Macbeth – William Shakespeare – Lady Macbeth

Macbeth – William Shakespeare – Lady Macbeth: Manipulation, Guilt and Madness

• This resource provides a detailed character study of Lady Macbeth in Shakespeare’s Macbeth.
• It traces her transformation from a ruthlessly ambitious and manipulative figure to one consumed by overwhelming guilt and descending into madness, while exploring Shakespeare’s presentation of ambition, gender roles, and the psychological consequences of crime.

Key features:

• Close examination of Lady Macbeth’s initial manipulation of Macbeth through questioning his masculinity and strategic planning of Duncan’s murder.
• Analysis of key quotations illustrating her early confidence, such as “unsex me here” and “look like the innocent flower, but be the serpent under’t”.
• Exploration of the onset and escalation of her guilt, symbolised by the “damned spot” in the sleepwalking scene.
• Discussion of her psychological decline into madness, contrasting her earlier control with her final fragmentation and tragic end.
• Consideration of broader themes including the corrupting force of ambition, the reversal of gender expectations, and the inescapable burden of conscience.
• Includes an accompanying worksheet to reinforce and practise key concepts.

This resource has been designed for GCSE level students.