Lady Macbeth Guilt Analysis
As the end drew near, Lady Macbeth was no longer able to drive off the guilt, while Macbeth became unreined and free, relying completely on himself. As time goes on, Lady Macbeth’s guilt grows stronger while she is given less to do: “She had no way of escaping from her own thoughts, no way of plunging into such a course of action as might help to keep away the remembrance of the past or to relieve the present” (Munro 33). As her guilt has caught up with her, Lady Macbeth has been driven completely insane. She has literally become sick with guilt. As Munro states “She had obtained the object of her desires, but it was, in the attainment of it, turned into fire and ashes on her lips. The crown was placed on her head, but it weighed upon her
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heavier than lead” (Munro 33). It was this heavier than lead crown that caused her to break down both physically and mentally. Physically, her guilt causes her to sleep walk, as well as both talk and even write in her sleep “I have seen her rise […] unlock her closet, take forth paper, fold it, write upon ‘t, read it, [and] afterwards seal it,” (V.i.1-14). When she sleep walks, she rubs her hands as if trying to wash away the blood from all the murders, going so far as to say that “All the/perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand,” meaning that she will never be able to cover up the blood (V.i.51-52).
She has degraded mentally as well. In her insane sleep talking speech, she inadvertently confess to the murders of Duncan, Banquo, and Macduff’s family (V.i.40-65). She has also developed an excessive fear of the dark, commanding that “she has light by her continually” (V.i.23-24). It is this physical and mental deprivation that eventually beings an end to Lady Macbeth’s story with her taking her own life. While Lady Macbeth is at her lowest, Macbeth himself has never been higher. He no longer relies on anyone, be it his wife or the witches. Macbeth no longer even seems to love his wife, merely shrugging it off when he is told that she committed suicide, saying she picked a bad time to die; “She should have died hereafter” (V.v.17). When Macbeth decides to take to the field and fight for his throne, he accepts the crimes that he has committed and decides to move on anyways. While fighting the enemy, he seems to change back into the old war hero that he once was, showing unquestionable physical courage (Firkins
417). Even after he is made aware that Macduff is the only man of the battlefield that could kill him, he still bravely faces his death like the warrior that he once was and the king he is now.
Throughout Macbeth, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s personalities are slowly switched during the course of the play. Macbeth begins the play as a war hero who cannot think for himself, having to rely on his wife to make his plans, but changes into a strong and independent dictator. Lady Macbeth begins manipulative and strong but slowly becomes insane with the guilt of what she has done. Initially Macbeth was loyal to his king, and if not for interference from Lady Macbeth and the Weird sister, he likely would never have considered killing Duncan. However, his weak will allowed his guilt to catch up with him, and would have essentially crippled him if not for Lady Macbeth. Lady Macbeth is a cruel and dangerous force. She manipulates her husband at every turn, allowing them both to realize their ambitions. Unfortunately for Lady Macbeth, putting her husband in a position of power caused him to become more independent, leaving her with nothing to do unless Macbeth really needed her. Her having nothing to do and no work to find comfort in allowed her guilt to manifest, wrecking her mind and eventually leading to her suicide. Meanwhile, Macbeth has become completely independent, able to rule effectively on his own. At the end of the play, Macbeth reverts back to the old war hero he was when he faces his death, almost like he has awoken from a spell. It almost seems as if Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s characters changed so much during the play that it would not have been possible without magic. The Macbeths’ fate also started its course after meeting the witches. Maybe it is possible that the misfortune to befall the family occurred due to a curse cast on the Macbeth by the Weird sisters. Regardless of if this is the case, due to the fact that the idea to kill the king was originally planted in Macbeth’s head by others and the harsh consequences that befell him for being tricked into the deed, Macbeth is more of a victim than the perpetrator of regicide. The following crimes were because Macbeth was forced to adapt to the situation or be forever forgotten in the annals of history.
heavier than lead” (Munro 33). It was this heavier than lead crown that caused her to break down both physically and mentally. Physically, her guilt causes her to sleep walk, as well as both talk and even write in her sleep “I have seen her rise […] unlock her closet, take forth paper, fold it, write upon ‘t, read it, [and] afterwards seal it,” (V.i.1-14). When she sleep walks, she rubs her hands as if trying to wash away the blood from all the murders, going so far as to say that “All the/perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand,” meaning that she will never be able to cover up the blood (V.i.51-52).
She has degraded mentally as well. In her insane sleep talking speech, she inadvertently confess to the murders of Duncan, Banquo, and Macduff’s family (V.i.40-65). She has also developed an excessive fear of the dark, commanding that “she has light by her continually” (V.i.23-24). It is this physical and mental deprivation that eventually beings an end to Lady Macbeth’s story with her taking her own life. While Lady Macbeth is at her lowest, Macbeth himself has never been higher. He no longer relies on anyone, be it his wife or the witches. Macbeth no longer even seems to love his wife, merely shrugging it off when he is told that she committed suicide, saying she picked a bad time to die; “She should have died hereafter” (V.v.17). When Macbeth decides to take to the field and fight for his throne, he accepts the crimes that he has committed and decides to move on anyways. While fighting the enemy, he seems to change back into the old war hero that he once was, showing unquestionable physical courage (Firkins
417). Even after he is made aware that Macduff is the only man of the battlefield that could kill him, he still bravely faces his death like the warrior that he once was and the king he is now.
Throughout Macbeth, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s personalities are slowly switched during the course of the play. Macbeth begins the play as a war hero who cannot think for himself, having to rely on his wife to make his plans, but changes into a strong and independent dictator. Lady Macbeth begins manipulative and strong but slowly becomes insane with the guilt of what she has done. Initially Macbeth was loyal to his king, and if not for interference from Lady Macbeth and the Weird sister, he likely would never have considered killing Duncan. However, his weak will allowed his guilt to catch up with him, and would have essentially crippled him if not for Lady Macbeth. Lady Macbeth is a cruel and dangerous force. She manipulates her husband at every turn, allowing them both to realize their ambitions. Unfortunately for Lady Macbeth, putting her husband in a position of power caused him to become more independent, leaving her with nothing to do unless Macbeth really needed her. Her having nothing to do and no work to find comfort in allowed her guilt to manifest, wrecking her mind and eventually leading to her suicide. Meanwhile, Macbeth has become completely independent, able to rule effectively on his own. At the end of the play, Macbeth reverts back to the old war hero he was when he faces his death, almost like he has awoken from a spell. It almost seems as if Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s characters changed so much during the play that it would not have been possible without magic. The Macbeths’ fate also started its course after meeting the witches. Maybe it is possible that the misfortune to befall the family occurred due to a curse cast on the Macbeth by the Weird sisters. Regardless of if this is the case, due to the fact that the idea to kill the king was originally planted in Macbeth’s head by others and the harsh consequences that befell him for being tricked into the deed, Macbeth is more of a victim than the perpetrator of regicide. The following crimes were because Macbeth was forced to adapt to the situation or be forever forgotten in the annals of history.