Descent Into Madness(Macbeth)commentary
Lady Macbeth's character in the play has drastically changed since the beginning acts of the play. Before Lady Macbeth's character was strong willed and driving whereas now she is weak with guilt and descending into madness. She has begun to act more strangely and is no longer in control. One new behavior we are shown is that Lady Macbeth now sleep walks and talks. While sleep talking she says, "Out damned spot, out, I say". In this Lady Macbeth expresses her need and wishes to cleanse herself of her involvement in Duncan's murder. She is visualizing red blood staining her hands. Shakespeare uses this vision of blood staining the hands of the murderers twice, once with Macbeth and again with Lady Macbeth. The color red is a recurring symbol of guilt and gruesome deeds. When, before, Macbeth was complaining that he was so guilty for committing Duncan's murder that he could not stop seeing his hands as blood soaked Lady Macbeth reassured him that, "A little water cle
Lady Macbeth again rationalizes Duncan's murder and her involvement by convincing herself to, "Wash your hands. The doctor who is overhearing Lady Macbeth's sleep talking suggests that she needs spiritual aid for her problems and not a physician. In her sleepy mutters she says simply, "One. Shakespeare has put in this rational thought processing to tell us that though Lady Macbeth is on her way to going mad she is not there yet. "The Thane of Fife had a wife", is an example of Lady Macbeth's new found ability to rhyme as the Witches do. " She is remembering the hours leading up to the kings murder. "What need we fear who knows it, when none can call our power to account. " This is a key phrase admitting her guilt and her willingness to live on, which is what she would have wanted earlier. The rhyme is a literary technique also gaining emphasis and creating more importance in the words spoken. He also says that he is unable to help her at all but says that he has, "known those which have walked , who have died holily in their beds. She then says, "Hell is murky" suggesting that she considers her life a living hell of her own creation. This may also foreshadow that Lady Macbeth's death will not be gruesome but while she sleeps.
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