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Lady Macbeth

In: English and Literature

Submitted By zombiimaniac
Words 735
Pages 3
Macbeth was written in roughly 1606 during the Elizabethan times. During this period, people’s beliefs where different and influential in comparison to the ones we know today. Religion back then was a very big influence; even more so than it is today. It even went to the extent that people believed that if they where to sin, they would go straight to hell upon their own death. Another big influence on people (quite similar to religion) is superstition. Witches especially where a big superstition during the Shakespearian period, they were seen as evil an unholy.

Whether or not it was Shakespeare’s intension while writing the play, he created controversy within the audience by integrating scenes that go against religion and the foundation of society- like when Macbeth confronted the witches and partook in an unholy ritual for his personal gain.

In Shakespearian times, women were seen as the fairer sex and an accessory to men, which was why it was so unusual for the public audience when Shakespeare presented ‘Macbeth’. It portrays the only female character in the play as having power and influence which women back then where not supposed to have. Women should be powerless and gentle whereas Lady Macbeth is shown to be in control.

Shakespeare’s characterization of lady Macbeth was genius because people did not know whether to sympathise or detest her. At some points in the play she was depicted as vulnerable which made you understand her situation and feel sorry for her and at others she was shown to be doing heinous things women back then should not have even thought about.

Her carefully crafted character is shown throughout the play within her dialect. “Glamis thou art, and Cawdor; and shalt be what thou art promised: yet do I fear thy nature; it is too full of the milk of human kindness to catch the nearest way.” Her use of declaratives shows she is

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