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Aspects of Character in William Shakespeare’s “Macbeth”
My opinion of Lady Macbeth is that she seems evil from her first appearance in the play - when the prospect of Macbeth becoming king sparked off her evil motives. Macbeth, on the other hand, at first appears a strong and brave character. Other characters in the play see Macbeth as an effective and loyal supporter of the order imposed by King Duncan. The speech, which follows, reflects public opinion of Macbeth.
For brave Macbeth-well he deserves that name – Disdaining fortune, with his brandished steel, Which smoked with bloody execution.
As the story progresses Shakespeare provides more information about Macbeth’s personality. We find out he is a weak and an easily influenced man. Lady Macbeth in a reversal of normal relationship between husband and wife, Lady Macbeth strongly influences her husband. In the traditional view of men and women’s roles, usually men take charge driving the narrative forward: men usually make all the decisions. With Macbeth and Lady Macbeth it is the other way around, and Lady Macbeth goads Macbeth into realising evil decisions. Her exclamation “Infirm of purpose!” implies her attitude towards Macbeth’s lack of purpose in murdering Duncan.
This situation shows a contrast between Macbeth’s character as it seems the beginning of the play when his personality appears bold, strong, decisive yet headstrong. This reversal illustrates uncertainty created throughout the play by such deceptiveness of appearances.
However, faced with the assassination of King Duncan, Macbeth’s character collapses into an anaemic, worried, and implied from these words; less decisive man. He speaks in frantic tones:
Is this a dagger which I see before me, The handle towards my
hand? Come, let me clutch thee – I have.
These images illustrate Macbeth’s moral disorder.
Lady Macbeth’s powerful character drives the early part of the play almost as if she carried on from where the “Weird Sisters” left off. She acts against the usual stereotype of an obedient and submissive wife. From first impressions of Lady Macbeth, whilst reading the letter from Macbeth we can tell she is cruel and heartless. However she is also worried that her, Macbeth, is not ruthless enough, he seems too amiable. Yet she knows she had great ambition. She sums Macbeth’s character up in these words.
Yet do I fear thy nature: It is too full o’the milk of human-kindness.
Lady Macbeth’s lusts for power, making her ready to any crime to become Queen and see Macbeth as King of Scotland. Before Macbeth arrives Lady Macbeth has already anticipated the thought of killing Duncan. Her soliloquy reveals that she yearns to become strong. She would do everything in her power to achiever her aims even being womanly.
Come, you sprits That tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here
And fill me from the crown to the toe top-full of direst cruelty.
Her terrible words reveal her dedicating herself to evil. Pressure from Lady Macbeth forces Macbeth into murdering Duncan.
Your hand, your tongue; look like the innocent flower, But [next page]