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'Lady Macbeth is the cause for killing Duncan' Explain yes or no

I have an english essay to write (GCSE level) and I was wondering if anyone here could give me hand as to what quotes to write and some bullet point arguments that I can turn into an essay
Thanks

Reply 1

Changing Skies

Original post by amjam441

I have an english essay to write (GCSE level) and I was wondering if anyone here could give me hand as to what quotes to write and some bullet point arguments that I can turn into an essay
Thanks

You could say Lady Macbeth is in fact responsible for the killing of King Duncan as she manipulates and torments Macbeth into killing him through the cruel act of belittling him. She mocks him and questions his masculinity in order to leave him as the subservient being in their relationship. Moreover, she constantly reminds him of his fatal flaw in which would only lure him into mentally torturing himself by questioning his own ambition. By inflicting this upon him, she's aiming to pressure him into committing the murder of King Duncan. It could be said that although she does not commit the physical act of killing Duncan, she mentally kills him as she is ultimately the mastermind for the plan and without the encouragement and belittling from Lady Macbeth, Macbeth himself may not have gone ahead with the act. This is shown by the fact he weighs up the advantages and disadvantages of performing the murder, expressing that he has a conscience, unlike Lady Macbeth who shows constant wickedness and cruelty by repeatedly manipulating Macbeth into doing it.

You could also argue the other side, Lady Macbeth obviously doesn't perform the physical act of using the dagger to kill King Duncan, therefore she isn't responsible. Although she gets involved after Macbeth has done the deed, it wasn't her doing. Moreover, you could argue that Macbeth was always the true killer as he continues on his quest to murder all because of the three apparitions, he thrived off the power, therefore he was always mentally and physically behind the murder of King Duncan. :smile: