Deteriorationof Lady Macbeth

Upon finding that her husband, Macbeth, had been given the title "thane of Cawdor" which was predicted by the three "weird sisters," she also finds out in the letter, that these sisters greeted her husband with "Hail King that shalt be!" Macbeth hints his thoughts and she discovers his ambition of becoming king. "Thou mightst not lose the dues of rejoicing by being ignorant of what greatness is promised thee." Here Lady Macbeth pictures herself as the queen; thus, her ambitious nature is also awakened. She can then help her husband with committing the "deed", as she fears that "he is full of the milk of human kindness to catch the nearest way." She knows that he is not confident in carrying out the murder of the present king, Duncan, in order to fulfill his ambition. So s

The first sign of deterioration in Lady Macbeth's character is seen after the banquet, as it is the last time we see her in control. Macbeth is now in control and has developed the will to kill, as he is paranoid about his position on the throne. He tries to do everything in his power to secure his position such as killing Banquo and Lady Macduff and her children. He becomes ruthless while his wife wonders at why he keeps to himself. "Why do you keep alone…what's done cannot be undone." She realizes, at this point, that the deed they have committed has not been as glorious as she had imagined. In fact, it has driven the Macbeths further apart. She thinks, "it is safer to be that which we destroy than by destruction dwell in doubtful joy."

We only see Lady Macbeth again in Act 5 where we learn from the doctor and gentlewoman that she is very ill and her disease "is beyond [the doctor's] practice." Her mind is confused and constantly plagued by images of blood and the murders committed by her husband. "Yet here's the smell of blood still…. Who would have thought the old man to have had so much blood in him?" She constantly rubs her hands to get rid of the blood and she cannot sleep in peace. The only way she can rid herself of such images is to kill herself. And she dies before Macbeth goes into battle. As Malcolm at the end of the play says, she seems to have taken her life by her own hands.

Upon Macbeth's arrival, we see how

Some topics in this essay:
Lady Macbeth, Macbeth Act, Unlike Macbeth, Lady Macduff, Hail King, Lady Macbeth's, lady macbeth, William Shakespeare, , rise fall, duncan's death, hard evil, evil ambitious, evil spirits, husband macbeth,