killing the King, sparking the many murders to follow this event. Initially, she differs from Macbeth in this way because he is reluctant to kill his kinsman.
Macbeth carries out the act after Lady Macbeth challenges his ‘manhood’ in saying “When you durst do it, then you were a man; And, to be more than what you were, you would / Be so much more the man” (1.7.49-51). When the dazed and blood-covered Macbeth emerges, Lady Macbeth is slightly angered with her husband’s incompetence but quickly rushes off with the bloody daggers to frame the two servants. Upon her
Ultimately, it is Macbeth’s wife, symbolic of temptation and evil, that is responsible for pulling out the monster of Macbeth. She is the one who sets off the trigger that ultimately leads to Macbeth’s demise, however it is Macbeth that is to blame. He doubted his wife’s judgment however chose not to act on it. This is shown through the scene when he questions Lady Macbeth’s plan to kill Duncan by asking, “If we should fail?” (Macbeth 1.7.64). If it weren’t for his conscience, which he chose to
Macbeth believes that killing the King while he sleeps is a cowardice action to commit, however Lady Macbeth convinces him that by killing Duncan and receiving kingship, he will be more of a man. This also makes him afraid to know what he would be in her eyes if he does not kill Duncan. Also, Macbeth demonstrates the thought of him being unlovable when Lady Macbeth “taunts him with faithlessness” (Bealey). After Macbeth tells his wife that he cannot kill Duncan, she tries to guilt him in by saying “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 pluck'd my nipple from his boneless gums, | And dash'd the brains out, had I so sworn | As you Have done to this” (I.xii.54-58). Macbeth’s love is put to the test here, as Lady Macbeth says she would kill her baby had she promised him out of love, whereas Macbeth cannot bring himself to kill Duncan