Macbeth Dead Butcher Analysis

It is no wonder that Malcolm’s appellation reveals Lady Macbeth as a “fiend like queen” and her husband, Macbeth, “the dead butcher.” After all, it is Lady Macbeth who goads on the death of his father, King Duncan. More importantly, it is the deceptively satanic queen, and the falsely labelled “butcher” that ultimately jeopardise Malcolm’s rightful descending title of “King.” Thus, Malcolm’s epithet appears fully justified; but perhaps in retrospect, Lady Macbeth’s character is far from the one-sided, villainous connotations that a “fiend” entails. Despite appearing to completely transgress against social convention through rejecting her maternal instincts; Lady Macbeth’s sudden expression of humanity and protection of her husband, allow us

Through commanding her husband imperative verbs such as “sleep,” “wash [your hands]” and “speak not,” she associates herself with the comforting gestures a mother offers a child. By ordering Macbeth to complete these actions, Lady Macbeth is in actual fact protecting him from the guilt and insanity that blood is often associated with, seen through many parts in the play. Lady Macbeth has no doubt that her husband has good intentions, rightfully so, she questions Macbeth being too “full of th’ milk” of human kindness” to murder. It could then be argued that Lady Macbeth is weary about the sight of innocent blood on Macbeth’s hands having the potential to remind Macbeth of his own humanity, and thus Macbeth could potentially rethink his (already uncertain) decision to murder the king, therefore by asking Macbeth to “get” some water to “wash this filthy witness from [his hand]” Lady Macbeth is simply encouraging Macbeth to avoid the possibility of hindering his own position as “King.” Additionally, the banquet scene in Act 3 scene 4 further expresses this view of Lady Macbeth as a maternal and supportive figure, rather than an inhumane “fiend.” Also visually presented in the 1978 version of Macbeth, Lady Macbeth appears to shield her husband, scolding guests “Goodnight!” whilst ordering her husband to “speak not; I pray you”: Lady Macbeth is defensive over her husband, and strongly protects himself from

To conclude, through her instances of conscience, Lady Macbeth is far from the demonic connotations the term “fiend”