Macbeth vs Lady Macbeth Writing Sample Re-Write

In the tragic play, Macbeth, by William Shakespeare, the main character Macbeth is a Scottish
thane esteemed by the king and other thanes. He is immediately portrayed as a brave and honorable
warrior with loyalty to his country. Then, three witches tell him three prophecies about his future and in
order to fulfill the prophecy of becoming king, Macbeth must kill Scotlands beloved King Duncan. He
and his wife, Lady Macbeth, have an ambition that leads them to make life or death decisions. Macbeth
and Lady Macbeth initially both have this ambition and a desire for power, but as they gain power, they
begin to differ and these differences evolve throughout the play.

Macbeth hears the prophecies personally from the witches, so he is startled at the point of his
reaction and is doubtful, but Lady Macbeth learn of the events from a letter from Macbeth and she is
doubtless of the prophecies validity. For Macbeth, the prophecies are hard to believe. He is so suspicious
that in an aside he says, This supernatural solicity/ Cannot be ill, cannot be good. If ill,/ Why hath it
given me earnest of success/ Commencing in a truth?(I.iii.143-146). If these prophecies are indeed ill,
then it is concerning to why the first prophecy of Macbeth becoming the Thane of Cawdor is actually true.
Because of this, Macbeth doubts their plausibility. Also some thoughts of murder come into Macbeths
head: My thoughts, whose murder is yet is but fantastical,/ Shakes so my single state of
man(I.iii.152-153). Just the thought of the morality of doing something so terrible like murder disturbs
him and makes him question who he is and his state of mind. On the other hand, Lady Macbeths
immediate thought is that King Duncan has to be killed. Clearly, she believes the prophecies to be true,
which contrasts to Macbeths suspicion. Lady Macbeth also doubts Macbeths ability to kill Duncan and
says Hie thee hither,/ That I may pour my spirits in thine ear/ And chastise with the valor of my tongue/
All that impedes thee from the golden round(I.v.23-31). She wants Macbeth to hurry home to her so she
can convince him to kill Duncan. This shows her ambition to get what she wants, whereas Macbeth is
unsettled by the thought of killing someone solely based on what three witches tell him.

Both immediately before and immediately after Duncans murder, Macbeth feels guilty and
apprehensive, but Lady Macbeth feels confident about her plan. Macbeth has an entire soliloquy
dedicated to his indecisiveness. He mainly states reasons why he should not kill Duncan. At the end of
this he says I have no spur/ To prick the sides of my intent, but only/ Vaulting ambition, which oerleaps
itself/ And falls on th other(I. vii.25-28). Macbeth lacks reason to murder Duncan besides his
ambition, which he feels will lead to his downfall. After the murder is the same story. Macbeth feels
immediate guilt and the blood on his hands disturbs him, so he is haunted by the experience. He wishes he
had not done it: Wake Duncan with thy knocking, I would thou couldst(II.ii.94-95). Lady Macbeth is
the opposite. She wants this murder to happen since it is her plan that they use. She senses Macbeth is
against her and she taunts him: Wouldst thou have that/ Which thou esteemst the ornament of life/ And
live a coward in thine own esteem(I.vii.45-47). She calls Macbeth a coward to get him on her side. Lady
Macbeth is determined and strong willed, which completely contrasts Macbeths indecisiveness. When
Macbeth returns covered in blood, Lady Macbeth feels no regret for having someone killed. She is not
affected because it is over now and A little water clears [them] of this deed./ How easy it is
then!(I.ii.86-87). Murder should be difficult, not easy, because of the guilt. This guilt is only affecting
Macbeth and not Lady Macbeth.

After Macbeth becomes King, the power intoxicates him and a shift occurs: a complete switch
between Macbeth and Lady Macbeths outlooks. Before Macbeth had a difficult time handling murdering
Duncan. Now, he feels the murdering must continue because To be thus is nothing,/ But to be safely
thus(III.i.52-53). His priority is to protect his position. This is a big change and he starts having the same
sadistic outlook his wife had about killing Duncan. Lady Macbeth had indeed resembled this merciless
attitude; she did not think of the consequences as long as she got what she wanted. Now, she is beginning
to realize that the evil deeds they had done were not worth it: Tis safer to be that which we destroy/
Than by destruction dwell in doubtful joy(III.ii.8-9). She has not gained any real happiness from the
physical and positional gains she receives. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth took a big chance of killing
Duncan to get to this point. Lady Macbeth regrets taking that chance, yet Macbeth continues to take more
chances.

As Macbeth takes complete control of Scotland, Macbeth continues his merciless behavior and
Lady Macbeth feels the effect of the guilt even more. Macbeths ambition grows, and he continues killing
and feels no remorse for killing Macduffs family. He says that now in order to secure his position he will
act upon his initial thoughts. His first action is to Seize upon, Fife, give to th edge o th sword/ His
wife, his babes, and all unfortunate souls/ That trace him in his line(IV.i.172-174). He is going to have
Macduffs family killed, and he does not think twice about it or have any compunction. However, Lady
Macbeths regret and guilt for killing Duncan and the deaths of Banquo and Macduffs family are shown
in the sleepwalking scene when she relives all the murders and states her guilt. She says, What, will
these hands neer be clean?(V.i.45) which shows her feeling the guilt about the amount of blood that is
on her hands. The sight of blood on her hands has stained her as the guilt has stained her mind. Unlike
with the murder of Duncan, the guilt of these more recent deaths is affecting Lady Macbeth more
significantly than it is Macbeth.

Macbeth and Lady Macbeth change greatly throughout the play. They have their similarities, but
their differences are greater. Macbeth is hesitant and guilt ridden whereas Lady Macbeth is eager to kill
and ambitious. Then, a shift occurs where Macbeth and Lady Macbeth switch perspectives. At the end of
the play, Lady Macbeth ends up killing herself because she was overwhelmed with guilt. This connects to
the theme of how guilt affects the mind. Macbeth also states it would be Better [to] be with the
deadThan on the torture of the mind to lie/ In restless ecstasy(III.ii.22,24-25). Lady Macbeth thinks
life is meaningless without happiness and Macbeth realizes that as well. Life is a tale/ Told by an idiot,
full of sound and fury,/ Signifying nothing(V.v.29-31). Despite being different for the entire play,
Macbeth and Lady Macbeth come to the same realization that the life they ended up with lacked meaning.