Irony, which simply means a twist of fate, was a favorite literary technique of Shakespeares,

especially in his tragedies.IT creates a gripping, suspenseful mood and helps the audience to
understand later developments in the plot.he uses several There are many types of irony used in
Macbeth instances of irony in macbeth to give the play humor and depth. There are three types of
irony used in Macbeth, each of which accomplishes different purposes in the play.
1. Verbal irony, the difference between what is said and what is meant.
2. Situational irony - difference between what is expected and what actually happens
3. Dramatic irony - when the audience knows more than the characters

Verbal irony is a figure of speech in which what is said is the opposite of what is meant. A good
Examples Verbal irony is when Macbeth says,
Had I but died an hour before this chance
I had livd a blessed time

Verbal irony makes the play more tragic because, if the reader understands the irony of what a
character is saying, then the reader can see the true nature and intentions of the character.in this
scene the hearers(macduff,Banquo,lenox) assume Macbeth's lamentation is caused by the death
of the king; they assume that he wants to die 1 hour before because he cant bear the scene of
duncans deadbody.but Macbeth actually speaks of his murdering of the king. he thinks if he died
one hour ago, he couldnt able to kill the king. Through this irony, Macbeth expresses his guilt
over what he has done,

Situational irony is used during the play many times. a good example of situational irony is
when Duncan says:

"This castle hath a pleasant seat; the air

Nimbly and sweetly recommends itself
Unto our gentle senses.

The king does not know that he has walked into a trap. When Duncan comes into Macbeth's
home he was very happy he didn't know that Macbeth is thinking about killing him and that lady
Macbeth wants him killed .he compliments Macbeth castle as pleasant, but unfortunately it
becomes most unpleasant place wher he has been murdered by Macbeth very ruthlessly. another
example of situational irony concerns Lady Macbeth. She takes part in Duncan's murder with no
hesitation or guilt. She was more strong, cold and calculating than Macbeth. Even She scolds
Macbeth for being weak.but, at the end of the play it is Lady Macbeth who is overwhelmed with
guilt and eventually kills herself.

Dramatic irony functions a bit differently. It is created in drama when the audience knows and
understands more than the characters do. It is useful for two primary reasons, creating mood and
informing the audience. In Macbeth, events in the first scenes create a sense of dramatic irony
where the witches say,

Fair is foul and foul is fair

Hover through the fog and filthy air.
In the very opening of the play, Shakespeare establishes that Macbeth will meet the three witches
in the future, which gives the audience a negative idea of his character before he even enters the
story. The audience knows that the witches do not have good intentions in telling Macbeth the
predictions. Macbeth does not know that the witches are leading him to destruction until the very
end and by the end of the play many of the fair predictions of the witches turn foul for Macbeth.

Finally, irony of Fate is used. This is when a result defeats the purpose of an event. For example,
Macbeth's reaction to seeing Banquo's ghost is very dramatic and violent, he casts suspicion onto
himself, instead of gaining personal security. He casts suspicion by asking
"which of you have done this?" and then answering his own question with
"Thou canst not say I did it. Never shake Thy gory locks at me
This is tragic because Macbeth ruins his goal of security and ends up casting more doubt upon
himself.
A play that is tragic would not be so without irony. It makes the tragic hero seem more
villainous, or makes their downfall seem more tragic.Irony allows a writer to suggest a meaning
that is different from the literal or 'surface' meaning of the words. Irony works to 'shape' meaning
in highly subtle ways to help create what is called 'layers of meaning'. Generally speaking irony
is used to prove a point or to give a different perspective on things or an unsuspecting ending.

Without this literary technique, the play would be far less powerful and far more confusing, but
with it, Macbeth is one of the greatest tragedies ever written.

Imagery in Macbeth
imagery is when the audience uses their five senses while reading.One of the most important
tools in Shakespeare play is imagery. Shakespeare uses imagery in the Tragedy of Macbeth and
his other plays because it helps to connect the reader or audience to the characters of the play In
the play, Shakespeare uses the power of imagery to emphasize the evil deed and black desires
inside Macbeth, which causes his murdering and death. Similar to other Shakespeares plays,
each image has at least one dramatic purpose and contains an important symbol or theme that
runs throughout the entire play. portrays the element of imagery to promote the theme of evil.

In Macbeth, Shakespeare uses different types of imagery to promote the theme of evil. When
writing the play Macbeth, Shakespeare created an atmosphere around the characters and the
overall setting of the play, with his use of massive amounts of imagery in Macbeth.
Lightness and darkness are major examples of Shakespeares use of imagery in Macbeth.
Blood imagery is everywhere in "MacBeth," it helps to develop the theme of Gulit.

Eventually, Lady MacBeth experiences the horrifing sense of having the blood stain on her
when the old man dies. "Yet who would have thought the old man to have had so much blood in
him?" Blood symbolizes the gulit that ther is a permanent stain on both MacBeth and Lady
MacBeth and it finually brings them to their own graves.

Lightness and darkness are major examples of Shakespeares use of imagery in Macbeth. It
symbolizes the themes of forsahdowing and fear,

USE OF SUSPENSE

One of William Shakespeares most well known plays is Macbeth. Shakespeare uses many
images and situations in order to build suspense. The use of the supernatural in the witches, Lady
Macbeth nature, the vision, the ghost and the apparitions are all elements which help"Macbeth"
making a play full of suspense.

at First, Shakespeare includes witches in his play. The presence of the witches also gives a huge
impact in making the play more interesting. These features keep the audience hooked to the play
and the suspense increases with every scary sound that produced by witches. Every word they
say makes the audience and Macbeth wonder about their motivations, they end their meeting,
saying,
Fair is foul, and foul is fair /
Hover through the fog and filthy air .
This intensifies the sense of evil when the witches were first seen. This entire scene gives
suspense to the play, because the reader knows that something unpleasant is going to happen to
Macbeth.

Shakespeare incorporates vast suspense into his play. Before the murder of Duncan,
Shakespeare makes us wait several scene of suspense to keep the reader wondering whether or
not Macbeth will actually go through with the murder. The dagger soliloquy builds suspense
while Macbeth is waiting for the time to come when he is going to kill the king.

And on thy blade ,and dudgeon,gouts of blood,

Which was not so before

One of the best ways that he builds suspense in this scene is by giving the audience the visual
effect of bloody dragger. By setting blooded dragger ,Shakespeare is playing on the
audiences senses who are already nervous and anxious and the darkness and blooded
dragger heighten their fear in the summit. Again Macbeth brought the blooded
daggers from the murder scene so that the audience can understand that the murred is
happened. Therefore, the visual effects of daggers are very important to create
suspense in readers mind.

The sounds effects were used with great impact to creat suspens, especially the owl
shriek crickets cryand voices heard by Macbeth such as,

Sleep no more ! Macbeth doth murder sleep.

The murder of Duncan wasn't shown,it happens offstage, but the sound effect ,Macbeth's
bloody hands and his hallucination out of guilt ensure the audience that murdered has
happened .Then when Macbeth cannot leave the daggers in front of the guards, it creates
suspense and leaves the audience wondering whether the plot will be succeed or not.

Act ii Scene III is full of suspense. Shakespeare uses both visual and auditory images in these
scene., a example of these images is the knock at the gate which interrupts conversation of
Macbeth and lady Macbeth, he says,

Whence is that knocking?

How ist with me, when every noise appalls me

Macbeth is terrified that he will be caught. The knocking brings tension and suspense to the
scene, the reader wondering if Macbeth will be discovered. The audience becomes
extremely curious to see who has hastened Macbeths and Lady Macbeths plans.
The tension carries over to the porter who takes his time to answer the door, and so it
adds a great deal of suspense. This makes the characters fearful and the audience curious
as to what is going to happen. To add to the suspense of the images Shakespeare added a time
problem in this scene. The two characters must rush against the clock to wash the blood off
their hands and appear to have been sleeping before anyone else discovers what has happened
but they instead engage themselves in long conversation.

Banquos Ghost is a big factor to create suspense in this play. When Macbeth addressing the
ghost in the dinner, the guest and the audience become surprised because he is pointing the
empty chair. The reader still confuses weather it is ghost of Banquo or Macbeths imagination.
There are lots of debate about it. Some critics suggest its a hallucination or imagination out of
fear and some not.

Finally, we can notice use of irony in the witches broth and apparition scene in act 4. Witches
preparing of magical broth and the three apparition an armed head,a bloody child,a crowned
child carrying a tree, is enough to create suspense in this act. These apparitions each tell Macbeth
a small piece of useful .the scene confirms many suspicions the audience might have about
character relationships in the

Although the reader knows that eventually Macbeth will have to die, simply because the play is a
tragedy, , Shakespeares use of many twists and turns of the plot help to make this play very
entertaining. . The suspense he builds throughout enthralls the reader, and makes it thrilling. On
the whole, Macbeth is an exciting and electrifying play to read /

They agree to tell him all he wants to know, and conjure up four apparitions. play. However, the
witches send the apparitions to deceive Macbeth into a false sense of security, while still telling
the whole truth. The entire scene is a very powerful, important In general, the witches make the
play more exciting, and play a major role in the development of suspense in Macbeth

USE OF SUSPENSE

This again builds the suspense in the scene, allowing the audience to be carried away
with the mood. By making these lines short and brisk we can hear the panic and
urgency that both are feeling at this moment. Towards the end of this scene, Macbeth
is alone on stage. The knocking he hears has un-nerved him and he has become nearly
insane at the thought of what he has done. He says;

Macbeth Whence is that knocking?

How is 't with me, when every noise appals me?
What hands are here! Ha! they pluck out mine eyes.
Will all great Neptune's ocean wash this blood
Clean from my hand? No, this my hand will rather
The multitudinous seas incarnadine,
Making the green one red.

If we look at the whole mood of the scene you can see it's urgent and hurried; but
Macbeth is speaking in long drawn out phrases in these lines. This use of polysyllabic
phrases has the opposite effect to the monosyllabic phrases Lady Macbeth uses. It
slows the words down and increases the tension for the audience. It helps us to
understand the frame of mind that Macbeth is in; he should be frantic and agitated yet
is speaking as if he has all the time in the world. By using polysyllabic phrases we can
see just how distressed by his actions Macbeth has become.
The first visual effect used is the actual place the scene is set. In the previous scene
Macbeth has left the stage in an almost trance like state, rambling about the daggers;
leaving the audience wondering whether he will commit the murder or not. By setting
the scene in a dark courtyard I think Shakespeare is playing on the audiences senses.
Already nervous and anxious; the darkness of the scene and the fact that its outside
late at night would heighten the fear. Throughout the scene the blood on Macbeth's
hands torment him. He stares at them manically and the blood seems to symbolise the
act of murder itself. Macbeth asks, "Will all great Neptune's ocean wash this blood
clean from my hand?" He is so appalled by what he has done that he thinks even all
the oceans together could not wash away his sin. This is a very strong visual effect.
Macbeth's bloody hands can be seen in almost all of this scene and play an important
roll in showing the audience the violent way in which Duncan must have been killed.
The daggers also play an integral part in this scene and again are clearly visible almost
the whole way through. Macbeth holds the daggers tight and it's as if he cannot let go
of the deed he has done. Lady Macbeth says, "Why did you bring these daggers from
the place? They must lie there. Go carry them and smear the sleepy servants with
blood." She understands the implications of someone finding Macbeth with the
murder weapons, which shows she is thinking more clearly and rationally than
Macbeth. She is forced to take the daggers off Macbeth and deal with it herself. She
snatches them from Macbeth's hands after scornfully saying. "Infirm of purpose!" In
other words she thinks her husband is a coward. By bloodying her own hands she is
taking control of the situation and she shows her disappointment towards her husband
by saying, "My hands are of your colour, but I shame to wear a heart so white."
Because Macbeth brought the daggers from the murder scene and then failed to deal
with them properly, the audience can see who is now in control. There for the daggers
are very important visual effects.

Having looked at the various effects used by Shakespeare, I feel the most effective
was his use of visual effects. In the time this play was written Shakespeare could not
rely on computers or modern stage lighting to create his moods for him, so he had to
create something on stage that would have an impact on the audience in different
ways. Although I thought his sounds effects were used with great impact, especially
the owl shriek; I feel that the bloodied hands were a very powerful statement. As
mentioned before, the actual murder wasn't shown, but the fact that Macbeth had the
King's blood on his hands would have both frightened and excited the audience. The
way in which he used the daggers to completely change the relationship between
Macbeth and his wife was brilliant. It defined the rolls of the two characters and
showed that Lady Macbeth was much more in control of the situation and had much
less guilt than Macbeth.

The murder of Duncan happens offstage, so when Macbeth appears in Scene 2, we wonder for a
second what happened. Did he succeed. Is Duncan dead.
Then when Macbeth cannot leave the daggers in front of the guards, it leaves the audience
wondering whether the plot will succeed.

And then the knocking. The continuous, rhythmic drum on the door makes the audience scared
for Macbeth, and whether they will make it in time.Shakespeare uses many images and situations
in order to build suspense. Act II is the act that the murder of the king takes place because of
this the suspense that is built in this act is particularly important. In scene one,(lines 33-61) the
dagger soliloquy builds suspense while Macbeth is waiting for the time to come when he is going
to kill the king. One of the ways that he builds suspense in this soliloquy is by giving the
audience the fear that Macbeth might get caught before he has even committed the crime. "Hear
not my steps, which way they walk, for fear/ Thy very stones prate of my whereabout,/ And take
the present horror from the time,/ Which now suits with it." (lines 57-60)
Scene II is full of suspense. Shakespeare uses visual and auditory images in this scene to add
to the anticipation of the inevitable discovering of the body. Some examples of these images are
when the constant knocking interrupts their conversation throughout the scene. This makes the
characters fearful and the audience curious as to what is going to happen. To add to the suspense
of the images Shakespeare added a time problem in this scene. The two characters must rush
against the clock. The have to wash the blood off their hands, place the bloody knife's near the
sleeping grooms, and appear to have been sleeping all before anyone else discovers what has
happened. "Go get some water,/ And wash this filthy witness from your hand./ Why did you
bring these daggers from the place?/ They must lie there: go carry them, and smear/ The sleepy
grooms with blood." (lines45-49)
The suspense in the third and final scene in this act is significant because this is the scene
where the body of the king is finally discovered. Everyone is trying to figure out what happened
and find out where to place the blame. This is suspenseful because Macbeth has to act surprised
and come up with an on the spot excuse for killing the grooms without incriminating himself.
"Who can be wise,...

In the play "Macbeth", there are many interesting sections that concentrate on the suspense and
the involvement of the supernatural. The use of the supernatural in the witches, Lady Macbeth,
nature, the vision, the ghost and the apparitions are all key elements in making "Macbeth" as a
tragedy play. With the sense of the supernatural and interference of the spirits, Macbeth and Lady
Macbeth are led to dangerous tempting things. Macbeth's character becomes completely different
from the brave soldier to the evil king and to his tragic death where he discovers humility again
when it is too late. Lady Macbeth's character also changes from being a loving wife and
masculine woman to madness woman. The use of supernatural also makes the play interesting to
the audience. Examining certain scenes of the play, it is noticed that the supernatural is definitely
a major factor on the play's style. The use of supernatural occurs at the beginning of the play,
with three witches predicting the fate of Macbeth. "When the battles lost and won", it says
Macbeth's fate is that he will win the battle, but will lose his time of victory for the battle of his
soul. The prophecies that revealed by the witches bring a broad temptation to Macbeth that had
been in his secret all along for being a king, "My thought, whose murder yet is but fantastical".
This shows that Macbeth ambition is present before the prophecies. He would never have
thought seriously about killing Duncan without the witches. His temptation makes him doing
whatever he can to gain power of the throne as prophesied by witches because he thinks the only
way to gain the power of the throne is by killing Duncan, which is an easier plan and the ways he
makes to the throne show evilness that gradually increased in his actions by murder Duncan,
Banquo and Macduff's family. The presence of the witches also gives a huge impact in making
the play more interesting. These witches have very strange features; old people in a group of
three with dirty and broken cloths, bearded, and no eyes. These features keep the audience
hooked to the play and the suspense increases with every scary sound that produced by witches.
The supernatural element also taking place in Lady Macbeth's soliloquy of calling upon evil
spirits to give her power to plot the murder of Duncan without any

Every word they say (if acted out buy good actors) makes the audience and Macbeth wonder
about their motivations, whether or not their predictions will come true, and their appearance
generally indicates that something is about to happen.

The opening of this scene is with a drunk porter (door tender) going to
answer the knocking at Macbeths castle gate. Many critics have questioned
how this character came to be in the play because he quite obviously doesnt
fit in with the story line or the rest of the cast. One possible reason is that
Shakespeare was trying to provide each actor in the playhouse with a part.
There would have been a resident comic, and Shakespeare could have been
simply trying to give that gentleman a part. Many believe, however, that
since Shakespeare wasnt one to follow the rules, that he was simply using
the porter as comic relief after Duncans murder. Once the part, however is
acted out, many believe the scene to add tension. Since it is eerily
coincidental that immediately following Duncans murder there is a knock
blaring out across the stage, the audience becomes extremely curious to see
who has hastened Macbeths and Lady Macbeths plans. The porter takes his
time to answer the door, and so it adds a great deal of suspense.

lthough this play is not difficult to comprehend, what makes

it enjoyable to read? This is the topic of my article.
One of William Shakespeares most well known plays is Macbeth. While this play is composed
of Elizabethan language, and includes allusions that only Elizabethan-era persons would
understand, Macbeth is not a particularly difficult play to comprehend. As such, the play is
immensely enjoyable to read. Shakespeares use of motifs, allusions, and other literary devices,
combined with great suspense and the involvement of the supernatural, makes this play quite
memorable.

First, Shakespeare includes witches in his play. He begins Macbeth with a meeting of
three witches, and these witches and their superior, Hecate, are seen throughout the play. During
the meeting, the witches discuss where and when to next convene. The witches settle on the
heath as the meeting place, and say that there they will meet Macbeth. Then they end their
meeting, saying, Fair is foul, and foul is fair / Hover through the fog and filthy air (I. i. 9-10).
This intensifies the sense of evil felt when the witches were first seen. Shakespeare ends the
scene with a couplet which does not make much sense; however, this couplet can easily be
construed as a spell. This entire scene gives suspense to the play, because the reader knows that
something unpleasant is going to happen to Macbeth shortly. Soon afterwards, Macbeth and
Banquo encounter the witches on a heath. The witches greet him in the following manner:

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First Witch: All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, Thane of Glamis!

Second Witch: All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, Thane of Cawdor!

Third Witch: All hail, Macbeth, that shalt be king hereafter! (I. i. 48-50)

Macbeth is only aware that he is Thane of Glamis, but is notified soon after that he has become
Thane of Cawdor. Unlike today, the Elizabethans firmly believed in witches, and would not have
doubted for an instant the veracity of the witches statements. The witches declarations towards
Macbeth start to build suspense in the play, as the reader wonders how the kingship will fall to
Macbeth, especially after Malcolm, King Duncans son, has been named heir. One may suspect
dirty dealing after hearing the coded, spell-like speech of the witches once more. Finally,
Macbeth seeks out the witches one last time to learn their prediction of his fate. They agree to
tell him all he wants to know, and conjure up four apparitions, chanting, Come high and come
low / Thyself and office deftly show (IV. i. 67-68). These apparitions each tell Macbeth a small
tidbit of useful information. Again, the witches speak in a spell-like manner, to summon the
apparitions. All along, it seems as though the witches have been casting spells on people. The
revelations of the apparitions move the action of the play along, and the scene confirms many
suspicions the audience might have about character relationships in the play. However, the
witches send the apparitions to deceive Macbeth into a false sense of security, while still telling
the whole truth. The entire scene is a very powerful, important scene in the play. In general, the
witches make the play more exciting, and play a major role in the development of Macbeth.

Next, Shakespeare incorporates vast suspense into his play. Before the murder of
Duncan, Shakespeare makes us wait several scenes before finally giving the reader what he/she
was waiting for. After talking to Banquo, Macbeth hears the bell toll midnight and says, I go,
and it is done / Hear it not, Duncan, for it is a knell / That summons thee to heaven or to hell (II.
i. 63-65). This quote finally releases all of the mystery that has been building. At this point,
Macbeth goes to assassinate Duncan. The suspense keeps the reader wondering whether or not
Macbeth will actually go through with the murder, and this trepidation makes the story riveting.
After the murder, when Macbeth is waiting for Lady Macbeth to place the daggers with the
guards, he hears a knock, and says, Whence is that knocking / How ist with me, when every
noise appalls me (II. ii. 61-62). Macbeth is terrified that he will be caught. The knocking
brings tension and suspense to the scene, the reader wondering if Macbeth will be discovered.
The tension carries over to the next scene, where there is confirmation of Macbeths escaping the
potential crisis. Last, Shakespeare builds the suspense in the approach to the final scene. After
much anticipation, Macduff finally confronts Macbeth, saying,

Then yield thee, coward,

And live to be the show and gaze oth time!

Well have thee, as our rarer monsters are,

Painted upon a pole, and underwrit,

Here you may see the tyrant. (V. viii. 23-27)

Although the reader knows that eventually Macbeth will have to die, simply because the play is a
tragedy, Shakespeare makes it gripping by forcing the reader to wait for the duel. Working up to
the duel makes the scene even more exciting. Overall, Shakespeares use of many twists and
turns of the plot help to make this play very entertaining.

On the whole, Macbeth is an exciting and electrifying play to read. Although the
Elizabethan language is confusing, after deciphering it the play is not hard to understand.
However, the real pleasure in reading Macbeth comes from several features Shakespeare
integrates into it. The witches he incorporates bring action and tension to the play. The suspense
he builds throughout enthralls the reader, and makes it thrilling. In conclusion, these elements
Macbeth contains are what serve to make it so enjoyable to read.

Read more: http://bookstove.com/book-talk/macbeth-7/#ixzz1skdvtiRu

Appearance vs. reality in Macbeth?

In the first scene, in which the witches say, "Fair is foul, and foul is fair." This tells us that
throughout the play, there will be a gap between appearance and reality. One of prominent
theme in Shakespeares play Macbeth is the contrast between appearance and reality. This theme
is interlaced through each act of the play.
In the world of Macbeth, appearances and deception play a major role. Nothing is as it seems.
Characters may appear to be loyal on the outside, but inside they harbour secret motives. Their
actions illustrate this greatly, particularly in the case of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth.

One of the most fascinating ways in which Shakespeare explores the theme of appearance and
reality is through the characters of the witches. Over the course of the play, they lead to greater
confusion in Macbeths mind. They seem to promise him good things, but his life subsequently
begins to deteriorate. On the night of the murder, Macbeth sees a floating dagger, but can not
decide if this air-drawn dagger is real or a figment of his imagination His confusion between
what is real and what is not seems to increase as the witches influence over Macbeth grows.
In the political system of Scotland, everything is tainted with treasonous malice. Duncans
early acknowledgement that there is no art to find the minds construction in the face, reminds
us that nothing is as it seems. Cawdor ,a gentleman on whom Duncan built an absolute trust, is
shown to be a traitor. Duncans trust has been misplaced in this instance, as it will be again when
he grants the title of Thane of Cawdor to Macbeth. Macbeth appears to be a loyal, noble and
brave soldier. Macbeth, however, is entertaining the notion of regicide to become king himself.
Macbeth is concealing his black and deep desires, appearing to be a suitable candidate for
Cawdor, when he is infact nothing but a threat.

The castle of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth is also a prominent example of appearance and reality
in this play. While Lady Macbeth prepares Duncans fatal entrance under her battlements,
Duncan is generous in his praise of the castle. According to Duncan, the

castle hath a pleasant seat,

the air nimbly and sweetly recommends itself unto [their] gentle senses

This, unknown to Duncan, is to be his final resting place. The outside of the castle is welcoming
and innocent, the preparations for Duncans murder continue inside. Lady Macbeth insists that
Macbeth appear as

the innocent flower, but be the serpent undert.

The following feast leads Duncan into a false sense of security. The festivities of the night are in
great contrast to the gruesome murder that is the follow and the shocking ramifications that it
will have on the Macbeths and Scotland.

As Macbeths actions become more tyrannical and savage, the strain of hiding their (Macbeth
and Lady Macbeths) true nature surfaces. The pair quickly begins to lose their grip on reality.
Following Banquos murder, Macbeth sees his ghost at the feast. Macbeth has lost the ability to
differentiate between appearance and reality. The cause behind Macbeths murder of Banquo was
his inability to accept anything at face-value. Macbeth turns to the witches when he begins to
become cribbd and confined. These are the very hags behind Macbeths original confusion.
They very quickly bring Macbeth into a state of mind where he becomes totally disconnected
from reality. He takes the witches predictions literally, believing that he is safe from any harm.
The prediction that Macbeth will be safe until

Birnam Wood reaches Dunsinane appears to indicate that he will not be threatened any time in
the near future. In reality, it is showing him his impending downfall. It is at this stage that the
forces of good come together and travel to Scotland to overthrow Macbeth. As the tide turns on
Macbeth, the king and queen become more disillusioned and reach the brink of insanity.
Suffering from memories of the murder, Lady Macbeth is unable to make a distinction between
reality and fantasy. In her panicked state, she takes her own life. Meanwhile, Macbeth is forced
to acknowledge that the witches lie like truth. They have equivocated. Macbeth is at this stage
ready to see the world for what it is, not for what he wishes it to be.
In the final scenes of the play, Macbeth re-attains his self-recognition. He realises that he will not
have troops of friends. He no longer has the honour or nobility that he earned for himself on
the battlefield. He understands that his life is a tale told by an idiot. Macbeth is at this stage
able to see behind appearances, into reality, as his life is coming to an end. Macbeth faces
Macduff on the battlefield in a fair duel, as a soldier. He is ready to face his death and no longer
must his false face hide what [his] false heart doth know.

The play Macbeth is undoubtedly a very shocking and disturbing play. In the course of the play,
the boundaries between reality and appearance are in a constant state of flux. As a result, very
little is as it seems in the play. The characters are regularly concealing their true natures and their
true ambitions and desires.

Read more: http://bookstove.com/classics/the-theme-of-appearance-vs-reality-in-

macbeth/#ixzz1sejSV51C

MacBeth's appearance differs from his true self.MacBeth portrays himself to be strong and wise,
but inside he is truly weak.

When he first faces the witch's predictions, he says; " Come what come may, time

and the hour runs through the roughest day." (Act I, Scene 3) Basically he

says that any good fortune that may come to him in the future, will come on it's

own. He wants to appear collected, strong, and noble, but in the end, he

completely contradicts his statement by greedily killing men to get what he

expects. This shows his extreme weakness because he

believes what three weird strangers tell him. Not only is he weak with the

three weird sisters, but he is also weak with his wife. The largest portrayal of MacBeth's

feebleness comes when Banquo's ghost appears before MacBeth's eyes. "Hence,

horrible shadow! Unreal mockery, hence!", MacBeth exclaims as he sees Banquo's

ghost. Why would a King be afraid of shadows? A very weak man, MacBeth

crumbles under pressure and guilt.

 Just like her husband, Lady MacBeth paints herself as a very potent

woman. But the murders and guilt beat at her conscience until she too crumbles.

At one point in the play, Lady MacBeth says, I have given suck and no how

tender tis to love the babe that milks me; I would, while it was smiling in my

face, have plucked the nipple from his boneless gums, and dashed the brains out,

had I so sworn as you have done to this. (Act I, Scene 7) The latter shows

that Lady MacBeth appears strong and heartless in her actions toward others.

Even when her husband stands before her having a nervous breakdown in the

banquet scene, instead of trying to help, she orders her poor delirious husband

to bed so that he won't create a scene. In both of the above cases, her husband

turns to her for help, but she speaks harsh words to him to keep her appearance

strong. However, she is not strong at all. The whole time she was acting

strong, her insides were tearing apart at the seams. One night a gentlewoman

comes to a good doctor for help about her mistress. Lady MacBeth had been sleep

walking for the last few nights; mumbling words and pretending to wash her hands

from a translucent blood that she feels is lingering on her hands. The good

doctor says she is not physically ill, but mentally ill. The whole time Lady

MacBeth had put up a defense to appear potent, but in reality, she is just as

weak as her husband is.

Banquo, MacBeth, and Lady MacBeth all paint a vivid picture of their

personalities on the outside; but as proven, they are totally different people
on the inside. No matter what, reality will conquer appearance. Whether it is

slow like MacBeth and Banquo's change; or whether it is abrupt like Lady

MacBeth's, the truth will emerge in the end.

Analysis of Macbeth Soliloquies

The play Macbeth uses soliloquies with great effect to express the
thoughts of individual characters, particularly in the case of the
protagonist, Macbeth.
In Act V Scene V, strong words from Macbeth convey to the reader two
themes of the play. This soliloquy demonstrates the play's use of irony and the
use of the disparity between the great opposition of light and darkness as
symbols for both life and death. This soliloquy is quite significant to the play
as a whole since it demonstrates two very important themes as well as leading
to a better understanding of Macbeth.

There is an emphasis on character development & characters true states of mind

and motivations through the use of soliloquys and asides. Macbeths soliloquies
enable the audience to experience and witness the opposing state of mind and
conflict taking place within Macbeth and thus, gain an understanding of the
reasons for his behaviour and decisions. The first soliloquy from Macbeth
"if it is were done when tis done..."
portrays his rationality and sensibility, this sentence shows the audience that he is completely
aware of what he is doing and the consequences of his actions; it also illustrates that his
ambition is strong.a man portrayed at the beginning of the play, the strong, brave
warrior slowly declines into a confused and easily persuaded person. Macbeth's
radical decline begins when he is approached by the three witches, although the
temptations are extremely powerful for him, he constantly battles with an internal
struggle of right and wrong.
"This supernatural soliciting Cannot be ill, cannot be good
Shakespeare illustrates the nature of human and it is already obvious that Macbeth
begins to feel reality has disappeared and fantasy is now real "And nothing is but
what is not.

Macbeth illustrates a story of ambition, imagination and inner strength. There is a

the use of asides and soliloquies show a separation towards the realistic dimension.
Two strong, yet complex characters are introduced as Macbeth and Lady Macbeth,
and witnessed throughout their tale is an extreme declining state of mind.

Lady Macbeth's soliloquy in act 1 scene 5 showcases how Shakespeare uses it to develop
character. Here Lady Macbeth is introduced an evil, contemptuous and cold-hearted person. as

Through Lady Macbeth's soliloquy, it can b e concluded that she is a vile person.
Her words "It is too full o th'milk of human kindness", show how implicitly evil
she is. These words are used because she is trying to challenge he husbands
manhood, and therefore, this would make him want to commit the murder to prove
to her that he is a man. Also when she says "Unsex me here", she is speaking to the
witches, bidding them to remove all femininity from her being so that she would be
able to go through with the murder. Furthermore, when she says," That no
contemptuous visitings of nature Shake my fell purpose, nor keep peace between
the effect and it", she is calling to the powers of darkness to prevent her from
causing her ti change her mind.

In conclusion, it can clearly be seen that through Lady Macbeth's soliloquy that it
gives an indepth analysis of her thoughts.

"If chance will have me King, why,

chance may crown me without my stir".
This aside by Macbeth depicts his inner conflict quite clearly, as he isn't
questioning the mystical aspect of the witches, but the ethical aspect of his
unforeseen actions, it almost seems that he is going to leave his ascend to kinship
up to destiny. Macbeth's weakness is already clear as his interest in a darker,
satanic side begins to develop and he begins to confront and question his own
morals and the case of right and wrong
"Let not light see my black and deep desires" (I.iiii.52).
The main characters in this play are continuously succumbing to the worst in
themselves, and although they seem to know what fate lies ahead of them for each
action, they are extremely over dramatized and begin to believe in their fantasy.

Shakespeare portrays Macbeth, through soliloquys and asides, as someone who is

both absent minded and impulsive in his actions, however, witnessed at "This deed
I'll do before this purpose cool" (IV.i.153) there is a true sense of ruthlessness
through Macbeth for the audience, a sense of him being on a murderous high. The
audience witnesses a barely recognisable Macbeth compared to the beginning of
the play, and a diminished and powerless influencer, Lady Macbeth.
This essay is going to depict the moral decline of Macbeth. Macbeth, in his first
soliloquy, finds himself struggling with his conscience, over the possibility of
regicide. He is concerned that the consequences he would face were vast, and that
there are many reasons why he should not murder Duncan.
This first soliloquy clearly shows that these are his first thoughts on the matter,
because of the haphazard way in which they are expressed. At the beginning of the
soliloquy he has made no decision as to whether the deed will be undertaken and
at the end of the soliloquy he is still undecided, which is largely due to the
intervention of Lady Macbeth.

Lady Macbeth is already questioning her husband's manhood, as she does not feel
he will be able to complete the necessary task required to achieve greatness.
Shown in scene I, act V her ambition and strength is far greater than Macbeth, and
this is when she decides she will take it upon herself to make him do what she
thinks will help them achieve greatness. It shows her manipulation, and Macbeth,
succumbing to this, displays his weakness and lack of judgment. Lady Macbeth's
character possesses a strong emphasis on gender stereotyping. She shows the idea
that to be manly you have to embody aggressions, strength, and courage
particularly when confronting death.

Lady Macbeth's words 'unsex me here' (I.V.39) shows her hoping to remove all her
femininity, so that she is able to go through with the murder herself, she feels this
is a males display of strength and she is hoping that her femininity and humanity
will not cause her to change her mind. Although she is determined not to show her
humanity, it is very clear how quickly she goes from ruthless to insane and helpless
"yet here's a spot" (V.i.31) depicts her humanity very well through hallucinations
posing the question, did she really imbed the characteristics of a killer? Eventually
this irrationality leads to her off stage suicide, suggested when Malcolm announces
she died by "self and violent hands" (V.Viii.71). Lady Macbeth's influence on her
husband is diminished quickly after her assistance in the killing of Duncan, and the
only influence she has from then after-(onward) is to make sure everything is kept
to themselves, this makes it seem as though she has not much of a role within
Macbeth but is believed to be the main catalyst of this tragedy.
The use of soliloquys riddled throughout Macbeth allows the audience to
understand the states of mind and humanises each character. The audience is
allowed to see the regret that Macbeth feels as well as the moral confusion and
inner turmoil experienced by Lady Macbeth. The initial Strength possessed by each
character slowly diminishes as the audience can see their vulnerability and
humanity throughout the play. Macbeth is imaginative and shows a constant
struggle between life and death. Without these soliloquys and asides the audience
could not possibly understand the thought process behind the scheming and plots,
therefore, would have no way of knowing the inner struggles each character faces,
which in turn have made this story a narrative of two heartless people who would
do anything to achieve greatness. This aids the structure of the play immensely due
to the tragic end of a hero which leaves the audience with a sense of disaster, yet
feeling over all exaltation, a common pattern relating to the structure of a tragedy.

moral decline of Macbeth

The soliloquy opens with a euphemism of the word murder:

If it were done.
Macbeth uses this, and other, euphemisms because murderous thoughts are alien to
him. Macbeth is portrayed by the language to be a very moral and conscientious
man. The euphemisms show that the horrid deed abhors him, because he knows
that regicide is a cardinal sin.

The soliloquy carries on by Macbeth describing his inner reasoning against the
murder. Although Macbeth tells us that with the death of Duncan he would be
successful, With his surcease, success, the word that Macbeth stressed was
success. This implies that Macbeth is unsure whether this is the kind of success
that he wants. This again shows the presence of a conscience within Macbeth.

Macbeth also uses spiritual reasoning against the murder. He claims that heaven
will cry out trumpet-tongued against the deep damnation of his taking off. This
indicates that Macbeth believes that such a horrifying deed would result in him
jumping the life to come, that he would face punishment for eternity in hell.
Macbeth shows that he still has a conscience through the way he delivers this
soliloquy.

In conclusion, it can clearly be seen that through Lady Macbeth's soliloquy that it gives an
indepth analysis of her thoughts.
Two strong, yet complex characters are introduced as Macbeth and Lady
Macbeth, and witnessed throughout their tale is an extreme declining
state of mind.

There is an emphasis on character development within the first and

second act, displaying to the audience the characters true states of
mind and motivations through the use of soliloquys and asides.
Macbeths soliloquies enable the audience to experience and witness the
opposing state of mind and conflict taking place within Macbeth and
thus, gain an understanding of the reasons for his behaviour and
decisions. The first soliloquy from Macbeth "if it is were done when tis
done..." (I.Vii.32) portrays his rationality and sensibility, this sentence
shows the audience that he is completely aware of what he is doing and
the consequences of his actions; it also illustrates that his ambition is
strong.

A growing interest and desire to know more is displayed by Macbeth in

I.iii.69-77, in which Macbeth is asking questions, however barbaric
The Weird Sisters accusations may be "Speak, I charge you!" He
speaks of his intrigue about the witch's message and questions its
moral ambiguity "If chance will have me King, why, chance may
crown me without my stir". This aside by Macbeth depicts his inner
conflict quite clearly, as he isn't questioning the mystical aspect of the
witches, but the ethical aspect of his unforseen actions, it almost seems
that he is going to leave his ascend to kinship up to destiny. Macbeth's
weakness is already clear as his interest in a darker, satanic side begins
to develop and he begins to confront and question his own morals and
the case of right and wrong "Let not light see my black and deep
desires" (I.iiii.52). He questions the witches' predictions, through
soliloquies and asides he addresses his inner turmoil and conflict,
however, Macbeth's concerns never become a reality, and he finds a far
greater interest in the metaphysical aspect of his apprehensions, which
never seem to reach a worthwhile conclusion to act on, this displaying
the importance of inner perceptions. The main characters in this play
are continuously succumbing to the worst in themselves, and although
they seem to know what fate lies ahead of them for each action, they
are extremely over dramatized and begin to believe in their fantasy.

Shakespeare portrays Macbeth, through soliloquys and asides, as

someone who is both absent minded and impulsive in his actions,
 however, witnessed at "This deed I'll do before this purpose cool"
(IV.i.153) there is a true sense of ruthlessness through Macbeth for the
audience, a sense of him being on a murderous high. Shakespeare gives
Macbeth as much credit as himself, as someone who is witty, eloquent
and articulate, and using this notion Macbeth becomes more of a
tragedy due to Macbeth's irrational state of mind and his problematic
solutions. The audience witnesses a barely recognisable Macbeth
compared to the beginning of the play, and a diminished and powerless
influencer, Lady Macbeth.

In Scene I, act V Lady Macbeths soliloquy showcases how Shakespeare

develops character. Here, Lady Macbeth is introduced as immoral and
cold hearted, her words "It is too full o th' milk of human kindness'
(I.V.15) depicts her wickedness and lack of humanity.
Lady Macbeth is already questioning her husband's manhood, as she
does not feel he will be able to complete the necessary task required to
achieve greatness. Shown in scene I, act V her ambition and strength is
far greater than Macbeth, and this is when she decides she will take it
upon herself to make him do what she thinks will help them achieve
greatness. It shows her manipulation, and Macbeth, succumbing to
this, displays his weakness and lack of judgment. Lady Macbeth's
character possesses a strong emphasis on gender stereotyping. She
shows the idea that to be manly you have to embody aggressions,
strength, and courage particularly when confronting death.

Lady Macbeth

Lady Macbeth fulfills her role among the nobility and is well respected like Macbeth. King
Duncan calls her "our honored hostess." She is loving to her husband but at the same time very
ambitious, as shown by her immediate determination for Macbeth to be king. This outcome will
benefit her and her husband equally. She immediately concludes that "the fastest way" for
Macbeth to become king is by murdering King Duncan.

Lady Macbeth is one of Shakespeares most famous and frightening female characters.

When we first see her, she is already plotting Duncans murder, she is stronger, more ruthless,
and more ambitious than her husband.

& manipulates her husband with remarkable effectiveness, overriding all his objections; when he
hesitates to murder.
She seems fully aware of this and knows that she will have to push Macbeth into committing
murder. At one point, she wishes that she were not a woman so that she could do it herself. This
theme of the relationship between gender and power is key to Lady Macbeths character: her
husband implies that she is a masculine soul inhabiting a female body, which seems to link
masculinity to ambition and violence. Shakespeare, however, seems to use her, and the witches,
to undercut Macbeths idea that undaunted mettle should compose / Nothing but males
(1.7.7374). These crafty women use female methods of achieving powerthat is, manipulation
to further their supposedly male ambitions. Women, the play implies, can be as ambitious and
cruel as men, yet social constraints deny them the means to pursue these ambitions on their own.

Lady Macbeth manipulates her husband with remarkable effectiveness, overriding all his
objections; when he hesitates to murder; she repeatedly questions his manhood until he feels that
he must commit murder to prove himself. Lady Macbeths remarkable strength of will persists
through the murder of the kingit is she who steadies her husbands nerves immediately after
the crime has been perpetrated. Afterward, however, she begins a slow slide into madnessjust
as ambition affects her more strongly than Macbeth before the crime, so does guilt plague her
more strongly afterward. By the close of the play, she has been reduced to sleepwalking through
the castle, desperately trying to wash away an invisible bloodstain. Once the sense of guilt comes
home to roost, Lady Macbeths sensitivity becomes a weakness, and she is unable to cope.
Significantly, she (apparently) kills herself, signaling her total inability to deal with the legacy of
their crimes.

Lady Macbeth is a powerful presence in the play, most notably in the first two acts. Following
the murder of King Duncan, however, her role in the plot diminishes. She becomes an
uninvolved spectator to Macbeth's plotting, and a nervous hostess at a banquet dominated by her
husband's hallucinations. Her fifth act sleepwalking scene is a turning point in the play, and her
line, "Out, damned spot!" has become a phrase familiar to most speakers of the English
language. The report of her death late in the fifth act provides the inspiration for Macbeth's
"Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow" speech.

Analysts see in the character of Lady Macbeth the conflict between femininity and masculinity,
as they are impressed in cultural norms. Lady Macbeth suppresses her instincts toward
compassion, motherhood, and fragility associated with femininity in favour of ambition,
ruthlessness, and the singleminded pursuit of power. This conflict colours the entire drama, and
sheds light on gender-based preconceptions from Shakespearean England to the present.

Lady Macbeth makes her first appearance with late in scene five of the first act when she learns
in a letter from her husband that three witches have prophesied his future as King. When King
Duncan becomes her overnight guest, Lady Macbeth seizes the opportunity to effect his murder.
Aware her husband's temperament is "too full o' the milk of human kindness" for committing a
regicide, she plots the details of the murder, then, countering her husband's arguments and
reminding him that he first broached the matter, she belittles his courage and manhood, finally
winning him to her designs.

Lady Macbeth
Lady Macbeth is Shakespeare's most evil feminine creation.
Her satanic prayer to the forces of darkness in Act 1 is chilling to modern readers .Most critical
analysis of Lady Macbeth focuses on her as catalyst for Macbeth's first murder, that of Duncan,
and the linear progression of her deteriorating mental state, culminating in her sleepwalking
scene.

However, the most interesting facet of Lady Macbeth's character is hardly ever explored: that she
herself intends to commit the murder of Duncan, while her husband merely plays the smiling
host. This precious detail gives Lady Macbeth's invocation new weight and her character new
depth.
in which, going to the bedroom knife in hand, she cannot bring herself to the action; and I further
suggest that when he reached this point in 1606 Shakespeare found he had no room for such
developments and had to extricate himself as best he could. And how triumphantly he does it!
First he writes a soliloquy ('If it were done, when 'tis done') for the beginning of scene 1.7, which
conveys the impression that Macbeth was intending all along to do the deed himself; he then
later in the same scene makes the guilty pair talk as if they were proposing to do it together ; and
finally, though he sends Macbeth to the bedroom alone, he brings Lady Macbeth on to inform us
that she has already been there, and that

Had he not resembled

My father as he slept, I had done't.

ady Macbeth's reaction when she reads her husband's letter is powerful and dramatic. As soon as
she's finished reading, she has decided she will make sure Macbeth is king..Lady Macbeth
invites the spirits of evil to enter her. She knows she has to steel herself, that the murder will
need evil power, and evil is not naturally within her. She knows immediately that murdering
Duncan is the only way of quickly achieving her goal. When Macbeth brings further news that
Duncan is actually coming to spend that night with them, it becomes clear that her role is to seize
the moment and facilitate her husband's rise to kingship.

Lady Macbeth's immediate thoughts may make her appear as thoroughly irreligiously cold and
ambitious, but this is not so. To prepare for what she feels must be done she calls on evil spirits
to "stop up th' access and passage to remorse" in order to be relentless. Otherwise her conscience
would not allow her to act.

Furthermore, Lady Macbeth knows her husband well. She thinks he may be too kind in order to
murder King Duncan. This is why she represses her conscience so she can later usher Macbeth
into commiting the deed. At first Macbeth agrees. But later Macbeth wavers in his decision. But
Lady Macbeth is sure that being king is what Macbeth really wants and that this is the best for
both of them. So, in response to Macbeth's uncertainty, Lady Macbeth manipulates him by
questioning his manhood and his love for her. She is successful because regardless of his own
conscience Macbeth carries out their plan of murder.
The almost superhuman strength Lady Macbeth rallies for the occasion and her artful and sly
ability are shown through her meticulous attention to detail regarding the murder. When Macbeth
returns to their chamber she goes back to the murder scene and cleverly smears the grooms with
Duncan's blood. However, her morals had prevailed just a while before as revealed through her
comment that she would have killed Duncan herself had he not "resembled [her] father as he
slept."

Perhaps Lady Macbeth felt that suppressing her conscience for the deed was enough and that
later the thought of the deed would just dissipate. The outcome is not this way, though, because
Macbeth and Lady Macbeth often cannot go to sleep, and if they do, they experience terrifying
dreams. But still, Lady Macbeth is able to maintain her sanity and composure during the day,
even more than her husband. She urges him to be light hearted and merry. Once she practically
rescues Macbeth from the frailty of his own conscience. When Macbeth sees Banquo's ghost she
creates an excuse to explain his odd behavior. She attempts to chasten Macbeth by again
questioning his manhood. When the situation grows worse though, she takes charge once more
and promptly dismisses the lords from the feast.

Later, though, the burden of Lady Macbeth's conscience becomes too great for her and her
mental and physical condition deteriorates. A gentlewoman observes her sleepwalking and
consults a doctor. The doctor and the lady observe Lady Macbeth sleepwalking, madly trying to
cleanse her hands of the blood of Duncan and Macduff's family. Still in her sleep, Lady Macbeth
asks, "what, will these hands ne're be clean?" foreseeing that she will never have peace of mind.
She also retells events of the day Duncan was murdered. The doctor tells the gentlewoman that
what Lady Macbeth needs is spiritual and not physical help.

Lady Macbeth's condition worsens, and she goes in and out of sleep with delirious visions. Later,
as the battle ensues outside of Dunsinane, by unspecified means Lady Macbeth commits suicide.

At the beginning Lady Macbeth finds strength to entice Macbeth to murder Duncan and to
follow through with the murder herself. As time advances though, her pretended strength
diminishes as she fights the torments of her conscience. Tending to her conscience engulfs and
destabilizes her so that she can not support Macbeth against Malcolm. Lady Macbeth's attempts
to suppress her conscience fail. At the end she chooses death because she can no longer bear the
torments of her guilt.

A dynamic character is an individual whom undergoes drastic character change or revelation. At

the of the play Macbeth, Lady Macbeth can be perceived as a deeply ambitious person which
implies an overall sinister appeal. However, as the play progresses, Lady Macbeth's character
changes to one that seems deeply regretful for her actions.

In the opening of the play, Lady Macbeth is an extremely manipulative individual whom
essentially has the power to control her husband's actions. This is evident through the plot of and
ultimately the death of King Duncan. Lady Macbeth insulted her husbands manhood stating :
"What beast was't then, When you durst do it then you were a man; And to be more than what
you were, you would be so much more the man..."(Shakespeare, 1.7, 47-49). This statement
reinforces her manipulative manner and provides crucial information about Lady Macbeth's
character. In essence, the quote introduces a pivotal theme of the play: the relationship between
gender and violence. Lady Macbeth links masculinity to violence and thereby she has to resort to
manipulative measures in order to achieve her objectives. Lady Macbeth has the ability to
override all her husband's inhibitions and manipulate him into undertaking these murderous acts.
Through coercion and criticism she was able to manipulate her husband thereby suggesting
elements of an evil and sinister Lady Macbeth.

There is a defined relationship between manipulation and ambition in this play. That is, Lady
Macbeth's ambition drives her to manipulate her husband into the murdering of innocent people.
The primary example of her ambitious behavior is evident in the plot for her husband to become
king. As prophesized by the witches, Macbeth would be king, however the means of how this
would become was never discussed until Lady Macbeth is introduced. When the audience is first
introduced to her, she is asking for spirits to "unsex me"(1.5, 39). This statement exhibits the
immense ambition she has to become queen, demonstrating she will go to any lengths in order to
accomplish it. The devised plan by Lady Macbeth further shows her great ambition to become
Queen of Scotland. Lady Macbeth states to Macbeth: "O, never/Shall sun that morrow see!"
(1.5,58-59) referring to the murdering of King Duncan providing evidence of her great ambition.
Lady Macbeth is so blinded by her ambitions that she neglects to ponder the potential
consequences her actions may have on her and Macbeth himself. This intense and unwavering
ambition of what might be to come forces her to place whatever values, morals and good
judgement in abeyance, however it is also her blind ambition that leads to her imminent
downfall.

Aside from Lady Macbeth's sinister tendencies, there is proof which suggests that there is
compassionate and guilty individual buried inside. The first piece of evidence which suggests of
a remorseful Lady Macbeth is apparent through her statement: "where out desire is got without
content."( 3.2,7). This passage refers to the lack fulfillment the role of queen posses, and hints
that all her actions were meaningless thereby implying remorseful feelings. Another crucial
indication of her guilt is visible in Act Five, Scene 1 when Lady Macbeth is wondering around in
a trance state appearing to be sleep walking. It is at this point in time where we undisputedly
learn of her deepest regrets and guilt. This is evident through the quote: "Out, damned spot"
(1.5,32) insinuating that she is unable to `wash the blood off her hands'. These actions play a
central role in the reinforcement of another theme: appearance versus reality (Lady Macbeth
appears to be wide-awake, however, she is in a stupor revealing the reality of her soul). These
regretful feelings inherently lead to her downfall through her suicide. By dying by her own hand
she is paying the greatest cost for the consequences of her actions. Here underlies the truth to her
character, she inherits a change of heart resulting in indisputable evidence that Lady Macbeth is a
dynamic character.

Through Lady Macbeth's interactions and statements the reader gains tremendous insight into her
true character. As the play progresses and character revelation occurs, we see her change from a
foreboding individual whom is deeply ambitious and manipulative to a regretful and remorseful
soul. This thereby provides as adequate proof that Lady Macbeth is a dynamic character. This
change creates a sense of sympathy in the eyes of the audience or reader as consequently it is her
actions which cause her ultimate demise.
The Rise and Fall of Lady Macbeth

Lady Macbeth's character is one of complexity; slowly, but

continuously changing throughout the play. What begins as a struggle for power

and a longing to shred her femininity turns Lady Macbeth into what she fears

most - a guilt ridden weakling.

In the beginning ( I, v, 43-54) , we see Lady Macbeth reacting to the

news of her husbands success and King Duncan's visit. This ignites her lust for

power. In the quote ...unsex me here, / And fill me from the crown to the toe

top full/ Of direst cruelty! make thick my blood;.../ Come thick night,/ And

pall thee in the dunnest smoke of hell,/ That my keen knife see not the wound it

makes, Lady Macbeth talks of wanting all of the cold blooded aspects of

manliness so she can kill King Duncan with no remorse - she sees herself as

having these qualities more than her husband, and because of this, in a sense,

wishes to shed her womanhood. We can see this ruthless nature more in depth in

the quote I would, while it was smiling in my face,/ Have pluck'd my nipple

from his boneless gums,/ and dash'd the brains out, had I so sworn as you/

Have done to this (I,vii,56-59) She is obviously a very bitter female,

frequently referring to her role as a woman, both physically and emotionally in

negative ways. In the above quote, Lady Macbeth is commenting on her husband's

lack of gall, stating, that quite frankly, she would make a better man than
he.

Although still a very strong woman, we see the first signs of weakness

in Lady's Macbeth's character in Act II, Scene ii, 12-13. She says, Had he

not resembled/ My father as he slept, I had done it. She is giving an excuse

for not killing Duncan herself. As you can plainly see, this is not the same

Lady Macbeth that would bash a baby's brains in in the beginning of the play.

Throughout the play, Macbeth's character grows stronger as Lady Macbeth's will

regresses. It even gets to where Macbeth will not include his wife in his

villianous schemes, where at one time, it was Lady Macbeth who was

implementing these schemes in his head in the first place. In a sense, the two

characters switch roles; Lady Macbeth taking a backseat to her husband almost

becoming wallpaper for the rest of the play. The turning point for Lady Macbeth

is when she learns of her husband's slaying of Macduff's family. She realizes

that this is all a result of her greed for power, power that led to the

corruption of her husband and allowed her to create a monster out of a once, at

least, worthy man. In this state, she turns to sleepwalking which reveals her

guilt in Act V, scene i, 37-55. Out, damned spot! out, I say!-One: /two:

why, then tis time to do't... / The thame of Fife had a wife: where is/ she

now?- What, will these hands ne'er be/ clean?... This guilt and paranoia

eventually leads to Lady Macbeth's violent death at her own hands.

What happened to the power - happy woman that L. Macbeth once was?
What was it that motivated this gradual, yet altogether drastic change in her

character? The answer, I believe, is that it was ambition that motivated her,

and ultimately destroyed her also. What Lady Macbeth and her husband wanted

most in the world eventually strangled them with its power. They are two of

Shakespeare's many victims of the ambition plague, joining the ranks of

Julius Ceasar and others. The real message here is not to place your ambitions

over the rights and lives of other people; something people must have done

quite a lot in Shakespeare's time. In today's society, Lady Macbeth would

probably have been much happier. She would certainly feel less oppressed by her

womanly attributes - she would have been able to seek as much power as she

wanted without being hindered by her less-than-ruthless husband. This theme of

ambition ruining everything still is quite evident today, however. Countless

numbers of people are ruined each day because of their own desires and wants.

This is obviously an ageless problem. But the question still goes unanswered,

Is there any way to stop it?