In Macbeth, Lady Macbeth starts saying crazy stuff. She even goes to say she would kill a baby. Furthermore, she frames two innocent men for murder, and volunteers to go back into the dead king's room to plant the evidence. Death seems to have no effect on her. Previously she gave herself to evil and asked it to consume her. Has evil already consumed her? or is she simply doing whatever it took to get what she wanted?
Also, Macbeth asks for the ability to murder and not feel remorse. However, daggers soon start appearing in his mind. It was at this point that Macbeth realized murder was not only in his mind...it was festering. Was God trying to save Macbeth from murdering? Or was Macbeth simply starting to lose his mind?
It seems, to me, that Lady Macbeth only "gave herself to evil" and let it consume her simply so that she would feel no remorse. It is very obvious though that she will do whatever it takes so that she may recieve the benefits of being Queen though. As far as Macbeth himself goes, his visions and loss of insanity seem to drive home the point that he hasn't exactly "grown a pair" yet (just quoting you there).
ReplyDeleteI think that Shakespeare uses a lot of extremes in this play (Lady Macbeth's evilness and Macbeth's insanity). Lady Macbeth is possibly just as crazy as her husband--both are unable to think clearly and morally. So I think that evil has consumed her just as insanity has consumed Macbeth. Which brings me to the part about Macbeth, I think he is simply losing his mind. Murder is a dark act and for them to be able to plan and carry out the murders obviously there will be something dark and twisted inside of both of them.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Thomas. As Karisa mentioned elsewhere, Macbeth hasn't "grow[n] a pair" yet. It seems like his wife is bossing him around and he won't put her in her proper place. That proper place is taking care of the castle and their children, which she should provide for them, since she hasn't already. Anything outside that is Macbeth's realm of involvement and she should stay the heck out.
ReplyDeleteI personally see Lady Macbeth as the representation of what it takes mentally to emit evil throughout this play. In other words, just as she so easily puts on an act for both of the King's sons when his murder is discovered, Lady puts on an act of bravery and lust for evil for her husband. Ultimately I do not see her as being possessed by evil, but rather convinced that the more she tries to epitomize evil traits, the more her husband will feel confident in the actions he must carry out. Like we discussed earlier, behind every great man is a woman; behind Macbeth's actions is his wife's killer instincts and practiced immoral qualities.
ReplyDeleteIn answer to the question posed about Macbeth, I think he was more along the path of, not necessarily losing his mind, but more experiencing great anxiety and confusion about his planned actions. I don't think he even paused long enough, or though about anyone besides himself for an extended period of time, to consider the ramifications that God might have for him. He was feeling guilty and confused between what he wanted, what he didn't want, and what he thought others wanted for him. The floating daggers were his stress and fear animated in real time.