Ladymacbeth Study Essay

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Lady Macbeth

In what ways is Lady Macbeth important to the play?

Lady Macbeth was important to the play because she provided inspiration to Macbeth to kill Duncan so that he would become king. Her personal life with Macbeth shows us how both Macbeth and her sanity deteriorate throughout the play. During the opening acts Lady Macbeth shows the role of strong women in relationships, with her strength she is able to sway Macbeth to doing what she pleases.

In the first scene Lady Macbeth is introduced in (ACT 1 Scene V) she is reading a letter from Macbeth that states how three witches prophesied he would become king.

(I,v,52-54) That my keen knife see not the wound it makes,/ Nor heaven peep through the blanket of the dark,/ To cry ‘Hold, hold!’

(I,V,40-) Come, you spirits/ That tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here…)

This shows her ambition to kill and in this scene she is related to the witches many times and she calls upon evil spirits to help guide her on the path to kill Duncan. The witches planted the seed in Macbeth’s mind that he could become king inferring he could murder the king and Lady Macbeth nurtures that seed and makes the plan come into fruition, she opposes King Duncan making her an antagonist. Lady Macbeth makes the story progress, Macbeth would not have killed the king without her help and inspiration. After Macbeth does kill the king their relationship worsens.

In the letter Macbeth refers to Lady Macbeth as ‘my dearest partner of greatness’ which depicts great love in the relationship between them. After the death of the king Macbeth takes over the treachery of murdering any threats to his newly appointed throne. Lady Macbeth and Macbeth next shown together in Act III scene ii are both clearly depressed and insecure, Lady Macbeth asks him to put on a cheerful appearance for their guests who are to arrive, Lady Macbeth is not
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