Javiera Seplveda

Professor Francisca Folch

Shakespeare LET1746
4 September 2014
Critical response to LaBelles A Strange Infirmity: Lady Macbeths amenorrhea
In the article A Strange Infirmity: Lady Macbeths amenorrhea, LaBelle argues about
the reasons of Lady Macbeths behavior throughout the play by stating that apart from the
psychological state in which this character was set, there are biological reasons that explain her
actions and way of thinking. These biological reasons were made evident during the unsex me
soliloquy (1.5.4154), when Lady Macbeth asks for something that blocks her nature as a
woman. LaBelle then shows that what this soliloquy and posterior actions reflect are an actual
disease known as amenorrhea, which accounts several symptoms such as fainting, insomnia,
melancholy, and most importantly, the loss of the menstrual cycle, which is what would kill her
femininity in the end, leaving her barren and therefore, as a consequence, destroying the future of
both Macbeth and Lady Macbeths as king and queen.
The Elizabethan beliefs about the connection of the biological with the psychological
dimensions of the human being result as an interesting perspective to bear in mind when reading
Shakespeares play since it throws light on many of the issues developed in the story and
provides another interpretation, as seen in the lines from Lady Macbeths soliloquy That no
compunctious visitings of nature / Shake my fell purpose, nor keep peace between / Theffect and
it! (1.5.4546), where we can either see its meaning from the point of view that she wishes that
no one interferes with her desires or that, taking what LaBelle suggests, no innate feelings
brought by the biological functions that make her a woman forbid her of committing Duncans
murder, thus asking for the cease of menses and hormonal activities that fill her with pity and
remorse (382) as LaBelle points out in her essay with the argument of John Sadler about
amenorrhea, claiming that the stoppage of her menstruation thickens the existent blood and
blocks its passage to the heart, from which remorse would flow (382).
However, what LaBelle argues also presents some flaws, since it seems that according to
her text, this is the only possible explanation for Lady Macbeths behavior. She emphasizes the
role of amenorrhea as an externalization of her mental state and thus it is also the source of her
faintings, the insomnia, somnambulism, and her constant state of fear and restlessness that finally
concluded in her suicide. Such physiological reading of what happens to Lady Macbeth leaves no
space for further interpretations of the play or at least, gives the impression that her suffering
from amenorrhea is the most believable and logical interpretation. In that respect, it would be
recommendable to keep in mind other possibilities since the text itself revolves around the idea of
ambiguity and that everything is uncertain, as represented at the beginning with the Weird Sisters
call of what Fair is foul, and foul is fair (1.2.11).
Considering that element of ambiguity and multiple possibilities, LaBelles text could
extend to other horizons within the mental state of Lady Macbeth. For example, the fact that
Macbeth and Lady Macbeth seem to be at the same level of ambition and pursue of ideals, and
that then at some point this changes completely when Macbeth apparently wants to leave his wife
aside to continue with his plans, throws another light and potential reading of what happens with
Lady Macbeth at the end of the play. Bradleys analysis on this respect points to the moment after
Duncans murder, having that both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth react differently to the deed, and
that they appear in the earlier part of the play as of equal importance . . . but afterwards she
retires more and more into the background (322). Bearing this in mind, her retirement and
posterior mental instability could be caused not only because of a possible disease like
amenorrhea, but because of the breakage that appears after the crime that Macbeth commits,
without her knowledge, opinion or aid, and reinforced with his words after the murder: Be
innocent of knowledge, dearest chuck (3.2.45). All of what could mean a breakdown and great
twist of events for Lady Macbeth since she might suspect that her husband no longer trusts her
with whatever situation might be occurring. Such an uncertainty supposes for her a significant
problem, considering all the sacrifices that she did for making their objective a reality, from her
struggle of thoughts when planning and executing Duncans murder to the actual last minute
arrangements to save them from being accused of committing the crime when Macbeth brought
back the daggers. All of which end up in nothing if she does not know what to do next, what
plans does her husband have, or if there is an actual conflict that might affect them. Moreover,
some of the words that Lady Macbeth uttered to herself in the last act, in the middle of her
somnambulism, with the Doctor and the Gentlewoman as guests, point out to that uncertainty that
she might have felt when his husband hid the truth of his deeds to her, giving a glimpse of her
suspicions: I tell you, yet again, Banquos / buried: he cannot come out ons grave (5.1.5960).
From her words, then, it could be possible that she knew what Macbeth did to Banquo, even
though her husband did not confess it to her.
The mixture of mental pressure, then, along with the murder and the suspicion that
Macbeth does not want to rely on her anymore, constitute all in all another powerful explanation
that could be annexed to LaBelles interpretation of the play of her later breakdown and suicide.
Her point of view, though useful for expanding on other possibilities about the behavior of Lady
Macbeth throughout the play, takes a stance of no further explanations to what occurs in
Macbeth, even though it is not the only one that holds the truth of what Shakespeare could have
had in mind during the production of his work.