Lady Macbeth A Fourth Witch

Is Lady Macbeth a “fourth witch” as critics claim? OR Is she a victim punished for acting in an “unnatural” way?

LADY MACBETH VS. THE THREE WITCHES

How they are similar/ different
Lady Macbeth
The Three Witches
Wants the best for her husband
Plays with Macbeth’s ambitions
Very strong and ruthless
Work by persuasion
Plots against Macbeth
Plays with Macbeth’s ambitions
Very powerful
Works by evil powers Shakespeare uses Lady Macbeth and the three witches, as a sense of the power of a women to undermine Macbeth’s idea that men are all powerful “For thy undaunted mettle should compose Nothing but males” (1.7.81-82).

Reasons Lady Macbeth isn’t a witch
Macbeth sends Lady Macbeth a letter about his encounter with witches (no knowledge of them)
She is powerless (she calls upon the sprits.) “Under my battlements. Come, you spirits And fill me, from the crown to toe, top-full Of direst cruelty! (1.5.43-46)
Lady Macbeth feels remorse after the killings (witches wouldn’t)
She has no use of herbs

So why does Lady Macbeth have such a hold on Macbeth
She is his wife
She is ruthless
She is masculine ( Macbeth sees her more equally)
Lady Macbeth threatened to kill Duncan herself ( Macbeth doesn’t want the bloodshed on her hands)

Reasons leading to Lady Macbeth’s downfall/ death
Guilt
Paranoia
Marital issues
Too much power
Lady Macbeth was more of a ruthless, masculine role ( throwing of the natural balance of life)
Overwhelming suppression of truth behind the bloodshed