A 4 page essay that analyzes the characters of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth in Shakespeare's classic play and argues that these characters are very much alike. The writer argues that an examination of the action demonstrates that Macbeth is just as ambitious as his wife, and also just as murderous. In other words, Macbeth and his lady are well matched and very much alike in their aspirations towards power. No additional sources cited.
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dire deed. Therefore, from a certain point of view, one could argue that Lady Macbeth is the true villain of the play. However, a closer examination of the action demonstrates
that Macbeth is just as ambitious as his wife, and also just as murderous. In other words, Macbeth and his lady are well matched and very much alike in their
aspirations towards power. At the beginning of the play, after hearing the witches prophecy that he would be king, Macbeth writes immediately to his wife to inform her, so
that she could rejoice with him and addresses has as his "dearest partner of greatness." As this suggests, all indications in the play point toward Macbeth and his wife
having a loving relationship. On reading his letter, Lady Macbeth is obviously pleased but also comments that her husband is "too full o the milk of human kindness" (I.1.18). She
commits herself to pushing him towards taking the crown. When Macbeth does falter in and expresses doubts about going through with the murder, Lady Macbeth lives up to her earlier
commitment and nags him to carry through with their plan. She tells him to "But screw your courage to the sticking place/ And well not fail" (I.vii.60-61). As this
indicates, Lady Macbeth provides the necessary motivation for the initial murder. She tells Macbeth that if she had sworn an oath to him such as he has to her, she
would have happily bashed out the brains of her own child. Macbeth could have countered her nagging with the reasons against this act, which he has just gone over, but,
instead, he asks her about possible failure. This suggests that Macbeth is not concerned with morality any more than his wife is, rather he is worried over the possibility of