Lady Macbeth Character Analysis

Lady Macbeth is one of Shakespeare’s most infamous female characters. Cunning and ambitious, Lady Macbeth is a major protagonist in the play, encouraging and helping Macbeth to carry out his bloody quest to become king. Without Lady Macbeth, her husband might never have ventured down the murderous path that leads to their ultimate downfall.   In many respects, Lady Macbeth is more ambitious and power-hungry than her husband, going so far as to call his manhood into question when he has second thoughts about committing murder.   Sexism in 'Macbeth' Along with being Shakespeares bloodiest play, Macbeth is also the one with the greatest number of outright evil female characters. Chief among them are the three witches who predict Macbeth will be king and set the plays action into motion.   Then, theres Lady Macbeth herself. It was unusual in Shakespeares day for a female character to be so boldly ambitious and manipulative as Lady Macbeth. Shes unable to take action herself, perhaps because of the social constraints of the time, and must persuade her husband to go along with her evil plans. Masculinity is defined in the play by ambition and power, two qualities that Lady Macbeth possesses in abundance. By constructing the character in this way, Shakespeare challenges our preconceived views of masculinity and femininity. But what exactly was Shakespeare suggesting? On one hand, it was a radical idea to present a dominant female character. But on the other hand, Lady Macbeth is presented negatively and ends up killing herself after experiencing what appears to be a crisis of conscience.   Lady Macbeth Character Description and Guilt Lady Macbeth’s sense of remorse soon overwhelms her. She has nightmares and in one famous scene (Act 5, Scene 1), appears to try to wash from her hands the blood she imagines has been left behind by the murders. Doctor:What is it she does now? Look how she rubs her hands.Gentlewoman:It is an accustomd action with her, to seem thuswashing her hands. I have known her continue in this a quarter ofan hour.Lady Macbeth:Yet heres a spot.Doctor:Hark, she speaks. I will set down what comes from her, tosatisfy my remembrance the more strongly.Lady Macbeth:Out, damnd spot! out, I say! — One; two: why, thentis time to dot. — Hell is murky. — Fie, my lord, fie, a soldier, andafeard? What need we fear who knows it, when none can call ourpowr to accompt? — Yet who would have thought the old man tohave had so much blood in him? By the end of Lady Macbeths life, guilt has replaced her incredible ambition in equal measure. We are led to believe that her guilt ultimately leads to her suicide. Lady Macbeth is, therefore, a victim of her own ambition — and also possibly of her sex. As a woman  in Shakespeares world, she is not resilient enough to deal with such strong emotions, whereas Macbeth fights on to the very end despite his misgivings.   The treacherous Lady Macbeth both defies and defines what it means to be a female villain in a Shakespeare play.

Why Do People Become Criminals - 977 Words

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A Quality Improvement Project Focused On Women s...

The article â€Å"A Quality Improvement Project Focused on Women’s Perceptions of Skin-to-Skin Contact after Cesarean Birth† was written by Judith Moran-Peters, Cheryl Zauderer, Susan Goldman, Jennifer Baierlein, and April Smith. The purpose of this quality improvement project was to evaluate the implications of the unavailability of skin-to-skin contact following a cesarean birth and to identify perceptions of women who performed skin-to-skin contact after their second cesarean birth. The study also sought to compare cesarean birthing experiences, particularly in relation to the facilitation of breast-feeding, in which skin-to-skin contact was and was not present. The project was conducted at a 408-bed Magnet-designated community hospital in a suburb of New York City. In 2009, this hospital had 1,547 births with an overall cesarean birth rate of 42 percent. Of the total cesarean births, approximately 50% were repeat, elective (nonemergency) cesarean birth. A total of 3 20 mothers constituted the potential study population for this quality improvement project. The inclusion criteria used to obtain the sample consisted of English-speaking women ages 18 years or older who were having a repeat, elective (nonemergency) cesarean birth. Women whose newborns required admission to the NICU or a transfer out of the hospital were excluded from the study. The total study sample consisted of six mothers between the ages of 27 and 40 years. The participants of the study delivered

Hamlet Soliloquies Essay Example For Students

Hamlet Soliloquies Essay In William Shakespeares ?Hamlet? there are four major soliloquies that reflect the character of Hamlet. In this paper I will be analyzing and discussing how these four soliloquies reflect changes in Hamlets mental state; his changing attitudes toward life and the other characters in the play, particularly the women; and his reflection on the task of revenge that has been assigned to him. These four soliloquies are the backbones of the play, and they offer the audience a glimpse into Hamlets mind and thought processes. In the first soliloquy it is very obvious that Hamlets sanity is in question. This is apparent in the first four lines of this soliloquy. ? O that this too solid flesh would melt, Thaw and resolve itself into a dew, Or that the Everlasting had not fixed, His canon ?gainst self-slaughter, O God! God!? (42) These few lines show that Hamlet is so depressed that he wishes he could melt away into nothingness or commit suicide. It is also very apparent in this soliloquy, that Hamlet is beginning to loath his mother for marrying Claudius only one month after King Hamlets death. Hamlet loathes his mother and begins to loath all women, because he believes they are all weak. ?Let me not think ont! Frailty, They name is women!? (42) Hamlet seems to view Denmark as a metaphorical garden of Eden which now totally corrupt, this can be seen when Hamlet says ? Tis an unweeded garden, That grows to seed; things rank and gross in nature?. (42) This soliloquy presents the audience a glimpse into Hamlet s psyche, he is obviously enraged at his mothers marriage, the state of Denmark, and he is still mourning his fathers death. The second soliloquy is very intriguing and it helps to set up many events that happen during the play. Hamlet is first wondering how an actor, who has no true emotional connection to the play was performing can seem to have such deep emotions; while he in reality is feeling unfathomable pain and anguish and he cannot due anything more than mope around depressed and rant and rave about his fathers death. ?Whats Hecuba to him, or he to Hecuba, That he should weep for her? What would he do, He the motive and the cue for passion, That I have.? (134) Hamlet doubts his own character and obedience to his father in this Soliloquy. He ponders whether or not he is a coward because he has yet to kill Claudius. ? But I am pigeon livered and lack gall, To make oppression bitter, or ere this, I should ha fattee all the region kites, With this slavess offal.? (136) During this soliloquy Hamlet contrives a plan to entrap Claudius so that hamlet can be totally sure that Claudius is guilty. ? I have heard, That guilty creatures sitting at a play, Have, by the very running of the scene, Been struck so to the soul that presently, They have proclaimed their malefactions, For murder, Though it have no tongue, will speak, with the most miraculous organ.? (136) This soliloquy is very important because it demonstrates Hamlets anger at himself and Claudius, and how Hamlet intends to obtain the final piece of evidence about his fathers death. He needs this evidence so he can be absolutely sure that Claudius killed King Hamlet. In the third soliloquy it is obvious that Hamlet is extremely depressed. Hamlet is seriously considering suicide but he wonders if death is worse then living. ?To die, to sleep; To sleep, perchance to dream ay, theres the rub:? (142) Hamlet considers suicide throughout the play but when he gets close to doing it he finds an excuse not to. He wonders if death is more hellish than life, and asks why would humans go through all the pain and suffering that life has to offer, if they could end it all by killing themselves. ?For who would bear the whips and scorns of time, The oppressors wrong, The proud mans contumely, The pangs of despised love, The laws delay, The insolence of office, and the spurns that patient merit of the unworthy takes, When he himself might his quietus make, With a bare bodkin (142,144) Hamlets character has truly changed at this point. He is no longer a man pretending to be mad he is a man who is truly mad. In the forth soliloquy hamlet wonders if he is fulfillin g his purpose in his life, which he now believes is to avenge his fathers murder. He is angry with himself for waiting so long to exact his revenge and fulfill his purpose. ?How all occasions do inform against me, And spur my dull revenge!? (222) At this point Hamlet is felling ashamed of his procrastination and wonders if he is indeed a great man. ?When honours at stake. How stained I then, That have a father killed, a mother stained, And let all sleep.? (222) His psyche by this time is truly damaged. He is now just a shell of a man with one purpose, revenge! ?Oh, from now on my thoughts must concentrate on vengeance, or theyre unworthy!? (224)Hamlet is a tragic hero when looked upon from an Aristotelian point of view. First, he was a great man of noble birth and he had a lot of responsibility in his kingdom. He is looked up to by most for leadership and guidance. Hamlet has the fatal tendency to only concentrate on only one thing, this thing was to revenge his fathers death by kil ling Claudius. This tendency leads him to his downfall along with his on major character flaw. This flaw is that Hamlet is a serial procrastinator. One example of this procrastination is that he had many chance to murder Claudius but he did not, he always seemed to find some excuse not to do it. I wonder if he killed Claudius the first chance he got, would he have lived a long and happy life as the King along with his Queen, instead of dying by the shear will of Claudius. Works CitedShakespeare, William. ?Hamlet? Shakespeare made easy. 1986Shakespeare Essays