Macbeth as a Fiend Like Queen

Macbeth as a Fiend Like Queen

In early modern period of history women had much fewer rights and
privileges. Woman, in Shakespearian times occupied a lesser status to
men in society and there were also limitations on what a woman could
do in a marriage. This is reflected in the marriage of Lady Macbeth
and Macbeth. The husband has more responsibility than his wife.

Lady Macbeth is the dominant partner in the Macbeth marriage. Anything
she says goes. She is a strong and very persuasive influence on her
husband.

“Come you spirits that tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here…make
thick my blood…” she asks.

She is seeking supernatural assistance. Lady Macbeth further asks
these “spirits” to come to her women’s breasts and take her milk for
gall.

When she reads the letter written by Macbeth she is thrilled and
excited if Macbeth becomes king she will be queen, a prospect she is
most happy with.

“Hail, King that shalt be.”

“Glamis thou art and Cawdor, and shalt be what thou art promis’d…”

This is when Lady Macbeth herself begins to formulate her evil plans
to kill Duncan, not Macbeth.

Through this stage of Lady Macbeth plotting to kill King Duncan we see
an entirely different side to the benevolent queen. We learn that she
is most evil, as she calls on evil spirits to aide her conquest into
building up confidence to perform the heinous act of murder against a
kind-hearted king.

We learn that her thoughts turn to ones of malevolence, but yet
Macbeth is hesitant.

When she shared her thoughts with Macbeth he was very nervous about
murdering the king. Duncan was the king whom he loved and looked up
to, whom he served. He could not bring himself to do such a deed. He
was extremely nervous but Lady Macbeth was yet again extremely
persuasive.

“If we should fail?” he asks

“We fail? But screw your courage to the sticking place, and we’l not
fail” she replies.

Here Lady Macbeth is questioning Macbeth’s masculinity,...

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