There are several possibilities to explain Lady Macbeth's demise. One of the most compelling has to do with Lady Macbeth's relationship with her husband. At the beginning of the play, Lady Macbeth holds power over Macbeth. She convinces Macbeth to kill Duncan by insulting him, as seen in Act 1 Scene 7 when she says, "When you durst do it, then you were a man." However, after Macbeth kills Duncan, his bloodlust grows. He stops listening to her and cuts her out of his plans, like his plan to kill Banquo. She realizes that she has lost control of her husband and this devastates her. Her sleepwalking is evidence of this, as she says, "The thane of Fife had a wife. Where is she now?—What, will these hands ne'er be clean?—" (5.1). Banquo was the thane of Fife, and Macbeth had him and his wife murdered. She realizes that she is just as guilty for their deaths as the death of Duncan.
Upon hearing of the supernatural prediction that claims her husband will be king of Scotland, Lady Macbeth's heartlessness and ambition kick into high gear. She persuades Macbeth to kill Duncan, manipulating him by questioning his manhood and exhibiting murderous and coldhearted ambition. Later, once the deed is done and Duncan is dead, Lady Macbeth unravels. Her psychological disturbances are not explained in any sort of explicit way, but the audience learns from the physician attending her that her problems are more spiritual than physical; he believes she needs a priest to absolve her of the guilt evidenced by her erratic and confused mumbling. Lady Macbeth may be a more fragile person psychologically than the strength of her ambition suggests at the start of the play; it is also implied that she may have lost a baby, which is a tragedy that may have unhinged her in the first place.
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