Q4 BM- Macbeth Character Analysis

                      Character Analysis (Macbeth)

Lady Macbeth’s change during the book Macbeth was very evaluated in order to portray her growth. She starts off as a very strong woman who knew what she wanted in the play and by the end her strength turns into weakness.

Lady Macbeth says, “ Under my battlements. Come you spirits, that tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here.” In Act 1, Scene 5, Lines 39-41 the speaker is Lady Macbeth. This is one of the first times Lady Macbeth is first introduced in the play. It shows that she wants to be seen more than women, with more power, and maybe even seen as something that is non-perishable or not of the human race. Lady Macbeth seems to possibly want the power that men do in her era because they were more heard than the women. But what does she want this strength for? She seems to be robust but longs for recognition, longing for what her husband Macbeth has, but she doesn’t.

“To beguile the time, look like the time; bear welcome in your eyes, your eye, your hand, your tongue; like th’ innocent flower.” is what Lady Macbeth spoke in that passage. More of Lady Macbeth’s character is shown when she says” it is portrayed that she can be very devious, slick, and sneaky. “Act 1, Scene 5, and Lines 62-64. With this in mind, it shows that Lady Macbeth is pretty much capable of anything, but does it so that she is not easily suspected. In this point in the story she is hatching a fraudulent act with her husband, which is killing the King Duncan.

“But screw your courage to the sticking place”, Lady Macbeth stated in Act1, Scene 7, and Line 61. When Lady Macbeth says this she is having a conversation about killing King Duncan. This quote is revealing that at this point and time Lady Macbeth is very serious about King Duncan’s assassination. It also makes her a person who is very confident in her plan. When Lady Macbeth says this she is talking to her husband, trying to boost his confident that the plan of killing Duncan will work and that everything will go well.

In Act 1, Scene 7, and lines 48-49 Lady Macbeth says, “That made you break this break this enterprise to me? When you drust do it, then you were a man.” In this part of the play Lady Macbeth and Macbeth are disputing over their plan, which was killing King Duncan. This time it seems like Macbeth can’t come through with his part of the deal. Lady Macbeth is very upset, which reveals a lot about her character. She seems to be dismayed that her husband doesn’t want to go along with his part of the deal. It also shows that Lady Macbeth has a way with words to makes try to get her way.

In Act 2 of the play the attempt of the death is done. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth kill Duncan. “Alack, I am afraid they have awaked, and tis’ not done. The attempt and not the deed” (Act 2, Scene 2, and Lines 9-10) When Lady Macbeth says it is shown that she is a little unsure of this because she is scared that her and Macbeth will get caught, which is why the attempt and not the deed would be done. This also represents that she still decided to go along with killing Duncan as she planned with her husband making her of her word. In fact when she says this quotes she is speaking to Macbeth trying to make sure that everything goes right, it shows her fear and worry to what will occur in the future as well.

Act 2, Scene 2, Line 9-10 is where Lady Macbeth says to Macbeth “Infirm of purpose! Give me the daggers”. They are doing the deed, but Macbeth brought the daggers with him and is feeling guilty. This reveals that Lady Macbeth is a little controlling. She also seems powerful and shows her power by demanding the daggers and putting them in their place herself. Lady Macbeth seems pretty assured that things will go right and it also reveals that Lady Macbeth helps her husband get back on track when he is not mentally strong.

As the play goes on Lady Macbeth’s state of mind begins to change. Now in Act 3, Scene 2, and Lines 7-8 Lady Macbeth says, “Tis safer to be that which we destroy than by destruction dwell in doubtful joy”. This is showing a little bit of fear, sadness, and doubt on Lady Macbeth’s part. Basically when she says that Lady Macbeth is saying that she is scared that one day she will be discovered. Also, it is revealing that Lady Macbeth seems to start getting weaker as the play goes on because now that the deed is done she is no longer as confident as before. When Lady Macbeth says this she is having an aside/ soliloquy, which is her basically expressing her emotions as to what is happening.

As the story is started to end, it is visible to see where Lady Macbeth is starting to loose her strength. This is shown where Lady Macbeth says, “What, will these hands ne’er be clean? No more o’ that, my lord, no more o’ that” in Act 5, Scene 1, and Lines 43-44. This means that Lady is feeling the guilt from killing King Duncan. She feels as though she feels weak and her ways. Lady Macbeth is showing that she is getting a little mentally unstable. When she says this quote she is not conscious she is saying it because of the fact that she is sleep walking out of guilt.

There is also evidence that that Lady Macbeth is pretty unsure of herself when the gentlewomen in the play says, “She has spoken what she should not, I am sure of that. Heaven knows what she has known”. {Act 5, Scene 1, Line 48) In this part this is where Lady Macbeth is sleep walking and can’t hold her guilt. This tells about her that her weakness has taken over. Also, it tells the others now that she is possibly capable of anything now that they know that she has leaked what she has done. With this in mind, Lady Macbeth is now on her weakness point.

“ Here’s the smell of the blood still. All the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand”, is what Lady Macbeth says in Act 5, Scene 1, Lines 50-51. She is most likely turning insane with the fact that she can’t handle she has murdered a human being. It is reveals that her motives were most likely different from before. She was most likely thinking about the fact that she wanted to be royalty, but the fact that she is now royalty she realizes that she was definitely power crazed. This is before the scene ends and right before Lady Macbeth decided to end her life.

In conclusion Lady MacBeth went from someone who was prevailing to someone who was weak. She was very determined to kill. Once Lady Macbeth and Macbeth killed King Duncan and she because royalty over time she wasn’t able to cope with her decision.