Lady Macbeth: The Complex, Misrepresented Character in Shakespeare
By Katie Hampton
Graphic By rogistok on VectorStock
In high school my AP class read the play Macbeth in class and although the whole plot did not stick with me, I could not shake the way Shakespeare portrayed woman through his depiction of Lady Macbeth. She is pitted as a malicious, crazed woman who feeds off of power and would do anything to become royalty, including murder. Although, yes Lady Macbeth does brew up the plan to murder Duncan, I believe that there are many factors at play to why she behaves the way that she behaves.
Lady Macbeth is a complex character that has suffered through toxic masculinity, mental health issues, and being too loyal for her own good. If a man had the drive and ambition that Lady Macbeth conveyed throughout the play, she would be considered a hero, but since a woman plotted to murder for status, she is considered evil and horrid.
In the Renaissance era, mental illness was not being diagnosed, but Lady Macbeth clearly suffered from post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) which resulted in her ending her life. She dealt with insomnia, flashbacks, and no emotional connect towards others. These are all signs of PTSD that went untreated in this time period.
With that being said, Lady Macbeth clearly had her issues, but I believe she was unfairly stereotyped as "crazy" and "evil" because she's a woman with a strong head on her shoulders and demonstrated ambition and loyalty for her husband.
By Katie Hampton
Graphic By rogistok on VectorStock
In high school my AP class read the play Macbeth in class and although the whole plot did not stick with me, I could not shake the way Shakespeare portrayed woman through his depiction of Lady Macbeth. She is pitted as a malicious, crazed woman who feeds off of power and would do anything to become royalty, including murder. Although, yes Lady Macbeth does brew up the plan to murder Duncan, I believe that there are many factors at play to why she behaves the way that she behaves.
Lady Macbeth is a complex character that has suffered through toxic masculinity, mental health issues, and being too loyal for her own good. If a man had the drive and ambition that Lady Macbeth conveyed throughout the play, she would be considered a hero, but since a woman plotted to murder for status, she is considered evil and horrid.
In the Renaissance era, mental illness was not being diagnosed, but Lady Macbeth clearly suffered from post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) which resulted in her ending her life. She dealt with insomnia, flashbacks, and no emotional connect towards others. These are all signs of PTSD that went untreated in this time period.
With that being said, Lady Macbeth clearly had her issues, but I believe she was unfairly stereotyped as "crazy" and "evil" because she's a woman with a strong head on her shoulders and demonstrated ambition and loyalty for her husband.
I agree with your statement that if a man showed these characteristics, they would not be portrayed as crazy.
ReplyDeleteIt's unfortunate to see the stigma of mental health, but it's also encouraging to see how far we've come!
ReplyDelete