William Shakespeare’s great tragedy, Macbeth, tells of the flawed hero of the same name whose ambition brings about his ultimate demise. Set in Scotland, the play follows Macbeth after he dangerously learns of a prophecy which claims he will become King of Scotland. After murdering the current king, Duncan, in pursuit of fulfilling the prophecy, Macbeth’s life and the life of his wife, Lady Macbeth, changes forever. Throughout the tragedy, the Scottish King Macbeth and his wife undergo a complete personality reversal. Lady Macbeth transitions from dominance to belittlement to aggrievement, while Macbeth transitions from insecurity to condescendingness to impassiveness.
In Act I, Macbeth and his wife first interact when he arrives at Inverness after fighting in battle and hearing the prophecy. Lady Macbeth immediately portrays her dominance over him by expressing her plans for the murder of King Duncan as soon as she sees Macbeth. She commands him to “Look like th’ innocent flower, / But be the serpent under ‘t” (1.5.76-78). Because Macbeth takes this advice, she clearly possesses great influence over him. When she meets with her hesitating husband later in the Act, she again asserts her dominance by asking him,
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Lady Macbeth’s belittlement by her husband brings her to a state of aggrievement, which she displays while she sleepwalks. She unconsciously mumbles, “What need we fear who knows it, when none can call our power to account? Yet who would have thought the old man to have had so much blood in him?” (5.1.39-42). Lady Macbeth is deeply troubled by her involvement in turning Macbeth into a murderous monster, and is frustrated by her inability to control the situation. She is now in the place where Macbeth began- doubting what she once believed to be her strengths because of her extremely unfortunate