Close Reading Assignment 2

In Act 1 Scene 5 Lady Macbeth is finally introduced, and here in these short passages she delivers a few soliloquys that help the audience and readers understand her character and motives. In her second soliloquy she implies that her ambition is taking over her decisions and is influencing her to sacrifice her civility and humanity to achieve her deepest desires. This is shown through “Stop up th’ access and passage to remorse” (1.5.51). The remorse in this context means compassion, thus implying that she is giving up her compassion to get what she wants, which is power. A soliloquy can effectively portray a character’s true personality, because they are alone, which allows the character to express their deepest private yearnings.  This helps the reader better understand her character because it shows that she is very ambitious, and will do anything to get what she wants, even control her husband. When she says “Hie thee hither that I pour my spirits in thine ear and chastise with the valour of my tongued” (1.5.27-30). The word spirits in this context, refers to her power over Macbeth, which shows her character because it implies that she will influence Macbeth to do things to get the crown through her manipulation. Also, the word chastise in this context means inflict punishment, which further depicts how she will use forceful means of punishment to ensure that she achieves her goals, with the help of her husband. This contributes to the understanding of the character Macbeth through showing that he is easily persuaded by the woman he loves.  Otherwise he is a very courageous and noble man. This passage shows that Macbeth does not desire the fate of becoming King as much as his wife, and that she is power driven. Overall, these passages depict Lady Macbeth as a ruthless, manipulating, power hungry woman and Macbeth as an easily influenced, kind-hearted sole, with his only ambition implanted in his mind by his controlling, greedy, malevolent wife.