Macbeth and Lady Macbeth Comparative

Macbeth and Lady Macbeth: A Study of Ambition and Guilt

Shakespeare's play "Macbeth" tells a tragic story about ambition and how it can lead to terrible consequences. The main characters, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, go through big changes as their hunger for power takes over. This essay will look at how Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are alike and different in terms of ambition, guilt, and moral downfall. By digging into the play, we can see that even though both want power, they deal with their actions and what happens next in very different ways.

Shared Ambition

Both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth have a strong desire for power. Right from the start, you can tell they both want to climb to the top no matter what. When Macbeth hears the witches' prophecies, he's all about becoming king. Likewise, once Lady Macbeth hears them too, she immediately starts planning Duncan's murder. They’re both ready to do some pretty extreme stuff to get what they want. But even though they share this crazy drive for power, the way they handle the guilt afterwards is totally different.

Handling Guilt Differently

Macbeth feels really guilty after he kills Duncan. You know he regrets it deeply because of his constant brooding. Meanwhile, Lady Macbeth seems cool as a cucumber at first; she doesn’t show any guilt and keeps telling Macbeth to chill out too. Her calmness is kind of eerie actually. Remember when Macbeth says in Act 2, Scene 2, “Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood clean from my hand?” That line shows just how heavy his guilt is—like it's impossible to ever be clean again. But Lady Macbeth only starts feeling guilty later on when things spiral out of control. She gets haunted by ghosts which eventually drives her nuts. This difference in dealing with guilt shows us who’s stronger morally.

Moral Downfall

At first, Macbeth seems like a decent guy but then ambition corrupts him big time. He becomes ruthless—ordering hits on Banquo and Macduff’s family without batting an eye! Lady Macbeth also falls apart; she loses her mind and ends up taking her own life. Both end up showing us how unchecked ambition can destroy someone’s morals completely.

Conclusion

In short, both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth crave power but react differently to their deeds and what follows after those deeds are done. While Macbeth is burdened by remorse almost immediately, Lady Macbeth initially appears unaffected—but that doesn't last forever either as madness claims her later on. Their stories warn us about the dangers lurking behind relentless ambition; maybe it makes us think twice about our own desires?

References:

- Shakespeare, William. "Macbeth." Edited by Sandra Clark and Pamela Mason, Bloomsbury Publishing, 2015.
- Bradley, A.C., "Shakespearean Tragedy." Penguin Books Ltd., 1991.
- Bloom, Harold (Ed.). "William Shakespeare's 'Macbeth'." Chelsea House Publishers, 1987.
- Greenblatt, Stephen. "Will in the World: How Shakespeare Became Shakespeare." W.W Norton & Company Inc., 2004.