Lady Macbeth Is The Most Evil Character In Macbeth
Throughout the play the character of Lady Macbeth is consistently displayed as the most evil character in the play through her ambition, cruelty, and manipulation.
AMBITION
- When Lady Macbeth leans about the witches' prophecy that Macbeth will ultimately be King, she fears he will be too kind-hearted to achieve this status so she begins to take matters into her own hands. Her soliloquy imploring dark powers to take all compassion from her is appalling in its unnaturalness:
Come, you spirits That tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here, And fill me, from the crown to the toe, top-full Of direst cruelty (I, v, 40-43)
- Lady Macbeth is far more ambitious then Macbeth is. She appears to be mentally strong and her conscience did not seem troubled by the murders that she was a part of. Her determined ambition is what keeps Macbeth focused on committing the murders. It is not until later in the play when Macbeth is able to adopt ambition of his own as he plans the murder of Macduff's family on his own. However, this ambition he receives is that which came from Lady Macbeth.
CRUELTY
Lady Macbeth rarely shows any sympathy towards any characters throughout the time of the play. When she finds out the prophecies given to Macbeth by the witches, she immediately takes action and creates a plan. She works out the details of the plan to kill the king, and when Macbeth cannot return the blood-stained daggers to Duncan's room, she takes command of the situation and returns the daggers herself.
Infirm of purpose! Give me the daggers. (II, ii, 51-52)
She also plays a key role in the murder of Banquo. During the feast whilst there are guests over, Macbeth is so unsettled by seeing the ghost of Banquo that he nearly has a mental breakdown. Lady Macbeth shows no regard for this as she immediately ridicules him. Lady Macbeth's true cruelty is shown when her death has no effect on the play as she is not considered...
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