Lady Macbeth Character Analysis

Lady Macbeth is a very strong and important character in the play Macbeth since she started the tragedy in the play. She brings a great influence to Macbeth of killing King Duncan right after Macbeth told her the prophecies that was told to him by the 'weird sisters' (witches).

Since the beginning of the play, Lady Macbeth can be seen as someone who is very well respected. Even King Duncan himself calls her "honored hostess" and "fair and noble hostess". Not only she is respected by King Duncan because of she is the hostess but as King Duncan looks up to Macbeth for his great loyalty especially when he wins the great battle between Scotland and Norway, King Duncan also respects her as the wife of his noble general, Macbeth.

She is a very ambitious and persuasive character too. She persuades Macbeth to kill King Duncan and be the next king because she knows if Macbeth becomes the King of Scotland, then both of them will have the benefits. Even though she looks as if she is a cold-blooded woman as she is very ambitious, many of us overlooked the femininity inside her. She is actually fragile that she has to ask the evil spirits to "unsex" her so that she will be able to do the deed. Her fragility can also be seen through her soliloquy while waiting for Macbeth to kill the king, "had he [King Duncan] not resembled my father as he slept, I had done't".

Lady Macbeth can be very manipulative as well. The moment Macbeth comes back to his sense and refuses to "proceed no further in this business [kill King Duncan]", she quickly questions him of his manhood and his love to her. Her strong statement asking Macbeth to "screw your [Macbeth] courage to the sticking-place" gives Macbeth the strength again to kill King Duncan. She has successfully influenced him with just few words.

Other than that, Lady Macbeth can also be said as meticulous. She makes sure everything is according to the plan. After the assassination, Macbeth is so scared that he forgot to do exactly as planned but Lady Macbeth goes back to the crime scene and "gild the faces of the grooms withal for it must seem their guilt".

Quick-witted is also one of Lady Macbeth character. She thinks very quickly when Macbeth's guilt making him sees the ghost of Banquo in his party. Macbeth spins out of control and starts making his guests confused and horrified. Lady Macbeth quickly tells their guests that Macbeth "is often thus, and hath been from his youth".

Female is usually associated with a weak emotion control. So does Lady Macbeth. She couldn't bear with her guilt at last that she started sleep walking and in the end committed suicide.