Question

Write three paragraphs, supporting the assertion that Lady Macbeth and Macbeth both waver between extreme confidence and great doubt. Be sure to include evidence from the text to support your answer.

Answer 1

Lady Macbeth and Macbeth go through an ambitious period. When Macbeth hears the witches promising his kingship, he plans to murder the king. King Duncan is his name. So he can become king. He fears of no doubt at this moment. (Act 1 Scene 3 pg 7) here he thinks of accepting being king. (Act 1 Scene 4 pg 2) Macbeth thinks of being king and murdering Duncan. (Act 1 Scene 5 pg 3) Macbeth and Lady Macbeth plot on killing Duncan. (Act 1 Scene 7 pg 2) Macbeth reconsiders in killing Duncan. Macbeth begins to have doubts. (Act 1 Scene 7 pg 3) Lady Macbeth insists in killing Duncan.(Act 1 Scene 7 pg 4) Macbeth is now decided to kill the king, but he feels regret. After the murder of King Duncan he begins to have doubts because he knows that Banquo's descendants will take away the thrown and kingship from him. Therefore, this makes him go mad and insane, making him commit one murder after another so there will be no one in his way to stop him from being king. Macbeth's doubts cause him to go back to the witches to assure himself that no one will take the crown away from him. Doubts also make him act impulsively about certain matters. Lady Macbeth on the other hand over time she begins to feel guilt when she starts sleepwalking. (Act 5 Scene 1 pg 1-4) She say's in her sleep the murders she committed. She is repented. However, there is nothing she can do. Due to her insecurity, doubt, lack of sleep, etc she decides to commit suicide because the guilt was just to painful to handle. Both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth we see their character disintegration throught the whole play because of a wicked action they did. It's very helpful. Hope this helped :)

Answer 2

Answer: Lady Macbeth and Macbeth go through periods of ambition and confidence. Although both experience moments when they feel great amounts of doubt. An example when Macbeth experiences doubt is when he hears the three witches promising his change in power to being king. When he hears this his reaction is to murder King Duncan. Then Macbeth involves Lady Macbeth in his plans to kill King Duncan, where neither of them expresses any sort of remorse or doubt.  

Moving past his murder of King Duncan, Macbeth slowly becomes doubtful and begins to feel remorse and guilt for committing the murder of a king. He realizes that Banquo's descendant and family, will immediately remove him from the line of royalty and take away his kingship. This consequence he realizes, causes him to walk in his doubt creating him to act impulsive and destructive.  

An example of Lady Macbeth acting in great confidence is when she is sleep talking. She carries the burden of Macbeth's murder on her shoulders. She doesn't realize how it's actually affecting her, by making her sleepwalk. Although she may appear confident and want to seem alright, she instead gives away the secrets her husband tells her, without realizing due to the amount of remorse, guilt, and doubt she has.