Lady Macbeth's Descent Into Evil

A mere thought can be a dangerous thing capable of bringing many lives and nations into ruin. When the seed of doubt is planted; it slowly manifests, eating away at one's reasoning eventually blinding them to all logic. If not recognised and treated as what it is it could destroy your life but it will inevitably change you whether for better or worse. William Shakespeare illustrated this in his play Macbeth. Some may say that the weird sisters within the play are responsible for the actions of Macbeth and that his wife, Lady Macbeth, acted as a catalyst to persuade and manipulate Macbeth to commit regicide, but truly all they did was simply put thoughts into his head. They set the play in motion but Macbeth is fully responsible for his own
Lady Macbeth was the individual that so firmly believed that Macbeth had to take the life of King Duncan . SHe urged that if his life were to remain intact, It would take years before the prophecy before his destiny would come into fruition. At this point Macbeth was faced with two options; either he would kill the king and hasten his ascension into the crown or wait for allow time to pass and let him acquire the crown by natural means thus diverting him from his utter demise. Macbeth chose to kill the king, and thus chose his own death, but was he was not manipulated to do so.” Psychological manipulation by definition, is a type of social influence that aims to change the perception or behavior of others through underhanded, deceptive, or abusive tactics.”[1] Lady Macbeth showed no signs of these traits. She was completely honest and upfront with Macbeth, nor was she deceptive in any way and never exhibited any signs of an abusive relationship. Every action Macbeth made after consulting his wife were purely out of his own greed and desire to become a
In the play we see that Macbeth’s mental health starts to deteriorate during the second act after he kills the king. Macbeth himself even states that sleep no longer restores his wary mind as seen in act two scene two when he says “Still it cried, 'Sleep no more!' to all the house: 'Glamis hath murder'd sleep, and therefore Cawdor Shall steep no more, Macbeth shall sleep no more!” We see Macbeth suffer the consequences of his malicious deeds. All the murders, planned murders conspiracies towards murder start to haunt him filling his mind with anxiety, paranoia, and hallucinations. All of these symptoms happen after Macbeth had already killed King Duncan making it clear that He was of sane mind while he committed his evil deeds. In terms of being able to maintain their sanity Macbeth shows much more strength than his wife. Wee see this in the first scene of act five where Lady Macbeth establishes one of her most infamous scenes. “Out, damned spot! out, I say! One; two: why, then, 'tis time to do't. Hell is murky! Fie, my lord, fie! a soldier, and afeard? What need we fear who knows it, when none can call our power to account? Yet who would have thought the old man to have had so much blood In him?” IN this scene we see Lady macbeth's mind surrender to guilt brought about by her involvement in the King’s