Macbeth Group

Question:


lizbethortiz
Student
High School - 12th Grade

In The Tragedy of Macbeth, what do we learn about Macbeth from Lady Macbeth's reaction to his letter in Act I, Scene v?

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Posted by lizbethortiz on Saturday February 7, 2009 at 8:14 PM and tagged with act 1 scene 5, characters, lady macbeth, macbeth.

Answers:

  1. mshurn
    mshurn Teacher
    College - Freshman

    eNotes Editor

    After reading Macbeth's letter, Lady Macbeth's reaction indicates that she knows her husband's nature very well. Her view of his character is that he does not lack ambition, but that he lacks the ruthlessness (the evil) necessary to gain power quickly through Duncan's murder. She believes that Macbeth will be afraid to murder Duncan, but that once Duncan is dispatched, he will be glad and would not regret that it happened. Lady Macbeth knows what she must do to spur Macbeth into murder in order to gain the crown, and she is well prepared to do it, to "chastise with the valor of my tongue / All that impedes [Macbeth] from the golden round."

    Sources:
    http://www.enotes.com/macbeth/act-i-summary-analysis
    http://www.enotes.com/macbeth/lady-macbeth-character-anal...
    http://www.enotes.com/macbeth/macbeth-character-analysis

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    Posted by mshurn on Saturday February 7, 2009 at 8:28 PM


  2. kmieciakp Teacher
    High School - 12th Grade

    We learn nothing of Macbeth's nature from her response to his letter; we do, however, learn what Lady Macbeth thinks of her husband--and her view of him may or may not be true.  In any case, Lady Macbeth's reaction to the letter tells us about Lady Macbeth's nature.

    We learn of Macbeth's nature from Macbeth's words. 

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    Posted by kmieciakp on Sunday February 8, 2009 at 7:32 PM