and his strength of will and decisiveness increase as he begins to rely on himself and Lady Macbeth descends into madness where she is incapable of action. Macbeth then gains those masculine qualities for which he was formerly dependent upon his wife. In her madness, she loses those qualities and therefore, loses her capacity for evil, and is left in a state of inaction until her death.It is significant that evil actions in the plays are performed by both men and women and it is interesting to examine the link between women and men in these actions. The female evil characters are extremely important in their ability to shed light on and expand themes within the plays as well as to advance the plot lines. Endnotes1. It is interesting to note, however, that though the women in the plays are devious and evil, they do not actually perform any bloody deeds. Lady Macbeth comes closest by drugging and smearing the guards with blood but the women's capacity for evil tends not toward violence but rather toward cruelty and inciting their men to commit terrible acts. In this way, they strongly parallel a common perception of Eve as the terrible temptress who brought about Adam's downfall. ...
