Essay on William Shakespeares Macbeth - 1483 Words

William Shakespeares Macbeth During the Elizabethan era, the great chain of being reigned. Women were low on this chain of power, and men were on top. In fact, women were below horses; you couldn’t live without a good horse, but, you could live without a wife. Lady Macbeth was a woman before her time, she was caught between being today’s ambitious, powerful modern woman and a fragile creature of the Elizabethan era. In the first four acts of Macbeth, Lady Macbeth is vicious, overly ambitious, without conscience, and willing to do whatever it takes to get what she wants. In this case, she wants to become Queen of Scotland. Whiles I stood rapt in the/ wonder of it, came missives from the king, who all-/ hailed me, ‘Thane of†¦show more content†¦Macbeth continued on a killing rampage, irradicating all perceivable enemies. Suddenly, Lady Macbeth begins to have pangs of guilt, such as in the famous scene where she attempts to wash her hands of blood. She begins to have frequent bouts of sleeptalking and sleepwalking, where the terror of her conscience expresses itself. (SparkNotes, list of characters: Lady Macbeth).Her control over Macbeth has waned, and over herself, her control is dwindling as each second passes. The fire she once had, which drove Macbeth forward is now no more than a minute spark. She is beginning to lose that controlling stiffness. She asks Macbeth, ‘what’s to be done (III ii, 44), which is a drastic change in control. (Lady Macbeth- Character Changes Throughout the Play).Lady Macbeth’s seemingly male actions are replaced at this point in the play and she is wrought by guilt. She suffers from a mental and emotional breakdown as a result of this guilt. She is emotionally exhausted and becomes the typical fragile flower.We first see this side of her when she states that she cannot kill Duncan because had he not resembled/ My father as he slept, I had done’t (II ii, 16-7). After Duncan’s murder, the roles of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are reversed, previously, she was the main motivator in the plan to overthrow the kingdom. Following Duncan’sShow MoreRelatedWilliam Shakespeares Macbeth749 Words   |  3 Pages1. Macbeth, the tragic hero in William Shakespeare’s Macbeth, suffers from the fatal flaws of insecurity and indecision, allowing him to easily be manipulated, which causes the audience to feel sympathetic toward him. After Macbeth has heard the prophecy from the three witches and he has been named thane of Cawdor, he is led to a strong internal conflict: â€Å"If good, why do I yield to that suggestion / Whose horrid image doth unfix my hair†¦ / Shakes so my single state of man that function / is smother’dRead MoreWilliam Shakespeares Macbeth1401 Words   |  6 PagesWilliam Shakespeares Macbeth At the beginning of the play, before Macbeth is introduced, the impression given is that he is a very good man indeed. It is as if he was a local hero and could do no wrong. The sergeant refers to him as brave Macbeth and Duncan says O valiant cousin! Worthy gentleman! Duncan, the king, rewards Macbeth with the title, thane of Cawder, and the previous, treacherous thane having been sentenced to death. People speak of MacbethsRead MoreWilliam Shakespeares Macbeth2461 Words   |  10 PagesWilliam Shakespeares Macbeth In Macbeth, look at the following scenes: Act one, scenes one, two and three, Act two, scene two, Act four, scene one and Act five, scenes three, six and seven. What did Macbeths character, words and actions show about changes in his character? Why are these scenes important to the plot and structure of the play and how the themes are presented? 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However his ambition to be king and Lady Macbeth’s persuasiveness and mocking had overridden his sense and logic which caused him to commit this crime. He was consumedRead MoreEssay on William Shakespeares Macbeth647 Words   |  3 PagesWilliam Shakespeares Macbeth In the tragic play Macbeth, by William Shakespeare, both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth decide, to kill King Duncan. In the play, we see the characters of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth transform in their personality after murdering the King. Macbeth begins the play as a noble soldier, gradually changing into an ambitious murdering man. Similarly, Lady Macbeth is ambitious but she beginsRead MoreEssay William Shakespeares Macbeth671 Words   |  3 PagesWilliam Shakespeares Macbeth William Shakespeare lived in an era where women possessed few political and private rights. Women were subjected to the will of men as men were thought to be greater morally, physically and intellectually. Shakespeare, as he was living in this hierarchical and patriarchal world, was subjected to this value system. His powerful and tragic play Macbeth, reflects aspects of this world but also challenges the very basis of its foundations withRead MoreThe Letter in William Shakespeares Macbeth1609 Words   |  7 PagesThe Letter in William Shakespeares Macbeth Lady Macbeths reaction when she reads her husbands letter is powerful and dramatic.  · As soon as shes finished reading, she has decided she will make sure Macbeth is king Its as if she and her husband are thinking exactly the same thing. She does not hesitate for a moment.  · Lady Macbeth invites the spirits of evil to enter her She knows she has to steel herself, that the murder will need evil power, andRead MoreWilliam Shakespeares Macbeth638 Words   |  3 Pagesagree? Well, in Macbeth manhood is concurrent with power, physical strength, courage, and force of will. Rarely though, is it bound to the ideals of moral fortitude or mentality. The motif of gender recurs many times in Shakespeare’s work. Being a â€Å"man† in Macbeth means that you must be physically capable, cruel, and do what ever it takes to accomplish one’s goals. Women were supposed to obey their husbands and be good. Evil from a woman was absolutely not permitted. The women in Macbeth are the fireRead MoreThe Downfall of Lady Macbeth in William Shakespeares Macbeth1399 Words   |  6 PagesThe Downfall of Lady Macbeth in William Shakespeares Macbeth William Shakespeares Macbeth has been a theatrical favorite since Elizabethan times. Its timeless themes of ambition, fate, violence, and insanity collaborate to produce a captivating plot. The audience traces the disintegration of a tragic hero and his willful wife. Lady Macbeth, one of Shakespeares most forcefully drawn female characters, plays an important role in the play Macbeth. She has a profound influence over the action