Is Lady Macbeth the epitome of evil?

Leigh Crymble
English Literature
Lower 6 (Class 2)

“Lady Macbeth is often regarded as the epitome of evil. Do you have any sympathy for her, or do you regard her as an inhuman figure?”

We are introduced to Lady Macbeth with her reading a letter sent by her husband, telling her of the witches’ prophecies. It is the first time the audience sees Lady Macbeth and it is important as it gives us our first impressions of her. Reading aloud allows the audience to see her true character straight away revealing her cruel and cold nature. She is determined to persuade Macbeth to act on the supernatural prophecies knowing his nature “Is too full o’th’milk of human kindness” and any sympathy the audience may have is directed towards Macbeth rather than his wife. She, too, is intensely ambitious, and cannot bear to even mention the kingship directly only saying “Glamis thou art, and Cawdor, and shalt be / What thou art promis’d”

There are immediate connections to evil ...