How Does Lady Macbeth's Struggle For Power

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Beyond the basic needs for survival, power is one of the timeless concerns of humans namely: who has it, who does not, and how to obtain it. The human struggle for power crosses cultural, physical, and national boundaries, and thus has been a common noted in criticisms of not just one society, but most societies. In England during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, the eminent playwright, Shakespeare, wrote many plays that can be considered social commentary. Macbeth is one of these plays, and the much of the themes revolve around power, as it was written for a king. In Shakespeare’s Macbeth, Lady Macbeth’s efforts to gain power exemplifies the main theme of Macbeth: the thirst for power is ultimately destructive. As Lady Macbeth first appears in the play, her desire to have power over others is readily apparent. Within her and her husband’s dialogue, she uses her influence over him –insulting, pleading, and inspiring- to manipulate Macbeth to kill King Duncan, despite Macbeth’s reluctance. The bold assertion of her own will defies many of the gender roles within the setting of the play and her character is unusually strong for a …show more content…
The doctor, when assessing her ailment before her death, said her ailment could not be cured by a doctor, but the cure was in the power of Lady Macbeth alone. Ironically, soon after her prognosis is delivered, the Lady (now Queen of Scotland) commits suicide. She is given power over her own health, but chooses to die. The lady’s suicide could have been final attempt to have power over the circumstances in which she has created by allowing one with rightfully gained power to more easily have the throne. In a desperate move to regain control of her situation, the Queen’s final act of destruction is that of herself. However, by destroying herself with power that she was given, but did not take, she ensures that she will cause no more
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