The Destruction Of Lady Macbeth In Shakespeare's Play

In one of the most popular tragedies, Macbeth, written by William Shakespeare, we see a strong soldier go corrupt to the point of ruthless murder and a bitter downfall. But he is not the only one to blame. His wife plays a major role in the progression of evil, persuasion and determination to obtain the throne . In William Shakespeare's play Macbeth, Lady Macbeth is an evil, power thirsty person, who gives in to the very darkness she asks for, manipulates her husband to do horrible deeds, and even commits suicide due to the regret she feels. It is evident in the play that Lady Macbeth is so power thirsty that she looks upon the evil forces to assist her in her endeavors to make herself and Macbeth royalty. Her love for her husband, and the greed for the royal titles creates an evil uprising inside of her.

She seems to regret her actions, and in her sleep says, “ Here the smell of the blood still. All/ the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little/ hand. O, O, O!” (5.1. 53-55), and, “ Wash your hands. put on your night/ gown. Look not so pale. I tell you yet again, Ban/quo’s buried he cannot come out on’s grover” (5.1. 65-67). As the body count gets higher, and Macbeth’s mental state goes awry, the Queen begins to confess to the treachery that she has bestowed onto her husband and the people of the kingdom. Her guilt is coming out in her dreams. She becomes self aware of the risks in her sleep, and in an attempt to save both herself and her beloved husband, she takes her own life in ways unknown. This intense episode of guilt proves that even she, the woman that started the events, knew deep down that her actions were evil and unforgivable. She could not even live with herself knowing that the blood on Macbeth’s hands were also on hers. The message of guilt is shown strongly in this part of the play. Guilt and regret can drive a person to madness and even be their own