The Oppression Of Women In Lady Macbeth By William Shakespeare

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“Sometimes, if you want to change a man's mind, you have to change the mind of the man next to him first.” - ― Megan Whalen Turner, The King of Attolia. This is very true in the story Macbeth by William Shakespeare where it features Lady Macbeth one of William Shakespeare’s most infamous female characters. With her being Macbeth’s wife she is a significant part and driving force to his actions and eventual down fall. She was Macbeth’s other half and pushed him down the wrong path for her own personal well-being and gain. Lady Macbeth earned for power but was not in position (because of her gender) to really do anything about it. During the Elizabethan time period, women were seen as unimportant and were there to bare children and look attractive. They were thought to be dumb-witted and not equal to men. When Lady Macbeth said, “Come, you spirits/ That tend on moral thoughts, unsex me her” (Act 1 Scene 5 Page 2) shows that Lady Macbeth knows that she would have to gain power through a man and who better than her husband Macbeth.…show more content…
It appears that even she can’t ward off the chance for power when it is right in front of her. This is shown after she learns of the witches predictions and says, “Glamis thou art, and Cowador, and shalt be/ What thou art promised” (Act 1 Scene 5 Page 1) because it is the crux where she realizes and accepts that she will have to kill the king (Duncan) to fulfill her lust for royalty and power. However, she is not able to kill Duncan on her own accord and this is where her manipulation of Macbeth comes into

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