Does Lady Macbeth help in Macbeth's downfall?

Answer 1

Lady Macbeth plays a major role in the downfall of Macbeth. She was the one that convinced Macbeth to commit the murder of Duncan, believing that power would bring them happiness. This is the first crime that we see in the play that Macbeth has commited. After the murder of Duncan, Macbeth is made king. He has lots of power and he craves to use it, but was never happy, causing his downfall. When Lady Macbeth commits suicide is another key point in Macbeth's downfall because as he has seen so much death and caused pain to so many others he becomes numb to it and no longer cares about anything, and wishes to die himself although he does not consider suicide like Lady Macbeth this is shown when he says "Why should I play the roman fool and die on my own sword?"

Lady Macbeth also plays a major part in the downfall of Macbeth as from the moment when she takes the bloody daggers off Macbeth after he kills Duncan she starts turning mad throughout the whole of the play up until the point when she commits suicide. Lady Macbeth suffers from a guilty conscience during most of the play and starts sleepwalking, imagining that she still has blood and her hands so she tries to wash it off. This is also important in Macbeth's downfall because it emotionally affects him and he himself starts going mad by having dreams and seeing the ghost of Banquo as well as contributing to the suspicion that falls on Macbeth.