Lady Macbeth has a plan to kill Duncan. In order for this plan to work Lady Macbeth and Macbeth had to be very deceitful. Lady Macbeth manipulates Macbeth into killing Duncan, when Macbeth had doubts. Lady Macbeth's criticised towards Macbeth: “that I may pour my sprits in thine ear”. (Macbeth I, v, 26) Lady Macbeth made Macbeth feel bad about himself, by lowering his manhood and bravery.
Hanna de Villa Ms. Jackson ENG 3U1 - 11 16 May 2008 The Source of All Evil in Macbeth: Women Macbeth is a play full of betrayal, deceit and murder. Generally, men carry out these actions but instead women stir the cauldron of trouble. From the witches’ prophecies that spark Macbeth’s murder, Lady Macbeth’s domineering presence and the exploitation she uses on her husband are the inevitable roots of catastrophe and evil in the play. They do not show any aggression and violence but relies on deception, manipulation and supernatural phenomenon. The Witches and Hecate portray the image and eminence of evil in Macbeth.
Banquo also uses the metaphor of darkness to describe the witches as well when he refers to them as “instruments of darkness” (I. iii. 126). Shakespeare is using darkness as a noun and saying that the witches are used by the darkness to persuade his characters to change to the dark side. This is a foreshadowing to what happens throughout the play. The witches are able to bring characters that would normally
are too full of the milk of human kindness/ To catch the nearest way.” [1.5.13] Her masculinity overshadows Macbeth’s when she asserts her power without contemplation and plans King Duncan’s murder. When Macbeth’s moral compass drives him to contemplate murdering Duncan, Lady Macbeth questions his manhood: “Wouldst thou have that/ Which thou esteemest the ornament of life/ And life a coward in thine own esteem, Letting ‘I dare not’ wait upon ‘I would’/ Like the poor cat in the adage?’” [1.7.44] Her strength of will and ambition counteract yet
Shakespeare uses Lady Macbeth’s persuasion and the witches’ charm, both in act 1 to show the influence of others. Lady Macbeth uses different techniques to persuade Macbeth to kill the king. She accuses Macbeth of being “green and pale” like a coward. He is also accused of being “afeard to be the same in …act…as thou…desire”, telling us he might be weak or fearful. The witches are possibly linked as the “charms” seem to influence Macbeth and he begins to echo “foul and fair”.
What do you think is the significance of the witches in Macbeth? Witchcraft is the use of supernatural entities which can take on many forms; these forms differ within cultures. In the dark, medieval ages witches were seen as different from sorcerers as they did not use physical tools or actions to bring curses among others, however they were perceived as higher dangers due to their high amount of power. A witch was identified from various aspects, the most obvious one being the ‘witches’ mark’ which was done by the Devil in order to seal their services and obedience to him. He created the mark by raking his claws across their flesh, or by making a red or blue bump using a hot iron; sometimes the mark was believed to have been left by the Devil licking them.
The paradox of ‘’fair is foul and foul is fair’’ is evident within the theme of good and evil in relation to the witches. Their prophecies provide truthful outcomes, though they are twisted, and easily manipulate Macbeth into believing that he is invincible ‘’none of
Presence of Evil Between the Lines When evil is presented in a fashion that is quite simple to manipulate to satisfy one’s needs, it is usually taken advantage of. Although Macbeth and the remainder of the characters only existed within the invented pages of William Shakespeare’s book Macbeth, they still fell into the trap of allowing the evil around them to take over their lives. The three witches and Hecate, the act of murder, the murder of King Duncan the slaying of Banquo and the presence of his ghost, Lady Macbeth and her sleepwalking all signify different aspect of evil. The presence of evil in Macbeth affected the characters within the play, how they carried about their lives, and the total outcome of the play. By creating a false sense of destiny within Macbeth, the three witches are considered as a significant role portraying evil within the play.
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.
An opportunist, she jumps on prospects as soon as they arise. When she receives Macbeth’s letter about the witches’ predictions, she immediately begins plotting Duncan’s murder, and calls upon dark spirits to “fill [her] from crown to toe top-full of direst cruelty” (1.5.49-50) to assist her in getting the job done. While most women would never dream of summoning evil to become queen, Lady Macbeth will do whatever it takes to achieve the power she yearns for. She easily squashes her husband’s doubts in their scheme by belittling his manliness, calling him “a coward in [his] own esteem” (1.7.47) and other demeaning names. This type of manipulation comes naturally to Lady Macbeth, as does an attitude of relentless determination.