Lady Macbeth Killing Duncan

Within the drama Macbeth, by William Shakespeare, multiple characters meet their untimely demise for similar reasons, but both have vastly different repercussions- not only upon the other characters, but also upon the plot of the play. Lady Macbeth showcases these differences in her reactions to two of the deaths within Macbeth. After Macbeth has killed Duncan- the king of the realm, she almost seems to not be affected by it. While Macbeth is panicking, she retains a level head- as if she couldn’t care less about the fact that her husband has murdered someone in her own house. “These deeds must not be thought of after these ways; so, it will make us mad” (Shakespeare 34). However, when Banquo is killed, Lady Macbeth is haunted by it. “I tell
when Duncan is killed, she actively takes part in his murder. “When in swinish sleep their drenched natures lie as in a death, what cannot you and I perform upon the unguarded Duncan?” (Shakespeare 28). Lady Macbeth encourages Macbeth to murder Duncan, because she knows the way that it will advance his political station, and, by default, her own station. While she eventually comes to regret, and, indeed, become horrified by her own actions, she is quite unaffected by Duncan’s death for most of the play. In contrast, very soon after Banquo’s death, Lady Macbeth begins sleepwalking and sleeptalking, and she cannot forget his death, and the stress of Banquo’s murder presumably causes her death. This is ironic, because Lady Macbeth had nothing to do with his death. Macbeth completely orchestrated the assassination of Banquo, and Lady Macbeth did not even know of it until the event had passed, but still feels ashamed by it. This difference is likely because Lady Macbeth was friends with Banquo, but was not particularly close to King Duncan at all. She most likely feels Banquo’s absence more acutely than she does Duncan’s, and as such, is affected more by the former’s