Lady Macbeth and Guilt

Paper Summary:

In this aticle, the writer points out that in 'The Tragedy of Macbeth', even a modern-day audience is struck by the manipulative efforts of Lady Macbeth, whose scheming appears to drive her husband to commit horrible acts, including murder. The writer discusses that Lady Macbeth's apparent guilt by the end of the play makes some people question how much responsibility Lady Macbeth has for her husband's actions, because she shows more remorse than he does. Rather than suggesting that she is not responsible for her husband's actions, Lady Macbeth's guilty conscience actually helps demonstrate that she was as responsible for Duncan's murder as her husband. The writer concludes that although Lady Macbeth is not physically responsible for Duncan's murder, her actions make it clear that she is morally responsible for his murder, and would even be considered a co-conspirator under today's modern criminal law.

From the Paper:

"Of course, if Lady Macbeth had kept her plotting secret, never involving her husband in her plans, then Duncan would not have died. Lady Macbeth did not have the resources to commit the murder herself. It is unclear whether this is due to her lack of physical strength, or to the fact that she knew she would feel remorseful about the act, and maybe felt that indirect involvement would insulate her from her feelings of guilt. Whatever her motivation, it is clear that Lady Macbeth does not feel that she can kill Duncan on her own. Therefore, she begins to coach her husband, persuading him that he must kill Duncan in order to take his place as the king. As soon as Macbeth returns home and tells Lady Macbeth that Duncan is coming, she begins plotting Duncan's death. Macbeth tells his wife that Duncan is coming to spend a night, and then leaving in the morning."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Shakespeare, William. "The Tragedy of Macbeth." The Riverside Shakespeare. Ed. G. Blakemore Evans. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1974. 1307-1342.

More papers on Lady Macbeth and Guilt:

• Analytical Essay # 29490 : "Shakespeare's "Macbeth"
• Analytical Essay # 23999 : "The Sanity of Macbeth"
• Analytical Essay # 54631 : "Macbeth's Madness"

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