A devious manipulator. A woman ahead of her time. A tragic figure plagued by guilt. An associate to regicide, murder, and tyranny. These are all the ways Lady Macbeth can be described from reading the play. Possibly the most complex and interesting of all of Shakespeare’s characters in general, Lady Macbeth is a pinnacle of character work, as she is still studied and debated today as either one of literature’s great villains or most tragic figures. Lady Macbeth’s impact on the play is immense as she not only influences the politics of Scotland during the duration of the play but also defies her gender role and represents an array of themes and ideas, including gender, guilt, ambition, and power. For starters, as she is a woman in a male-dominated political landscape, created by Shakespeare who lived in a society in which women held very little political power, it is surprising just how influential Lady Macbeth is.
