Lady Macbeth is surely as memorable as her husband in
Shakespeare's drama. She is ambitious, clever, and domineering. Once Macbeth shares with
her his encounter with the witches, she is consumed with ambition. She will not be
content until he seizes the throne of Scotland. Completely focused on the goal, nothing
deters her; no sense of decency makes her even question the murdering of King Duncan. In
fact, she prays that her weaknesses as a woman will not prevent her from carrying out
the murder.
Lady Macbeth is also a very clever woman. She
plans Duncan's murder in every detail--its timing and execution. She drugs the King's
attendants and lays out the instruments of murder. She also plans the murder so that she
and Macbeth will appear above suspicion. She is very clever in her deceitfulness,
knowing how to mislead others through her actions and appearance. After Duncan's body is
found, Lady Macbeth seems to be overcome with grief and horror; after "fainting," she
must be carried from the scene.
Finally, Lady Macbeth's
domineering nature is often noted. Some readers hold her more responsible for Duncan's
death than Macbeth because she exerts such power over him. When Macbeth expresses
reservations about killing King Duncan and suggests they should simply enjoy their
position and the honors he has been awarded by Duncan, Lady Macbeth becomes quite
aggressive. She questions his courage and attacks his masculinity, manipulating him in
every way, quite successfully. Her will is stronger than his; she dominates Macbeth and
pushes him into carrying out Duncan's murder.
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