How Does Lady Macbeth Change Throughout The Play

In scene 1 of Act 5, Lady Macbeth is presented as quite disturbed and a guilt-ridden character. The scene starts with the Doctor and the gentlewoman, where they both talk about Lady Macbeth and her troubles so far. Lady Macbeth is sleepwalking and is acting almost powerless and lonely as Macbeth has gone into battle. In the opening paragraph, the doctor and the gentlewomen have been talking about Lady Mabeth and how she is not herself. The gentlewoman is almost like Lady Macbeth's right-hand person, so she knows everything about her. The gentlewoman at first seems quite unsure whether to trust the doctor or not, but gradually opens up about Lady Macbeth, which might lead her into danger in the future. The gentlewoman uses the phrase "That Sir,

This leaves the audience with a bit of dramatic irony as the doctor does not know what Lady Macbeth and the Gentlewomen know. The gentlewoman then uses the phrase "to seem thus washing her hands; I have known her to continue in this for a quarter of an hour", This tells the doctor in a way that Lady Macbeth has definitely done something bad and makes the doctor start to wonder. The gentlewoman's statement that "she has a light by her continually; it is her command" shows that Lady Macbeath is scared and fearful and doesn't want to be left alone in the darkness due to the guilt she has. Light is usually a religious metaphor, so potentially her deeds and guilt are catching up with her. There is also a sense of her missing Macbeth deeply and wishing he was there with her. There is pathos as she fragments and starts to almost turn

Showing the audience she is guilty, anxious, and potentially feeling depressed and tired because of the lack of sleep. Lady Macbeth seems sick of blood and guilt and wants to end it all. Lady Macbeth also uses the phrase "Here's the smell of the blood still; all the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand." This means that even with the wonderful, sweet-smelling scent, everyone will still be able to smell the darkness and guilt she holds inside. Nearing the end of the act, the doctor says to the gentlewomen "This disease is beyond my practise, yet I have known those who have walked in their sleep who have died holily in their beds", This is foreshadowing Lady Macbeth's suicide, and the doctor is saying he can't do anything about it. The doctor thinks that it would be best if Lady Macbeth saw a priest due to it being the only way to get rid of her sins. At the end of the scene, the Doctor and the gentlewomen are talking about Lady Macbeth, and the Doctor says, "Go to, go to; you have known what you should not do." The doctor is trying to protect the gentlewomen from Macbeth. This shows compassion and care towards the good