Character Traits In Macbeth

William Shakespeare’s works are known for “life, love, death, revenge, grief, jealousy, murder, magic, and mystery.” (www.bbc.co.uk) Most of these topics are covered in one of Shakespeare’s most famous works, Macbeth. Macbeth tells of a Scottish general, named Macbeth, who receives prophecies from 3 witches that one day he will become King of Scotland. After hearing the prophecies, he tells his wife, Lady Macbeth, and together they take action. His wife persuades him to murder King Duncan and take the throne. He does so and this leads to him having regret and not a happy ending for himself. The murdering of King Duncan is one of the most discussed scenes of Macbeth, which leads to many readers questioning Shakespeare. Although Macbeth

Her ambition, resolution, dissimulation, cunning, presence of mind, energy, and affection were all important, especially in the murder of King Duncan. “Lady Macbeth knows right well when she tells her husband to “leave all the rest to me,” that by dissimulation and cunning she could plan and carry out the murder of Duncan so that no suspicion would rest upon either Macbeth or herself.” (www.shakespeare-online.com) Saying this, Lady Macbeth seems to be the more plotting character between the two. She plans the whole crime scene and leaves the murdering to Macbeth. While readers know her energy is one of the main traits that helped con Macbeth into murdering King Duncan, Macbeth did not realize that she knows his weakness and uses it to her

After Lady Macbeth’s reaction to Macbeth’s letter he wrote to her about the prophecies, readers started to understand what kind of character Lady Macbeth was. Of course with her being the plotting character in the crime scene, it is obvious she is the more evil character. Never once did she question herself to not go along with the plan, unlike Macbeth. After Macbeth had committed the murder, he brought her the dagger in which he used to murder King Duncan. Her response was, “Why did you bring these daggers from the place? They must lie there. Go carry them, and smear the sleepy grooms with blood.” (Macbeth, Act II Scene II; Lines 61-63) Macbeth replies with, “I’ll go no more: I am afraid to think what I have done; Look on’t again I dare not.” (Macbeth, Act II Scene II; Lines 64-65) His response to what Lady Macbeth told him to do tells the readers that he feels bitter about what he just did. Since Macbeth does not take the dagger back, Lady Macbeth takes it upon herself to plant the daggers back beside the chamberlains. This action shows that she is not afraid to do dirty work in order to have power, which also is a sign she is more evil. Once Lady Macbeth returns, she tells Macbeth, “My hands are of your color, but I shame to wear a heart so white.” (Macbeth, Act II Scene II; Lines 80-81) She explains to Macbeth that she would be ashamed to be such a coward after the bloody murder during