Lady Macbeth-Perfect Wife

Lady Macbeth-Perfect Wife

  • Submitted By: cnelson
  • Date Submitted: 05/24/2008 2:29 PM
  • Category: Book Reports
  • Words: 1487
  • Page: 6
  • Views: 1

How does one define something as perfect? We seem to call things in life perfect when they are flawless. As one of the leading character's in Shakespeare's Macbeth, Lady Macbeth, did not seem flawless when the audience meets her, in fact she seemed rather the complete opposite. So why is it that A.C. Bradley can say that Strange and almost ludicrous as the statement may sound, she [Lady Macbeth] is a perfect wife? How can this be? With all the evil and conniving things she has done, how can she be considered flawless? In a way however Bradley is right. Lady Macbeth can be considered a perfect wife. She may not be a perfect person, but when viewing her as a wife, and only a wife, she actually can fit this statement. She does many things that may benefit her husband, and hence the reason to why this title can be fitting for her place. Lady Macbeth understands her husband because their relationship is so close. She encourages and reassures Macbeth when he is most vulnerable. She is also loyal, supportive and protective. While always being determined and strong, she shows that she is loving and caring as well. What else could a partner ask for? The only way they can be happy, is for Lady Macbeth to take command, and this may have to happen through deception and evil. As long as she is looking towards the future for them both, especially to make him king, she can be considered a perfect wife. Therefore these are seen as all the factors that substantially aid to her righteous name a! s a perfect wife. She was a great wife once upon a time. However, after she read Macbeth's letter, the audience thought this time had passed. But had it really? The answer, in Bradley's view, no. She still remained the same. With their relationship as close as it had always been, she had proved to remain loving and sincere to her husband. When he enters the scene from being named the Thane of Cawdor in Act 1 Scene 5, she greets him with: Great Glamis!...

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