Tuesday, January 19, 2016

What quotes from Shakespeare's MacBeth provide evidence that Lady MacBeth knew right from wrong?

The quote in Act 2, Scene 2, lines 12-13, "Had he not
resembled/my father as he slept, I had done't" indicates that Lady MacBeth does have
some conscience.


The quote indicates that she has some
knowledge of right and wrong because she shows compassion towards King Duncan by
relating the appearance of the sleeping Duncan to memories of her father. The fact that
she states she could not kill him as he slept there, helpless, resembling her father,
indicates to the reader that she is not purely evil.


If you
are searching for other instances of Lady MacBeth's humanity, consider this- it can be
interpreted that guilt drove her mad. The idea that one could be so consmed with guilt
that she hallucinates and eventually ends her life certainly shows knowledge that her
actions were wrong. While I find this a compelling argument for her humanity, some may
argue that Lady MacBeth's eventual insanity was a result of stress, pressure, or
fascination, not guilt.


For more information about Lady
MacBeth's character, I've linked to her character analysis.

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