Macbeth
The truth of his downfall.
Who was the True Cause of His Downfall?
Although some may disagree with the accusation that Lady Macbeth is the reason for her husbands downfall, it is true. Lady Macbeth the one to push Macbeth in the first place. She is the one to tell him to kill Duncan so he could be king. And then she covered up some of the death of Duncan by taking the daggers and cleaning them and taking them back to the murder site. She is the one to try to calm Macbeth down so he wouldn't spill their secret of murder. Also, Macbeth kept killing because he thought that it was what Lady Macbeth wanted. Macbeth only wanted to make his wife happy, and he thought that being royalty would do that. So he kept killing to insure that they would stay King and Queen.
That is some of the accusations, some might say, but there is proof in the story itself that will bring out the truth of Lady Macbeth. In Act 1, Scene 7 Lady Macbeth was talking to her husband when she says, "And live a coward in thine own esteem, Letting 'I dare not' wait upon 'I would,' Like the poor cat i' the adage?"(Shakespeare Act 1, Scene 7, 48-53). He replies with, " I dare do all that may become a man. Who dares do more is none."(Shakespeare Act 1, Scene 7, 48-53). Here Lady Macbeth is using reverse psychology on Macbeth trying to call him out to push him to kill Duncan. So that they can be King and Queen. She was calling him a coward to get him to do the work that "had" to be done, so his destiny could be fulfilled. The only thing was that if Lady Macbeth wasn't so impatient in the need to be Queen, Duncan wouldn't be dead.
There is also the quotes in which Lady Macbeth isn't pushing Macbeth to kill, is just covering up the work of her husband. Trying to save her own skin so she can stay Queen, or even become Queen in the first place. There is two moments when she is more worried in covering the death up, than telling the truth of the matter. Act 2, Scene 2 and also Act 3, Scene 5. Both are good instances where Lady Macbeth seems to have no mercy of those around her other than herself and Macbeth. "My hands are of your color, but I shame To wear a heart so white. I hear knocking At the south entry. Retire to our chamber. A little water clears us of this deed. How easy is it then! Your constancy Hath left unattended. Hark! more knocking. Get on your nightgown, lest occasion call us And show us to be watchers. Be not lost So poorly in your thoughts." (Shakespeare Act 2, Scene 2, 85-94). Along with the scene in which Lady Macbeth is seemingly getting people to leave because she is afraid that her husband will spill their secret of murder, "I pray you speak not. He grows worse and worse; Question enrages him. At once, good night. Stand not upon the order of your going, But go at once." (Shakespeare Act 3, Scene 5, 144-150). She is covering her own sins. She is pushing people out of the door because she doesn't know what is going on with Macbeth and she is afraid of what he may say.
Although that is what she does when she is awake, that doesn't take into fact of what she does when she is asleep. Lady Macbeth had some sleepwalking problems in which some may say she was having some PTSD over what she had done with Macbeth. "Out, damned spot! out, I say! One; two. Why then 'tis time to do't. Hell is murky. Fie, my lord, fie! a soldier, and afeard? What need we fear who knows it, when none can call our pow'r to accompt? Yet who would have thought the old man to have had so much blood in him?.... What, will these hands ne'er be clean? No more o' that, my lord, no more o' that! You mar all with this starting." (Shakespeare Act 5, Scene 1, 34-44). She is going crazy over what she and Macbeth had done. Over what she was covering up to protect her place, as Queen, and Macbeth and herself from treason.