Womens Sinister Roles in Shakespeares Macbeth :: Free Essay Writer

Womens Sinister Roles in Macbeth In reading Shakespeares tragic drama Macbeth, one and only(a) meets only one good woman - Lady Macduff. The remaining female characters are basic in ally evil. Lets consider mainly Lady Macduff and only briefly the lead witches. Blanche Coles states in Shakespeares Four Giants that Macbeths married woman had considerable leverage over her husbands genius This was her opportunity to do as she had promised herself she would do after she had read the letter - to pour out her spirits into his ear, to chasten with the valor of her tongue all that might occlude him from the golden crown. We may be sure she took this opportunity to use all her monstrous powers of persuasion. Thus he goaded himself, or was goaded by his wife, into searing the terrible oath, whether he had any clear purpose of keeping it or not. (48-49) In his book, On the Design of Shakespearean Tragedy, H. S. Wilson mentions the rattling wife-like manner in which the queen fulfi lled her essential role in the tragedy It requires an frightful exertion of will and persuasion from Lady Macbeth to strengthen his wavering purpose. professor Kittredge used to point out to his classes that Lady Macbeth, in urging Macbeth to act, uses the three arguments that every wife, some time or other, uses to every husband You promised me youd do it Youd do it if you loved me If I were a man, Id do it myself But Macbeths mind is made up by her assurance that they may do it safely by fixing the guilt upon Duncans chamberlains. (72) In Fools of Time Studies in Shakespearean Tragedy, Northrop Frye shows that a lady is the actual driving force in the gyp That Macbeth is being hurried into a premature act by his wife is a point unlikely to escape the most listless section of the audience, but Macbeth comes to regret the instant of fatal delay in murdering Macduff, and draws the incorrupt that The flighty purpose never is oertook Unless the deed go with it. From this momen t The very firstlings of my heart shall be The firstlings of my hand. That is, in future he will yield to attain the successful rulers spontaneous rhythm of action. (91) L.C. Knights in the essay Macbeth describes the unnaturalness in the thoughts and words of the plays dominant female force, Lady Macbeth