(Pages 33-39)
Macbeth is hesitant while Lady Macbeth is certain that she wants to kill Duncan
In William Shakespeare’s play, Macbeth, his two starring characters Macbeth and Lady Macbeth contrast throughout the story. In the start of the play, Macbeth is a loyal man and when his wife, Lady Macbeth, is introduced she is cruel and her ambitions are overpowering her. By the end of the play, it seems as though these two characters personalities switch, still exhibiting contrasting personalities. The theme of ambition over powering a person is exhibited in these two characters. Through the use of indirect characterization Shakespeare contrasts Macbeth and Lady Macbeth in the scene where they discover Duncan is visiting their home.
In this scene, Macbeth is hesitant in deciding whether or not he should kill Duncan. Macbeth does not directly say that he does not want to kill Duncan, however he does not agree with Lady Macbeth either. It shows indirectly that Macbeth does not want to kill Duncan when he tries to drift away from the subject, for example saying “we will speak further (?)”. He also replies briefly to whatever Lady Macbeth says, which shows that he is uncomfortable with the subject they are speaking of. Macbeth’s actions show that his ambitions have not overcome him yet. Macbeth at this point is still sane in his actions, and thinking sensibly. Unlike his wife Lady Macbeth whose ambitions have already overcome her.
Lady Macbeth exhibits cruelty and insanity in this scene. Lady Macbeth does not directly say she is insane however it shows in her dialogue. She wishes for a higher power to “unsex [her] here, and fill [her] from the crown to the toe topful of direst cruelty! (?)”. Lady Macbeth merely wishing for all of her motherly instincts to be diminished is obviously insane. In this scene, the theme of ambitions takes over a person, is portrayed through Lady Macbeth. Because Lady Macbeth wants to become a ruling lady, she will do anything to get it even if it is to become a very cruel human being.
Shakespeare’s tragedy, Macbeth, portrays two foil characters, Lady Macbeth and Macbeth. In the scene where Macbeth tells Lady Macbeth that Duncan is visiting their home that evening, Lady Macbeth and Macbeth both portray the theme of ambitioning overpowering a person. Lady Macbeth embodies this theme, wishing to have no remorse while Macbeth portrays that if one does not have enough ambition then he or she will remain sane. Through indirect characterization William Shakespeare portrays his theme of ambition overpowers all in his two characters Lady Macbeth and Macbeth.
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