Student Name: Rashik SifatTeacher: Mr. Richards

Date: May 7th, 2010

Lady Macbeth is more evil character than Macbeth

The relationship between Macbeth and his wife is paramount to the understanding

of a major theme of this play. At first it would appear to be an equal partnership. However,

Lady Macbeth was the dominant of the two character; she could have persuaded Macbeth to

do anything if she so wished. And though she does not openly exercise her power over him in

public, in private she often uses dishonour and emotional corruption to manipulate Macbeth to

execute her will. Lady Macbeth is the more evil character than Macbeth in the play through her

ambition, cruelty, and manipulation.

When Lady Macbeth tends about the witches' prediction that Macbeth will be the

King, she worries he will be too kind-hearted to achieve this status so she begins to take

matters into her own hands. Her soliloquy imploring dark powers to take all kindness from her

is appalling in its bizarreness: “Come, you spirits that tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here,

and fill me, from the crown to the toe, top-full of direst cruelty “(I, v, 43-46). Lady Macbeth is

far more ambitious then Macbeth is. She appears to be mentally strong and her conscience did

not seem troubled by the murders that she was a part of. Her determined ambition is what

keeps Macbeth focused on committing the murders. It is not until later in the play when

Macbeth is able to adopt ambition of his own as he plans the murder of Macduff's family on his

own. However, this ambition he receives is that which came from Lady Macbeth.

Lady Macbeth hardly shows any sympathy toward any characters throughout the

time of the play. When she finds out the prophecies given to Macbeth by the witches, she

immediately takes action and creates a plan. She works out the details of the plan to kill the

king, and when Macbeth cannot return the blood-stained daggers to Duncan's room, she takes

command of the situation and returns the daggers herself. “Inform of purpose! Give me the

daggers.” (II, ii, 68-69). She also plays a key role in the murder of Banquo. During the feast

whilst there are guests over, Macbeth is so unsettled by seeing the ghost of Banquo that he

nearly has a mental breakdown. Lady Macbeth shows no regard for this as she immediately

ridicules him. Lady Macbeth's true cruelty is shown when her death has no effect on the play as

she is not considered a hero. Her character is that of such pure evil that it is difficult for the

audience to sympathize for her on a personal level. Her crimes were considered so brutal that it

would be difficult for anyone to ever forgive her.

Lady Macbeth is an exceedingly approved character as seen in as she openly dares

heaven. Her true nature can be reflected through the imagery of blood, violence, death, as

from the beginning of the play she is set out on an expected course of destruction. Macbeth is

first introduced as an admirable individual and a hero to Scotland; it is Macbeth's fatal ambition

that is unchecked by Lady Macbeth. His true personality can be revealed as he admits: “I am in

blood, Stepped in so far that should I wade no more, Returning were as tedious as go o'er.” (III,

iv, 167-169). Lady Macbeth started the actions which eventually led to Macbeth committing the

acts that he did. Throughout the play the audience is constantly reminded of Macbeth

insecurity as he is always questioning his own actions. Lady Macbeth's primary role in the play

is to give Macbeth the vital push and then sustain him until he can control his own conscience

and actions. Lady Macbeth uses specific techniques to make sure that Macbeth keeps to his

purpose such as blaming Macbeth of being a coward. As Lady Macbeth herself possesses

characteristics that are regularly only present in a male such as single-minded courage and

cruelty. She avoids Macbeth for his failure to live up to the standard which she, as a woman,

has set. Using her physical characteristics of a woman, and mental characteristics of a man,

Lady Macbeth teases her husband for not being able to murder Duncan as seen in the following

quote: “ I have given suck, and know How tender `tis to love the babe that milks me; I would,

while it was smiling in my face, Have plucked my nipple from his boneless gums, And dashed

the brains out, had I so sworn as you Have done to this.” (I, vii, 59-64).

Throughout the play, the character of Lady Macbeth is consistently displayed as the

most evil character in the play through her determination, cruelty and manipulation. So

eventually, Macbeth is less evil than his wife. Lady Macbeth operates her husband with

significant effectiveness, overriding all his complaints. By the close of the play, she has been

reduced to sleepwalking through the castle. Once the sense of guilt comes home, Lady

Macbeth’s sensitivity becomes a fault, and she was unable to survive. She apparently kills

herself, signalling her total lack of ability to deal with the legacy of her crimes.

Work Cited

http://library.thinkquest.org/2888/?tqskip1=1&tqtime=0501

http://nfs.sparknotes.com/macbeth/characters.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lady_Macbeth