Bryn Austin

6/6/13 Pd: 6
Macbeth
In the play Macbeth by William Shakespeare Lady Macbeths has high ambitions for
power. She is unsatisfied with her current standing in life and Macbeths lack of callousness
when pursuing his ambitions. When she hears that the weird sisters said Macbeth would
become king, Lady Macbeth becomes set on Macbeth becoming king and even more ruthless
and greedy than she already was. But because she believes that Macbeth hasnt got what it
takes to kill the king on his own, she decides to take things into her own hands. Lady Macbeths
ambitions for power lead her to cause all of the tragedy to come.
In the beginning Lady Macbeth is a manipulative, cruel and conniving woman,
determined to get what she wants. Even to get it if they have to kill the king. Because Lady
Macbeth has no real confidence in Macbeth ability to do so on his own so she takes charge of
the matter. Come, you spirits that tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here, and fill me from
crown to the toe top-full of direct cruelty. (1.5.46-50). this quote shows lady Macbeths desire
to become like a man, cruel and tough so that she will have the strength to bring about King
Duncans death.
Throughout the play Lady Macbeth manipulates and bullies Macbeth into doing what
she wants. Art thou afeard to be the same in thine own act and valor as thou are in desire?
(1.7.44-45). this quote demonstrates just how conniving Lady Macbeth is. To get Macbeth to
change his mind she basically calls him a wimp. When he still wont budge she presses harder.
She says that if she had made a promise like Macbeth had done she would keep her word, and
if she said she would go and bash a babys brains out. In saying so Lady Macbeth is targeting
Macbeths pride by suggesting that she is more of a man than he is.
In the end of the play Lady Macbeth is overcome by quilt. She starts sleepwalking,
reliving the night the king died as well as voicing her own distressed thoughts out loud that she
has tried to keep bundled up inside. She talks hysterically about the responsibility she has in
King Duncans murder. When sleepwalking, Lady Macbeth is obsessed with washing the blood
or rather responsibility from her hands. Out damned spot, out, I say! (5.1.37). the quote
shows how much the guilt and contributing to the kings death is weighing on her. Its so bad
that she is hallucinating that she has actual blood on her hands.
Part of Lady Macbeths agony was also about the fact that what she has done cannot be
undone, as show in this quote. Heres the smell of blood still. All the perfumes of Arabia will
not sweeten this little hand. (5.1.53-55) she knows that whatever she does she will never be
rid of the guilt or liability. Knowing this makes her go crazy from despair and a guilty
conscience. Thats why the end Lady Macbeth commits suicide, no longer able to live in agony
with herself.
If Lady Macbeth hadnt been so ambitious and greedy then her life and
Macbeths life would have ended better. She would have been satisfied with her life, and they
could have lived happy with the power they had. And Macbeth may have become king without
having to kill Duncan. Its unlikely that Macbeth would have killed King Duncan if Lady Macbeth
didnt push him to do it. And After all Macbeth didnt want to kill the king but changed his mind
when Lady Macbeth called him a coward. There also wouldnt have been a war or the deaths of
innocent people like Banquo or Macduffs family. If Lady Macbeth had been less ambitious, all
the tragedy could have been avoided.