The closing scene of the first act reflect Lady Macbeth's
strength and will. She demonstrates herself to be someone of a steel- like stature, a
very pragmatic and calculating character. She understands the opportunity that is in
front of both she and her husband. She grasps the "urgency of now." She also
understands that she needs to ensure that her husband can go through with the designed
plan. In this, she ensures that Macbeth go ahead with the plan by questioning his
manhood. Lady Macbeth knows very well that a soldier like Macbeth would not sit still
while his manliness is questioned. She plants these seeds of questioning quite
deliberately and well:
What beast was't then
That made you
break this enterprise to me?
When you durst do it, then you were a man;(55)
And, to be more than what you were, you would
Be so much more the
man.
The idea of being "so
much more the man" is designed to attack at Macbeth's sense of self, something that she
knows will be the ultimate motivator if the promise of power and prestige are not able
to motivate her husband. Earlier in the scene, Macbeth expresses a sense of ambivalence
about the murder of Duncan because of the loyalty he has shown to Macbeth, and expresses
a desire to "not bite the hand that feeds." Lady Macbeth recognizes this and seizes
upon this weakness to motivate him:
Art thou afeard
To be the same in
thine own act and valor
As thou art in desire? Wouldst thou have that(45)
Which thou esteem'st the ornament of life
And live a coward in
thine own esteem,
Letting “I dare not” wait upon “I would”
Like
the poor cat i’ the
adage.
Here again, the idea
of "afeard" or "afraid" is brought out. Additionally, she appeals to the idea that
Macbeth wishes to be a particular conception of man or manhood, something that is
reflective of his skill on the battlefield. In order to "be this man," she suggests that
he has to go through with the plan. In this scene, she shows herself to be an extremely
shrewd judge of character.
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