(Macbeth I, v, 26) Lady Macbeth made Macbeth feel bad about himself, by lowering his manhood and bravery. Lady Macbeth deceives everyone so well that people were scared to tell her about Duncan’s death, not thinking she can handle it. “Look like an innocent flower /but be the serpent under it” (Macbeth I, IV, 65-66) this means to look innocent and pure but to be evil on the inside. At first Lady Macbeth is able to keep her cool and not think anything of the deed. Macbeth on the other hand cannot sleep and starts to see things.
When she says “What need we fear who/ Knows it, when none can call our power accompt?” (5.1.37-38). In making a comment on this, it not only gives away the fact that she did indeed commit murder, but also that she and her husband, Macbeth, need not worry about people knowing who they had killed if they were able to retain power. The fact that Lady Macbeth was so hungry to for power that she was ready to kill will lead to her self destruction, which would result in her insanity. This demonstrates how ambition can cause destruction. Ultimately, the hallucinations of bloodstains on Lady Macbeth’s hands are what symbolize the guilt and lack of innocence.
This also points to how unintelligent Macbeth really was. This is true for Lady Macbeth as well, as she convinced Macbeth to follow through with the plan, even with Macbeth doubting himself so much. I don’t think anyone could have predicted how Lady Macbeth and Macbeth both responded to Duncan’s murder. In committing the murder, Macbeth became king, but he would also become a nervous wreck that could be executed at any
I chose this image and scene because it shows Lady Macbeth seeing a spot of blood on her hand that represents the murder and crimes that she has committed. She is filled with so much quilt that she sleep walks saying these words. While she was sleepwalking the people around her began to listen to what she was saying. She says “Yet who would have thought the old man to have had so much blood in him” this allows me to believe that Lady Macbeth cannot handle all the crime that she has
Lady Macbeth also plays and evil role beside him. She mocks him, if he frets over her instructions, saying that he will be less of a man if he does not follow the plan. She gives Macbeth a lecture of deceptiveness when planning the murder of King Ducan. She had also prepared a dagger for Macbeth to kill the King in advance. Though Macbeth still had doubts, she was ready to do this blood thickening job, herself.
Commentary on Queen Extract - Act 4 Scene 7 This short extract from Act 4 Scene 7 of the play gives a deep visual description of the death of Ophelia as described by the Queen. The description is vital to the closure of the scene because it sets a melancholic tone inciting deep sadness into Laertes and bringing the audience to sympathize with him on two levels: that of a brother who has tragically lost his sister and that of a son who has lost his father to a gruesome murder. For this reason the audience is able to discern Laertes’ role as a parallel avenger to Fortinbras as well as being able to see the marked difference between Laertes’ approach to revenge and that of Hamlet’s approach. The way by which the Queen delivers the tragic news is also important to note, it seems that the description has been embellished and romanticized in order for the Queen to acquit herself from any blame which could possibly be placed on her for Ophelia’s death. As with many of the play’s characters the Queen uses her embellished and romanticized language to achieve a level of ambiguity surrounding Ophelia’s death leading the audience to ask many questions which go unanswered.
She also refers to the murder of Banquo and Lady Macduff while in her somnambulistic state. Lady Macbeth’s motivation for going insane is ultimately to be free of guilt. Once the sense of guilt becomes to overwhelming, Lady Macbeth’s sensitivity becomes a weakness, and she is unable to cope. Lady Macbeth faces mental obstacles as she tries to overcome her guilt because her conscious mind is telling her to keep her secrets suppressed but her unconscious mind reveals her secrets to the Gentlewomen and the Doctor because it is doing herself no good keeping the secrets to herself. Once Lady Macbeth confronts these obstacles, she apparently kills herself, signaling her inability to deal with the legacy and the power of the crown.
The use of death in Macbeth can be seen throughout the entire play. Key characters such as Macbeth, Duncan and Lady Macbeth are all characters that fall into the theme of death. This can be seen when Lady Macbeth stated “all the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand” which exemplifies that Lady Macbeth cannot handle the guilt of the murders of the soldiers she killed, and cannot wash the blood on her hands. This is greater emphasised with the use of a metaphor, as it shows
Additionally, it is likely that the fact Tess murders was enough of a controversial subject, without Hardy having to describe it, to shock the readers. The heartbreaking tragedy which radiates throughout the novel is particularly poignant when Tess gushes, ‘Say you do now, dear, dear husband; say you do love me, now I have killed him!’, with which Angel replies, ‘I do love you... it’s all come back!’ (page 448). Tess’s complete naivety and desperation for Angel’s acceptance and love has lead her to the extent of questioning her moral duty. As a reader we are unaware if Angel’s love has ‘come back’ because he’s finally seen Tess, or that it is because of Tess murdering Alec. Either way, further distress is created for the reader, as it is not possible for love to go away and then return and Tess seems completely oblivious to this.
She finds him a coward because he fails to follow the murder plan and does not leave two daggers with Duncan’s sleeping guards so as to blame them for the murder. By boldly doing the act herself and going back to the murder scene to smear blood on the guards, Lady Macbeth proves ambitious and ruthless while Macbeth appears yet still contemplative and somewhat humane. After Macbeth says “I am afraid to think what I have done./ Look on it again I dare not..” [2.1.63] Macbeth scrutinizes him and tells him “‘tis the eyes of childhood/ That fears a painted devil,” [2.1.66] which ultimately shows Macbeth’s moral compass falling into the hands of his wife who proves the stronger