Can pity be shown for Lady Macbeth in Shakespeare's play of Macbeth?

Question

can pity be shown for Lady Macbeth in Shakespeare's play of Macbeth? I need some examples and quotes (if poss) of how pity can and can't be given to Lady Macbeth.
thanks

Answer 1

I don't have my copy of Macbeth with me. However, while at the beginning of the play, Lady Macbeth is telling her husband to just wash away the blood and it will all be over with. By the end, she is sleepwalking (out of guilt), washing her hands repeatedly, and crying "Out, out, damned spot" as she does this. She does feel guilty about all that has happened. However, does she feel guilty about the initial murder, which led to Macbeth becoming king or just guilty about the murders which have occured since then?

However, whether or not pity should be shown is an opinion. If you read the play, you should form your own. I believe that she should be, but only to a certain extent because she did encourage Macbeth to commit the murder of King Duncan.

I'm an English major. I can talk Shakespeare.

Answer 2

Yes, absolutely, it's possible to pity her. Which is not the same as FORGIVING her for her role in King Duncan's death.

It's complicated. I have this idea that the relationship between Macbeth and Lady M. is somewhat lacking at the beginning of the play. Macbeth's out in the field slaughtering Scotland's foes, and Lady M. is home doing...well, whatever it is she does. Macbeth is covering himself with all sorts of glory, but somehow...it's not enough.

It's not until Lady M. receives Macbeth's letter that we begin to perceive that there's now something -- the idea of being King and Queen -- that's going to make this relationship VITAL again.

The pity of it, so far as Lady M. is concerned, is that, after they kill Duncan, Macbeth almost IMMEDIATELY begins to isolate her. He begins to keep his own counsel and he descends further and further into paranoia, and she, unable to cope BY HERSELF with the enormous guilt over what they've done, slowly goes insane. It's hard not to be moved by that final image of her, washing the imaginary blood off her hands, trying -- in vain -- to be "clean" once more.

Answer 3

Although she is a ruthless and manipulative woman who masterminds the plot and pushed her husband into killing Duncan, Lady Macbeth is, in the end, overcome by guilt and remorse at her actions, leading firstly to madness illustrated by imaginary bloodstains on her hands and finally to suicide. This latter phase evokes sympathy for a distraught woman seeking to repent for a murder which she after all did not commit.

Answer 4

Just wondering here, is the guilt/blood aspect the only aspect of the play that you're focusing on? Or are you planning on writing about the other concepts like ambition, deception, fear, loyalty and betrayal etc? And it does seem rather short for a thesis. But you have highlighted some of the better metaphors in relation to the topic.