lady macbeth character profile

• Lady macbeth:Wife of Macbeth and is the tyrannical force that makes him commit regicide.She takes her own life at the of the play due to an overwhelm in guilt.

  • Lady macbeth is manipulative, dominant, emasculating, controlling, hypocritical,malevolent,barbaric ,androgynous (masculine/feminine) and Machiavellian (sneaky, cunning, and lacking a morality)
• Lady Macbeth can be viewed as an antagonist because of how

  she drives her husband, Macbeth, towards murder and

  bloodshed despite his protests. Alternatively, she can be viewed

  as a tragic heroine, meaning she starts out in a position of glory

  and success but falls from grace due to an error in judgement of

  her own making.
• She benefits hugely from the divide between appearances and reality. Furthermore, she relies on people’s prejudices and assumptions to get away with her actions. For example, the male characters see she is a woman so assume she would not get involved with violence, these miscalculations of her character allow her to get away with a lot.Another way Lady Macbeth exploits appearances is by transferring her desires and plans into Macbeth Her manipulation of appearances is the connection between her and the Witches, similar too the Witches, her gender identity is ambiguous.
• Femme Fatales are a common archetype for female characters

  in literature and art. The term refers to a woman who is mysterious and seductive, using her charm to ensnare men and lead them into dangerous or deadly situations. Common traits include heightened sexuality and a rejection of motherhood. This was seen as particularly threatening because by rejecting motherhood, a femme fatale is denying a man his immortality and ability to leave a legacy, ultimately leading to the destruction of all men.
• Shakespeare uses these aspects of the femme fatale archetype in the character of Lady Macbeth. She threatens to emasculate

  Macbeth, and uses her power over him as his wife to get her own way. All of this is for her own ulterior motives, and clearly she drives Macbeth to his own death. More so than warning of the dangers of unrestrained female sexuality, though, Shakespeare seems to be demonstrating the dangers of unrestrained female ambition and power.
• The Fall of Man, particularly Eve’s role in it, is a well-known archetype in literature. It represents a character’s descent from innocence and happiness to a lower state, often due to a loss of purity or a moral failing. In the biblical story of the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve lived in paradise until Eve was tempted by Satan, disguised as a serpent, to eat the Forbidden Fruit. She then convinced Adam to do the same, leading to their loss of innocence and their expulsion from Eden as punishment from God.
• This theme is often linked to the concept of the tragic hero and is frequently portrayed with a woman being responsible for a man’s downfall. Lady Macbeth, who, like Eve, tempts her husband into committing a sinful act, ultimately leading to his ruin. Both figures have been historically interpreted as the instigators of their male counterparts' downfall.