Macbeth Reading Response Essay, Research Paper

Over the course of the play Macbeth and Lady Macbeth significantly change with respect to their characters and their personalities. Macbeth starts off as a brave soldier whom is devoted to his king, but is tainted from the witches’ prophecies, as Lady Macbeth appears as a kind wife but underneath lies a conniving, deceitful woman. Lady Macbeth’s strong power is used to effortlessly persuade her weak husband. Her strength inspires him at the beginning of the play, but after he realizes his actions he persists with his bloody path.

Macbeth is not naturally inclined to perform malicious deeds, but he deeply desires power. Macbeth’s character is physically strong and mentally weak, and it is this weakness that instigates the downfall and change of Macbeth, whereas Lady Macbeth seems to be quite the opposite of her husband. Being that Lady Macbeth’s determination is far superior than that of her husband’s, she is able to convince him into murdering Duncan while assuring him that he will succeed. At this part in the play she exerts ample power over Macbeth calling him a coward and demonstrating just how determined she is for her husband. It is this self-confidence plus the persuasiveness of her words that makes Macbeth act without hesitating.

Lady Macbeth remains in control as the play continues and is able to control crises well, which is exemplified during the incident at the banquet where Macbeth sees Banquo’s ghost. As Macbeth progresses with his evil acts, Lady Macbeth begins to go through an episode of insane sleepwalking, convinced that her hands are stained with blood that can not be washed off. At her suicide, Macbeth has already thrown away his conscience and executes even more evil acts without even admitting her to his conscience.

Although Macbeth was weak at first, it was the strong Lady Macbeth who helped him through the first murder, but in sacrifice to controlling Macbeth and his conscience, she lost control of her own and consequently became insane and committed suicide. Lady Macbeth repeatedly persuaded her husband by questioning his manhood and requested that she herself were a man. She is a strong, powerful character in comparison to her easily influenced husband; until towards the end of the play where he seems to take on her role.