Lady Macbeth By William Shakespeare - 1536 Words

In the play Macbeth, the secondary characters such as Lady Macbeth, the witches, and Macduff influence the theme and plot. One of the most influential female characters in the tragedy is Lady Macbeth; she has a significant impact on Macbeth s life. Throughout Shakespeare’s time’s, women were not treated with respect; they were regarded as their husbands slaves. However, this is not the case in Macbeth’s marriage. One could say that Lady Macbeth and Macbeth display reverse roles in marriage. During the performance, Lady Macbeth displays bravery, control and support. At the beginning of the piece, she obtains a letter explaining in detail the witch s†¦show more content†¦When King Duncan arrives, the married couple act as perfect hosts. Lady Macbeth and Macbeth deceive the other characters; they put on a false smile for their guest to help achieve the perception of their innocence. Lady Macbeth takes her role very seriously; she faints immediately after Duncan s death. Once the pair slaughter Duncan, they start experiencing guilt. However, they cannot express to anyone their f eelings concerning the obscurities that occurred that night. This causes them to lock up their secrets between them. Fair is foul, and foul is fair (1.1.11) this is a case of authenticity versus dishonesty; even though you may think you know someone, in reality you do not. In most circumstances, people act differently around others. Generally, there can be a difference between ones perceived image and their true self. The difference is between how someone seems, and who they are. In most plays, we can notice how characters open up to some characters, yet have a tendency to mask who they truly are with others. Even though Lady Macbeth controls her husband, she loses this control at the banquet. Macbeth’s downfall begins with his vision of Banquo’s ghost. Macbeth’s wife attempts to handle the situation, but Macbeth s guilt overrules, causing her to expose her feeble side. Eventually, Lady Macbeth starts to lose control over her emotions; Macbeth’s actions h ave become overwhelming for Lady Macbeth. Her mind begins to go into a