’s Death Essay, Research Paper
ohn Keating English Honors Lady Macbeth Must Take Some
Blame for Her Husband?s Destruction In Macbeth, a play
written by Shakespeare, Lady Macbeth is partially responsible
for the destruction of her husband. Lady Macbeth is not a
monster without feelings, however she is tricky and cunning
when she influences Macbeth to kill Duncan. Lady Macbeth?s
ability to influence her husband leads the audience to believe
that she is the primary cause for the destruction of Macbeth.
The audience is also led to believe that Lady Macbeth is
responsible because she makes up the details of the plan to
kill Duncan, while Macbeth was considering not even going
through with the murder. Although Macbeth had the thought of
killing Duncan, he would not have acted on that thought
unless Lady Macbeth persuaded him. Lady Macbeth is sly
person, able to manipulate her husband, and this ability to
manipulate Macbeth makes her partially responsible for the
destruction of Macbeth. Lady Macbeth knows that her
husband is too kind to kill Duncan without her help she fears
?thy nature; / It is too full o?th? milk of human kindness / to
catch the nearest way? (I.v.16-18). She is very much aware of
the fact that she needs to push Macbeth to kill Duncan or else
he will not do it. We see Macbeth?s hesitance to murder the
king when he lists reasons not to kill Duncan in Act 1, when
he says, ?He?s here in double trust: / First, as I am his
kinsman and his subject, / Strong both against the deed; then,
as his host, / Who should against his murderer shut the door,
/ Not bear the knife myself? (I.vii.12-16). Macbeth then says,
?Besides, this Duncan / Hath born his faculties so meek, hath
been / So clear in his great office, that his virtues / Will plead
like angles, trumpet-tongued, against / The deep damnation
of his taking off? (I.vii.16-19). We see that Macbeth does not
want to kill Duncan because he is afraid of being caught.
Lady Macbeth knows exactly how to manipulate her husband,
and uses that skill while she talks to Macbeth. Lady Macbeth
insults her husband by undermining his manliness. Lady
Macbeth tells her husband, ?When durst do it, then you were
a man; / And to be much more than what you were, you would
/ Be so much more the man? (I.vii.56-58). If Lady Macbeth had
not insulted Macbeth?s manhood than he would not have
killed Duncan. Lady Macbeth provided that extra push that
Macbeth needed to commit such an evil deed. This is the
primary way in which Lady Macbeth is responsible for the
murder of Duncan. Lady Macbeth is to blame for the
destruction of her husband because she orchestrated
Duncan?s murder and did just about everything except
actually kill Duncan. She plans the murder and she sets
things in motion by giving the wine to the kings servants. She
also is the one who makes the signal that all is
Macbeth solely set up Duncan?s murder making it as easy as
possible for Macbeth to commit the assassination of the king.
This is another way in which Lady Macbeth is responsible for
the assassination of Duncan. The audience does not know
that Lady Macbeth feels that she is responsible for the
destruction of her husband until the end when she
sleepwalks. Lady Macbeth is excellent at hiding her true
feelings. She especially fooled Duncan with her great
hospitality and thoughtfulness. She also is good at remaining
cool in tense situations and is good at getting out of tense
situations. For example, when Macbeth was hallucinating at
the dinner party, and was seeing Banqou?s ghost, Lady
Macbeth remained cool and made up a plausible explanation
for her husband?s actions. Although she seems to have no
conscience, we see at the end when she is sleepwalking, that
she is deeply troubled. She knows that it is partially her fault
for all the murders, especially Duncan?s. Lady Macbeth, ?has
light by / her continually, ?Tis her command? (V.i.24-25). Lady
Macbeth is now afraid of the dark because all the crimes that
were committed were done in the dark. Her fear of darkness
shows the audience that she regrets what she has done and
that she knows what she did was wrong. The thought of
killing Duncan entered Macbeth?s mind before he spoke to his
wife. He first reveals his thoughts when he says, ?If good, why
do I yield to that suggestion / Whose horrid image doth unfix
my hair / And make my seated heart knock at my ribs / Against
the use of nature?? (I.iii.147-150). Macbeth is utterly horrified
that he would think of such a thing as killing his own king. He
is very disturbed that he was capable of thinking about such
treasonable things. Although Macbeth was upset with himself
about having thoughts concerning killing Duncan, Macbeth
wishes that he would have the fortitude to go ahead and kill
Duncan. Macbeth expresses his desire to be able to kill
Duncan even though he knows he will regret it when he says,
?The eye wink at the hand, yet let that be / Which the eye
fears, when it is done, to see? (I.iv.59-60). Lady Macbeth gave
Macbeth that extra push that he needed to become a ruthless
killer. However not all the blame can go on Lady Macbeth, her
husband did not have to listen to her and he did not have to
kill Duncan. Macbeth chooses to kill Duncan, it was his own
free will. Lady Macbeth did influence his thinking, but
Macbeth could not be totally blameless, he must take at least
half the blame for his destruction. Lady Macbeth, however, is
also responsible and she cannot be getting off the hook, she
deserves what she gets in the end because she was a main
factor in Macbeth?s decision to kill Duncan. This decision led
to Macbeth becoming a ruthless killer for which she must take
some blame.
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