Every invention of Shakespeare as a playwright is unparalleled. And every character in his plays is exceptionally excellent. Likewise, Lady Macbeth, Shakespeare’s only female character, embodies rare and extraordinary strength of will.
As per the author’s will, Lady Macbeth possesses dreadfully determined willpower in The Tragedy of Macbeth. She has remarkable iron stability of resolve. Her strong determination in accomplishing an aim is so robust that it transcends and simultaneously dominates other features in her character.
With the said strength of will, she successfully influences Macbeth, her husband, in committing a heinous crime. Furthermore, her triumphant guidance, on the one hand, motivates Macbeth to murder King Duncan, and on the other hand, remedies his errors. Her strong will even help him to recover from a critical state.
Lady Macbeth’s determined will emerges with reality through expressions during her first appearance in the Shakespearean play. Her response to Macbeth’s letter in Act I, Scene 5, “Glamis thou art, and Cawdor; and shalt be What thou art promised. Yet do I fear the nature;“ shows how perfectly she can use her reciprocity in observing her husband’s hesitant mind. In short, she is very much aware of Macbeth’s weaknesses.
She knows that the tragic hero of the play has the ambition to acquire the throne. But, he is not bold enough to attain the easily accessible route to power. His virtue bars him from acting with nastiness. Lady Macbeth knows every fragility lurking in her husband’s character. And it leads her to begin the journey of her resolve.
The singleness of purpose makes her stubborn to repress her own feminine qualities. She doesn’t hesitate to encourage Macbeth into the required action. Her words of expression unlock her preparation to lull her husband to confidence.
The young lady is ready to whisper in his ear with sturdy criticism so that the sense of goodness and virtue ceases to affect his thinking. Every aspect of Lady Macbeth, Shakespeare’s only female character with the extraordinary firm resolution, never even deviates or shifts from her fixed purpose until the predetermined result is achieved. Moreover, a sense of empathy and morality fails to stop her from venturing to attain her goal.
Her robust attitude and determination overpower every sign of virtue and rightness. Also, it helps her to draw a plan for committing cold-blooded murder. Even she possesses the courage to enter King Duncan’s room and stain the guards with blood.
However, like all other human beings, Lady Macbeth has some flaws. Yes, although she can suppress her kindness to lead Macbeth to power, she can’t repress his sense of virtue completely. Her terrible deed in no way has the moral support of her normal essence as a human. And it is evident in the famous sleep-walking scene, which exposes her hatred for blood. In addition, it is this strength of will that completes her ruin.
In reality, the imposed nature ultimately results in too much strain on her mind. During the last phase of the play, The Tragedy of Macbeth, it appears clearly that the intensity of mental pressure is very high, which leads to her final breakdown. Yet, one thing is true that Lady Macbeth, Shakespeare’s only female character proves a rarity in acquiring unmatchable willpower.
