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Example research essay topic: Kill King Duncan Struggle For Power - 1,068 words

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Macbeth s Struggle for Power Lady Macbeth helps to show the plays theme of the conflict created by the struggle for power and control which is present throughout the whole play. Shakespeare presents her character in great detail and shows her to be a dominating, authoritative woman who loves the power she holds over her husband. He then shows the main character, Macbeth, join his wife in a struggle for power of his own. It is the actions which Macbeth takes in attempt to achieve ultimate authority that lead to his downfall, and it is Lady Macbeth's loss of control over her husband as he gains this independence which causes her own weakening and eventually leads to her death as well. The struggle for power and control in Macbeth is present from the very beginning, as Shakespeare portrays Lady Macbeth as a ruthless, overpowering woman who controls her husband and his actions. She makes Macbeth's decisions for him without giving him any say in his own actions, and she orders her husband to do what she thinks to be best for him.

It is Lady Macbeth who thinks of the plan to kill King Duncan, because she knows that Macbeth would never commit a crime like this. She thinks of the plan and organizes the details while expecting Macbeth to follow her orders. This becomes clear when she says to him, Only look up clear, (1. 5. 70) and leave the rest to me (1. 5. 72). She plans to keep him under her control by making decisions for him and not allowing him to think for himself. Lady Macbeth achieves this power over her husband by insulting his manliness. When Macbeth begins to hesitate in following his wifes orders, she attacks his character.

For example, when he is indecisive about the plans to kill King Duncan, Lady Macbeth calls him a coward. When Macbeth defends himself by explaining that he is doing all that can be expected of a man, she replies, When you durst do it, then you were a man (1. 7. 49). She says that no real man would back down and refuse to follow through with an act he had agreed to, and that, if he does so, she herself, would be considered more of a man than he. Later in the play, when Macbeth is troubled by the ghost of Banquo at his palace, Lady Macbeth again uses insults to try to control his actions in front of the guests with the harsh words, Are you a man? (3. 4. 59). What! quite unmanned in folly? (3. 7. 74).

Lady Macbeth seems to feed off the power she obtains over her husband by attacking his character, and she uses this to build up her own confidence. Once Macbeth follows through with his wifes plan to murder the king, however, he begins to feel a sense of power in his own life. He starts to take control of his own actions, and Lady Macbeth loses control of him. He no longer needs her to make his decisions for him. This becomes clear, as he plans the murder of Banquo and hires the murderers himself without consulting his wife. Lady Macbeth urges him to forget what has happened in the past and move on.

She says to him, Whats done is done (3. 2. 12). You must leave this (3. 2. 35). Macbeth, however refuses to give in to her command. He goes on with his plans to kill Banquo and later decides to kill Macduffs family as well. Lady Macbeth no longer controls the decisions of Macbeth's life. She is left behind with no part in his life, as Macbeth begins new plans of his own.

Macbeth, with his new power, begins to gain strength which he never had before, but at the same time, Lady Macbeth has lost the power she had over her husband and is weakening. Her entire life revolved around the power she had over her husband, and, without this power, it seems she has nothing to do with her life. Her husband doesn t need her to be the strong-willed wife she once was. He doesn t need her to create plans and schemes as she used to do for him, because, with his new sense of control, he is able to make plans for himself. He has gone off without her and left her feeling insecure and worthless. The strain that is put on Lady Macbeth is made very clear in her sleepwalking episodes in which she tells all she knows of the murder of King Duncan.

The woman who sees Lady Macbeth's actions explains to the doctor that these episodes have only begun since his Majesty went into the field (5. 1. 4). Before Macbeth left to carry out his new plans without her, Lady Macbeth showed no signs of guilt or need to confess her sins. When she was all alone and no longer had control of her husbands actions she began to unconsciously tell of their crimes. While sleep walking she says The Thane of Fife had a wife. Where is she now? (5. 1. 43 - 4). This shows that her loss of power and control has caused her to feel unimportant.

It shows her belief that the control she held over Macbeth gave her life purpose and gave her a reason to live and without this control, her life means nothing. It also shows the feelings of anger toward her husband which are present in Lady Macbeth when she begins to feel she is no longer needed. Lady Macbeth can not accept her loss of power and control. She is an authoritative figure who thrives on her ability to rule her husbands life, and watching Macbeth gain independence at her expense eats her up inside and causes her to lose her sanity. She sees herself in the position her husband formerly held, that of a weak, submissive individual. She does not want to live her life that way and as it is explained in the last speech of the play, ... [Macbeth's] fiend like queen, Who, as tis thought, by self and violent hands/ Took off her life... (5. 8. 69 - 71).

Lady Macbeth saw death as the only way she could escape a life of passiveness and weakness which she believed was inevitable once she lost control of Macbeth's actions.


Free research essays on topics related to: begins to feel, power and control, kill king duncan, struggle for power, lady macbeth

Research essay sample on Kill King Duncan Struggle For Power

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