Responsibility of Regicide

Macbeth by William Shakespeare is a tragedy revolving around a valiant soldiers

lust to become the King of Scotland. Macbeth's ambitious wife nurtures his desire to
become king, coaxing him to murder King Duncan. Some believe that the death of
Duncan could be accredited to Macbeth. However, through her ambition and persuasion,
it is evident that Lady Macbeth was responsible for the death of King Duncan, as well as
the ruin of her husband.
Lady Macbeth was a very ambitious woman. Her husband referred to her as his
dearest love (I.v.57), but she only acknowledged him by his title Great Glamis, worthy
Cawdor/Greater than both, by the all-hail hereafter (I.v.53-54). These formalities proved
her focus, and therefore her hunger for power and ambition to become queen. However,
the restriction of women hampered her from achieving her wish of becoming queen. She
even asked the spirits(I.v.39) to unsex (I.v.40) her, to fill her with the direst cruelty
(I.v.42). In other words, she asked to be rid of her womanly compassion in order to be
more like a man. Furthermore, by saying The raven himself is hoarse/ That croaks the
fatal entrance of Duncan(I.v.36-37), she alluded to Duncans death because a raven is
an omen that represents death. She wanted to be queen, but the only way to do so
would be to kill King Duncan. She was prepared to do the murdering herself, except her
womanly characteristics were preventing her from doing so. She asked for a thick night
(I.v.48) and the dunnest smoke of hell (I.v.49) so that nothing, not heaven or man,
could stop her from killing Duncan.
Lady Macbeth, restrained by her womanly characteristics, had to force her
husband to kill duncan;however Macbeth began having second thoughts: First, as I am
his kinsman and his subject, / Strong both against the deed; then, as his host, / Who
should against his murderer shut the door, / Not bear the knife myself. (I.viii.13-16). As a
subject of a king,he, along with everyone else in the kingdom, was trained against
committing regicide; it went against his very nature. He told his wife they will proceed
no further in this business (I.viii.32). This angered and worried Lady Macbeth, and she
immediately began to coerce him to kill the king by insulting his manliness, something
tremendously important to Macbeth. She called Macbeth a coward (I.viii.42) and stated
he would be a man only if he went through with the treacherous act (I.viii.49-51). Lady
Macbeth also convinced him, saying she would have dashed the brains out(I.viii.59) of
her smiling baby had she sworn it to him like he swore to kill Duncan. This technique
implied that Lady Macbeth both loved him enough to slaughter her own child, as well as
respected him enough to keep his promise (although its clear that the first one isnt
completely true, as she seems to care more for his title than anything). After making sure
they wouldnt fail, Macbeth finally conceded.
Contrary to what many believe, Macbeth was not responsible for the death of the
King of Scotland, even though he physically killed King Duncan. He had to be thoroughly
convinced into doing the treasonous act. He was also, as Lady Macbeth put it, too full
othmilk of human kindness (I.v.15) and not without ambition, but without / The illness
(I.v.17-18) or evil that was necessary to achieve their desire to be rulers. He didnt have
it in him to actually go through with the killing due to his loyalty and kindness. He
wouldnt have been able to execute the murder without her planning and setting up the
daggers(II.ii.11). Lady Macbeth was the mastermind with Macbeth as her puppet, almost
blindly following her commands.
Lady Macbeth caused her spouses demise as Macbeth became mad with guilt
and remorse over killing. He became even more power hungry, wanting his future child
to be the next in line for the throne. He killed Banquo (and attempted to kill Banquos
child), and even killed Macduffs family, which ultimately convinced Malcolm to wage a

war against Macbeth. If Lady Macbeth had never convinced Macbeth to kill King
Duncan, he would have never killed Macduffs family. Without their deaths, Malcolm may
never have been convinced to wage the war that ultimately killed Macbeth.
Lady Macbeth is clearly responsible for the death of Scotlands King Duncan,
shown through her ambition and persuasion. She planned and set up the murder of King
Duncan so she could become queen and her husband king. When her husband came
home from the war, she first acknowledged his title and what that would mean for them,
showing her ambition for power. She convinced her husband to commit regicide for her,
twisting his love and lack of willpower to persuade him into it, even though he was
having clear doubts. She nurtured Macbeth into a dangerous, greedy, power hungry
ruler, which ultimately led to his demise. This play helps to portray how greed and lust for
power can negatively impact peoples livelihood.

Works Cited(MLA):
Shakespeare, William. Macbeth. Ed. Rex Gibson. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 1993.
Print.