Lady Macbeth

Lady Macbeth is one of my favorite characters in Macbeth. She is introduced as an attractive, charming, ambitious woman who is devoted to her husband. We soon find out that she does not think her husband is manly enough to become king on his own: “too full o’ the milk of human kindness” (1.5.15). She asks the spirits to “unsex” her and strip her of her femininity so she can kill King Duncan on her own: “Come, you spirits that tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here, and fill me from the crown to the tow top-full of direst cruelty” (1.5.38-40). She becomes this manipulative and persuasive woman who manipulates her own husband into murdering King Duncan by questioning his love for her and his manhood: “When you durst do it,” she says, “then you were a man” (1.7.49). She knows this is the fastest way her husband will become king. It is clear that Macbeth does not want to murder Duncan, but she has him go against his conscience and does it anyway. I have read Macbeth before, and Lady Macbeth will always be my favorite character. She reminds me of many people today: power hungry and ruthless of her actions.