Macbeth
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“Your hand, your tongue: look like the innocent flower, but be the serpent undert.” (Shakespeare 1.5. 64-66) Throughout Shakespeares Macbeth,
things are not always as they seem. Deception in this play is always present, especially with the main characters – Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. Lady
Macbeth is the most skilled at persuading others, especially her husband, into believe things that are not true. The above quote, spoken by Lady
Macbeth to her husband, shows exactly how manipulative and deceiving she can be. She is telling Macbeth to look and act pure, but to be evil inside.
Macbeth, evidently led by his wife, but also by his own ambitions, is likewise guilty of deception. He deceives his best friend Banquo, King Duncan,
as well as his public. Lady Macbeth and Macbeth also try to use denial and rationalization to deceive themselves. This self-deception leads to grave
circumstances for them both. Macbeth is forced into further and further lies, making life difficult and unbearable. Lady Macbeth is also caught in the
depths of deception and eventually kills herself. Therefore, it is obvious that the main characters of Shakespeares Macbeth are all negatively affected
by the recurring theme of deception.
Throughout the play, Lady Macbeth uses her ability to mislead others in many ways. First of all, she decides to use deception to push her husbands
ambition to be king.
Hie thee hither, that I may pour my spirits in thine ear, and chastise with the valour of my tongue all that impedes thee from the golden
round(1.5.25-28)
Lady Macbeth believes that, to be successful in his ambitions, Macbeth must rise above his goodness and accept her evil ways. She knows that the
process of making her husband believe what she wants may not be easy. Lady Macbeth has to be cunning, and she is up for the challenge. The
thought of being in power – the King and Queen of Scotland – drives her and she cannot be stopped. Lady Macbeth often has to reinforce her
immoral beliefs to her husband, giving him a boost.
Was the hope drunk, wherein you dressed yourself? hath it slept since, and wakes it now, to look so green and pale at what it did so freely? From
this time such I account thy love. Art thou afeard to be the same in thine own act and valour, as thou art desire? Wouldst thous have that which thou
esteemst the ornament of life, and live a coward in thine own esteem, letting “I dare not” wait upon “I would,” Like the poor cat Ithe
adage?”(1.7.35-42)
Lady Macbeth implies that Macbeth is being cowardly by not going after what he wants. She preys upon her husbands pride to remind him of his
ambitions. Once she has schooled her husband in the art of deception, she must help him uphold this image and the lies. This deceit always results in
hazardous outcomes.
Although Lady Macbeth is the most talented deceiver, Macbeth is also lead into committing his own deceptions. He begins to learn from his wife,
and, in turn, proceeds to deceive many others. Deceiving his friends becomes a frequent habit, and Macbeth is forced to continue his lies and stories.
Do not muse at me, my most worthy friends; I have a strange
infirmity, which is nothing to those that know me. Come, love
and health to all; then Ill sit down. – Give me some wine: fill
full: – I drink to the general joy of the whole table, and to our
dear friend Banquo, whom we miss; would he were here. (3.4.84-91)
This falsehood is evident, as Macbeth is trying to fool his dinner guests about the reasons for his strange behaviour. Pretending that everything is
fine eventually does not work, and as the play continues, so does the deception on many different levels.
Deceiving others may seem difficult, but deceiving oneself leads to even bigger problems. Lady Macbeth is so occupied with trying to
mislead others, while rationalizing the deception to herself and her husband, that she does not notice how much the guilt