...Shakespeare Reveal Character Motivation in the First Two Acts of Macbeth? Shakespeare reveals character motivation in the first two acts of Macbeth through his main characters Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. All elements of motivation lead up to the climax of the play: the murdering of King Duncan in Act II. What plants the seed of motivation for Macbeth (who later motivates his female counterpart, Lady MacBeth) is introduced first and foremost in Act I, scene i with the three weird sisters. The witches declare they will meet again when the “hurlyburly” (I.i.l.3), or storm, is done upon a “heath” (I.i.l.7), or open land covered in small shrubs, to meet with Macbeth. In Act I, scene iii, the three weird sisters meet with Macbeth as they predicted in scene i. “All hail Macbeth, that shalt be King hereafter!” (I.iii.l.50) cries the third witch, announcing the prophecy of Macbeth to Macbeth himself. This prophecy proposed is similar to the prophecy in the Harry Potter series that motivates the infamous antagonist, Lord Voldemort, to kill the protagonist Harry Potter in order to fulfill the prophecy that stated a boy was born (Harry) with the power to vanquish Lord Voldemort and his power. Like Macbeth, Voldemort had to eliminate (or attempt to) Harry so he could get what he wanted: to be an unstoppable evil force. Macbeth had to eliminate King Duncan to get what he wanted: to be king. The three weird sisters telling Macbeth that he is destined to be king is what plants the seed of motivation...
Words: 756 - Pages: 4
...Lady Macbeth is seen as one of the most powerful, frightening, and ambitious female character, out of all of Shakespeare’s plays. Lady Macbeth is first seen when she had received a letter from her husband, Macbeth, as the letter states what promises the witches had made him and his promotion to Thane of Cawdor. After reading the letter, Lady Macbeth, sees this as her chance to make Macbeth, King of Scotland, by murdering King Duncan. Lady Macbeth begins to plot Duncan’s murder, during this time we see Lady Macbeth being more ruthless, more power-hungry, and more ambitious than her husband, Macbeth. Lady Macbeth can be seen more powerful than her husband as she proposes qualities, which lack with Macbeth such as power, masculinity, ambition...
Words: 788 - Pages: 4
...pressures put by the supernatural and other characters push Macbeth and Lady Macbeth to become more eager in gaining possession of the crown. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth both display a controlling figure, but in aspects that contribute to their desires for power. Lady Macbeth influences and pressures Macbeth, " Must be provided for: and you shall put / This night's great business into my dispatch, / Give soley sovereign sway and masterdom" (1.6.67-70). Lady Macbeth is very convincing when it comes to the drive for power. She provides Macbeth with a great plan and time that the task—killing Ducan can easily be completed without any worries. She also provides him a desire to look up to, in which she describes the benefits that Macbeth will be gaining by completing the...
Words: 599 - Pages: 3
...are unavoidable and unchangeable. Whatever happens in life is meant to be and cannot be changed by mankind. The play Macbeth by William Shakespeare displays ambition, fate, deception and treachery. Fate is a supernatural force that controls the actions and choices of others. In Macbeth fate plays an important role in the lives of Macbeth, Lady Macbeth, and Banquo. Macbeth’s fate is unavoidable and unchangeable. Macbeth’s fate is sealed as soon as he meets the witches’. Macbeth’s fate is tragic. Macbeth and Banquo are together...
Words: 930 - Pages: 4
...Lady Macbeth is still powerful and additional ambitious than Macbeth the killing of Duncan is the point where the breach starts to narrow. Lady Macbeth calls Macbeth a coward when he tries to get out of the plan and is the motive power that causes Macbeth to go along with killing Duncan. This led to show Lady Macbeth further wicked side of the story. She wanted to kill Duncan and she was going to make it happen one way or another. How Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are the alike you ask? Well, they are the alike since Macbeth is ambition and always desire achievement . Lady Macbeth is also ambitious and always want success, but will do anything to obtain it. When they both planned to kill King Duncan they both had the selfsame plan to do it. In...
Words: 263 - Pages: 2
...Lady Macbeth has just read the letter Macbeth sent her, now she has thoughts of killing the King herself. Lady Macbeth can’t kill the King because according to society women are supposed to be emotional, weep and faint as a reaction to death. So she calls to deadly spirits and wants them to “unsex” her which then would give her the power women don’t have; the power to be strong like men, more importantly, she wants the power to kill with no remorse. Lady Macbeth is speaking to Macbeth and has presented the perfect opportunity to kill to King. Lady Macbeth is saying that if she was told to kill a baby she nurtured she would’ve done it, and the way she explains she would’ve done it is in the most heartless way. When saying this she is calling Macbeth a coward because he won’t agree with killing the King, which for him should be a simple task considering the fact he is a man....
Words: 508 - Pages: 3
...Lady Macbeth is one of the most contrasting characters in Shakespeare’s Macbeth; in the beginning of the play, she is greedy and selfish for her husband and herself. She was presented by Shakespeare as a devious, plotting character, who, it seems, is willing to go to any length to become superior. In Act 1, Scene 5, Lady Macbeth, having just read Macbeth’s letter, describes her husband as being ‘too full o’th’milk of human kindness,’ to be successful. She knows about the witches’ prophecy and also knows that, in order for it to happen, Duncan must be killed. Eager to gain power, she persuades her doubtful husband to murder Duncan, leaving them to reign over Scotland, as King and Queen. After reading the letter, confident Lady Macbeth wants Macbeth to forget about his conscience and do what she wants, to allow them to become royalty. ‘Hie thee hither, that I may pour my spirits in thine ear and chastise with the valour of my tongue.’ This presents her as a controlling, manipulative person. She calls upon the spirits; ‘Unsex me here.’ As a woman, she believes she could not possibly be cruel enough to murder. ‘Fill me from the crown to the toe topfull of direst cruelty.’ She begs all of the evil spirits to fill her with spite and aggression, which she believes to be masculine characteristics. Although she wants this brutality, she also calls upon the ‘thick night’, so as to hide her wickedness from heaven and let her remain a good person. Perhaps this is a sign that Lady Macbeth...
Words: 768 - Pages: 4
...According to numerous critics, the violence in the play is excessive and begins almost immediately. Lady Macbeth, of course, is the cause of this. After Lady Macbeth took notice of Macbeth’s ambition to become king, after reading his letter to her, she took advantage of it. She knew that he desperately wanted to be king but is not man enough to do what it takes. “Look like th’ innocent/flower/but be the serpent under ‘t”(1.6.76-78), Lady Macbeth begins her manipulative speech chanting these words provoking the violence in Macbeth. As Macbeth tells her that Duncan, the king, will be departing the next day she explains that the king will not live to see tomorrow and to leave the plan in her hands, “To alter favor ever is to fear/leave all the...
Words: 366 - Pages: 2
...Ambition – A Tragic Flaw Macbeth by William Shakespeare highlights the blinding powers of ambition demonstrated within its characters. Ambition has the potential to prompt a character to build determination and fulfill many achievements. On the other hand, ambition can also become a character’s leading tragic flaw. The main plot of the play displays the various acts Macbeth carries out in order to dismiss the threats between him and the throne. Although he implements the murder of King Duncan, Lady Macbeth is the intelligence behind his violent actions. Since she is the most influential individual in Macbeth’s life, Lady Macbeth manipulates her husband using belittlement and emotional blackmail in order to achieve her own ambition, to gain...
Words: 2329 - Pages: 10
...for the passing of King Duncan: Lady Macbeth, the witches and obviously, Macbeth himself. Right off the bat, I believe that Lady Macbeth was tremendously to fault. We see that both husband and wife are very determined and plan to accomplish a great deal. Macbeth and Lady macbeth are very close to one another and they trust each other. He educates her straight away of his gathering with the witches through a letter in which he likewise calls her his 'dearest partner of greatness'. This demonstrates to us that they are close and are accomplices or associates in all things. When Lady Macbeth peruses the letter, she starts imagining and makes arrangements to accomplish...
Words: 677 - Pages: 3
...Lady Macbeth found via Google - not my own work In typical Shakespearean tragedies, female main characters aren't always treated brilliantly. In Hamlet, Ophelia goes down the "I shall obey, my lord" route. In Othello, Desdemona goes down the "To you I am bound" route. Yet in Macbeth, this isn't quite the case. The most important female figure is Lady Macbeth, a cunning and manipulative woman who is associated with the supernatural. Instantly it can be argued that Lady Macbeth fits in with the later idea of certain Gothic women being 'sinister predators', or 'femme fatales'. | Dame Ellen Terry as Lady Macbeth | Lady Macbeth has been the subject of much debate for hundreds of years. Her role in the play is incredibly important and she is the subject of various interpretations. Her first appearance in the play is in act one, scene five. She opens by reading Macbeth's letter; instantly this seems to present her as a typical Shakespearean woman (when I say typical, I mean typical in terms of main female characters in tragedies being passive), since her first words are that of her husband's, as though she is bound to him. Then she stops reading the letter, and we start to realise that she isn't at all typical. She instantly states that Macbeth will be "what thou art promised", which shows a determination and strength of will that we may not have been expecting. She goes on to criticise her husband's nature, since he is "too full o'th'milk of human kindness". A wife...
Words: 2312 - Pages: 10
...Shakespeare’s Macbeth explores the thought, behavior, values, and power in the relationships between men and women. Each of these themes are portrayed in Macbeth through the role of gender. Gender can be seen through certain characters such as Lady Macbeth specifically in Shakespeare’s soliloquies. These soliloquies reveal the true characteristics of Lady Macbeth, and they also exemplify the reasoning behind the character's’ behavior toward others. The role of gender is portrayed through the actions of Lady Macbeth because of her desire to act superior and take control of all situations. When Shakespeare first introduces Lady Macbeth, it is clear that she often manipulates people for her own benefit. One of Lady Macbeth’s most...
Words: 645 - Pages: 3
...hurly-burly was done and over, Lady Macbeth was the real tyrant. Behind her poised cover she was revealed to be a malicious, power hungry woman. Almost immediately after she received the news of Macbeth’s future, she begs the unworldly spirits to let her have the willpower to carry out the deeds she had in mind. She manipulates Macbeth into his demise so she could become a queen. Despite the fact she is barely consulted throughout the play, Lady Macbeth is what drove the plot into action. When we first see Lady Macbeth, she is plotting the murder of King Duncan. While reading the letter from her husband she remains in awe of every possibility that could come about if the prophecy was fulfilled. If she was to be even greater than she was, she knows she has to spill blood to get her there. Upon seeing Macbeth, she states in a vindictive tone, “The raven himself is hoarse/ That croaks the fatal entrance of Duncan.” (I.v). As soon as she gets a glimpse of power she immediately wants Duncan slain. Disregarding all doubts, even her own, she begins to plot out when and how her rise to power will come about....
Words: 529 - Pages: 3
...The play Macbeth is well known for its use of imagery. Imagery is used for a number of reasons such as to show certain visions to the audience and to give life to the play. Lady Macbeth has a major use of imagery; her description is all imagery and progresses as the play goes on. Macbeth also has many themes, some of these are the corruption of power, and how superstition affects human behavior and how things are not quite what they seem. Macbeth is a Scottish general, ambitious enough to commit regicide to become King. While Lady Macbeth, his wife is also extremely ambitious but later regretful of the evil she brought upon herself and the relationship of the two. It is this evil that creates the mythological and religious illusions of the...
Words: 361 - Pages: 2
...Essay #1 Macbeth and Lady Macbeth have a very unstable relationship. At first, Lady Macbeth was the dominant and powerful leader in the relationship, while Macbeth was the one with less power and control. Lady Macbeth’s demeanor and power weakened drastically as Macbeth became King, where she was put aside and ignored. At the beginning of the play, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth seem to be very strong. Macbeth initiates this by referring to Lady Macbeth in his letter as “my dearest partner of greatness” when he was telling her about the prophecies (1.5, 13). By telling her of the witches it shows that he trusts her to the point of telling her anything. It also shows that he values her opinion. When Macbeth told her about the prophecy, Lady Macbeth immediately had ambition to be queen (1.4, 19-20). It is shown that she is willing to do anything to get the opportunity to become powerful. Their relationship shows a significant change after the murder of King Duncan. Macbeth was very hesitant on murdering the King but Lady Macbeth was very persistent on fulfilling the task. Lady Macbeth was the superior one towards the beginning with putting together the plans, while Macbeth just obeyed them. Lady Macbeth states "My hands are of your colour, but I shame, to wear a heart so white" (2.2,67-68). This shows that she is insulting Macbeth’s manliness. Macbeth had many doubts on whether or not he should complete the task, but he just followed the plans anyways to prove his manhood to his wife...
Words: 560 - Pages: 3
