What Is The Ambition In Lady Macbeth

Combining intelligent, beautiful and ambitious women with restrictions placed on their personhood have a tendency to become a lethal combination. In William Shakespeare’s Macbeth, Lady Macbeth emulates the classic femme fatale character; however, the ambition that resides within her often goes unnoticed because of her gender, resulting in her having to use alternative methods to achieve her goals. Lady Macbeth learns to use her femininity, something others would see as a disadvantage, to her benefit. She masters the art of seduction and uses manipulation as well as deception, and detachment to conceal her truly power hungry nature. However the skills she uses to reach her goals lead to her ultimate demise. Lady Macbeth is significantly more power hungry and ambitious

By reducing him to nothing but his manhood, Lady Macbeth causes her husband to feel as though he must prove himself to be a man once again. Secondly, the use of her lower status as a woman is especially relevant when she is able to lead any forthcoming suspicions away from Macbeth, because no man would ever believe a woman capable of such diabolical nature. This is especially evident when Macbeth goes off on a tangent and admits to killing the guards. Sensing that her husband is acting loquaciously, as he reveals information that could potentially lead to suspicion thrown upon them Lady Macbeth professes that her delicate female sensibilities are affected. Immediately Macduff says “Look to the lady”(II.iii.115). This causes the rising tension to dispel and once again, the coast is clear. No one is even slightly skeptical about Lady Macbeth’s sudden faintness. In fact, they suspected her to stay true to her delicate female nature, thus throwing suspicions away from both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. While Lady Macbeth harnesses her womanhood to the full potential, she is also willing to detach herself from the stereotypical