Lady Macbeth: Her history and her nature Ms. Reeve English 4 Period 3 November 4,2013 By Brittany Hajek Erin Johl Lizzie Carroll Varshini Pabba

Similarities There are not a lot of similarities between historical Lady Macbeth and the fictional Lady Macbeth. Lady Macbeth was married to Macbeth She comes from a royal family. Both had a goal of gaining back what they lost the right to.

Differences In the play, Macbeth was her first husband. The historical, Lady Macbeth was married before to a man named Gille Coemgáin mac Maíl Brigti Historical Lady Macbeth was known as Lady Grouch. Historical Lady Macbeth remarried Macbeth who was her cousin in-law. Both of her marriages were arranged. Fictional Lady Macbeth did not have an arranged marriage

The Macbeths’ Relationship In the early stages of the play, the Macbeths seem to be a devoted couple. Their love and concern for each other remains strong and constant throughout the play, but their relationship changes dramatically following the murder of King Duncan in Act 2. Macbeth’s devotion to Lady Macbeth is immediately apparent in Act 1, where he calls her his greatest accomplishment and his “dearest partner of greatness.” The Macbeths' relationship is presented in very strong terms in Act 1

Lady Macbeth vs. Macbeth Lady Macbeth’s power is also shown through how she taunts Macbeth, ‘too full of the milk of human kindnesses.’ She thinks her own husband is too feminine to be able to commit murder. She is also very cold hearted, which is shown through her willingness to help plot Duncan’s death. Lady Macbeth becomes very passionate when plotting Duncan’s murder, unlike her husband who is hesitant to go through with it. Lady Macbeth influences her husband in a negative manner, she makes him more ambitious which is a common theme among Shakespeare, ambition kills. Lady Macbeth doesn’t think that Macbeth lacks the ambition to kill Duncan, she believes he lacks the heart and the malice to commit murder. Which is why Lady Macbeth asks to be rid of her feminine qualities so she can kill like a man.

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