Communication 
1 Comment Assessment: How does Shakespeare construct our understanding of Lady Macbeth’s character?
Lady Macbeth’s character has been created by Shakespeare so that the audience can have their own interpretation of her character. He does this by having authorial intent in the play. One way of viewing her is shown as being demanding and is in control of other people like Macbeth.
Shakespeare shows this in many ways but in act 2, scene 2, when Lady Macbeth says ‘ a foolish thought to say a sorry sight’, it emphasises more than one meaning. Firstly, Macbeth has just killed king Duncan and the guards. Stereotypically, you would think the woman would be protective and loving towards Macbeth. However, Shakespeare has rearranged the situation to confuse the audience and to make them think about who is really in charge. Also, as it says ‘a foolish thought’, it suggests that Lady Macbeth let Macbeth that she wasn’t happy about him saying that killing king Duncan was a sorry sight. But in Scotland, at the time the play was created, women were expected to stay home and clean or take care of the children. However, the men would work and were I charge of the relationship.
As well as being demanding in the scenes before, she carries on being demanding towards her husband in act 3, scene 2. She says ‘Come on. Gentle my lord. Sleek over your rugged looks’. In my eyes, Lady Macbeth is demanding and persuading Macbeth to make the situation happier about seeing Banquo’s ghost at the feast with the lords. Lady Macbeth also says ‘you must leave this’. Shakespeare’s authorial intent may have been to make Lady Macbeth look more commanding and is controlling Macbeth’s actions.
Shakespeare also uses several metaphors in act 2, scene 2. Lady Macbeth said to Macbeth that he is a coward; ‘My hands are of your colour; but I shame to wear a heart so white’. This leaves the audience confused about why she said this. This metaphor forces me to consider that Lady Macbeth feels as much guilt as Macbeth does for killing king Duncan. However, it says that she is shamed to wear a white heart. This means that she is braver than Macbeth and that she doesn’t want to be a coward like him.
In my opinion, Shakespeare uses many different ways to construct our understanding of Lady Macbeth which is her being demanding by metaphors and relating the play to real life at the time the play was created.