Lady Macbeth's Downfall

In William Shakespeare’s Macbeth, Lady Macbeth is a strong, influential, and dominant character. She shows herself as a ruthless, power-hungry woman who convinces her husband to commit heinous acts. Through her monologues and her conversations with her husband, she is observed as being manipulative and conniving. Her true character is first revealed as she comments on Macbeth’s letter. She is firm of purpose and knows that by using her husband as a pawn, she will reach her ultimate goal to become the queen of Scotland. This desire for the crown ultimately leads to her own demise. This initial wave of power and her downward spiral are observed in her reaction to Macbeth’s letter, her loss of control over Macbeth’s decision making process, …show more content…
She says to him: “These deeds must not be thought… After these ways; so, it will make us mad” (2. 2. 33-34). Their uneasiness begins as the consequences of their actions unfold in Act III and their guilt grows. This can be seen in Act III, scene ii: “It would be better to be the one we murdered than to live in uncertain joy because of our murder… Let the universe crash down… before we eat our meals in fear, or have our sleep plagued with these terrible dreams” (8-9, 17-20). However, at this time, Macbeth’s confidence and thirst for blood increases while Lady Macbeth tries desperately to conceal her guilt, as well as cover for her husband. Macbeth is suspicious of Banquo knowing he committed the murder. In result, he hires a group of murderers to kill both him and his son. His plan to kill Banquo is the start of Lady Macbeth’s loss of power over him. Michael Delahoyde from Washington State University states “As Macbeth moves downward toward inhumanity and loss of affect, Lady Macbeth moves upward, toward feeling and horror” (Delahoyde, Macbeth). He makes this plan without Lady Macbeth’s knowledge. He feels a sense of pride knowing he planned the second murder by himself. At this point, the roles of Lady Macbeth and Macbeth are switching. She is losing control of him and his decision making process. As his ambition grows, she becomes weaker. Soon after Macbeth hires the murderers, he and Lady Macbeth hold a feast at their castle. During the feast, the ghost of Banquo shows up in Macbeth’s seat, and in result, he has a fit. In the midst of the chaos, Lady Macbeth persuades the guests at the table that he is not well and has an illness. She then pulls him aside and again, questions his manhood: “When all’s done, you look but on a stool… What, quite unmanned in folly?” (3. 1. 77-78, 85). Despite her ongoing internal struggle with the guilt of Duncan’s murder, she

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