Tuesday, 2 November 2010

Who is more responsible for the tragic events in Macbeth, Macbeth or Lady Macbeth?

In
Shakespeare's time, women were generally considered weaker than men and were supposed to act as
helpers to their husbands rather than initiating action independently. This is reflected in Lady
's plea "Come, you spirits/ That tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here ..." Although
Ladydoes steel herself to plot with her husband and strengthen his resolve, she does not
actually kill anyone and eventually is driven insane by guilt and commits suicide.


Macbeth, on the other hand, voluntarily listens toand does the actual act of killing ,
gives orders to have his friendkilled, and evolves into an evil tyrant, with his better
qualities completely subsumed by his ambition. Whilegives bad advice and counts as a
conspirator, the actual culprit is Macbeth and thus he is more responsible. In fact, appropriate
masculine behavior of his period would have dictated that he not listen to the witches or his
wife but instead follow a strict moral and...

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