In the last scene in which Lady Macbeth appears in person,
she has seemingly gone mad with guilt. It is a jarring juxtaposition between her
previous state of being--unflinchingly cruel, powerful, ambitious, and ruthless--and her
now vulnerable madness. Her emotions have gotten the better of
her.
Lady Macbeth's servant, the
gentlewoman/lady-in-waiting, convinces the palace doctor to watch Lady Macbeth as she
sleepwalks. In her sleep, she makes crazed references to the murder of King Duncan. The
gentlewoman does not want to repeat the words she says out loud, because she is afraid
she might be charged with treason if she utters what Lady Macbeth is saying. Thus, she
urges the doctor to hear the words for himself. As he observes her madness, he tells the
gentlewoman that there is nothing he can do for a malady of the mind. He becomes very
worried about her health and safety, but thinks that only God can help her. He instructs
the gentlewoman to watch Lady Macbeth closely.
This scene
shows the ending of Lady Macbeth. The tragedies that have happened will have preyed on
everyone involved, especially the cunning and conniving Lady Macbeth. Even though she
got angry with Macbeth for showing signs of remorse and weakness, she succumbs to these
things in the end.
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