Reading Shakespeare's famous tragedy, Macbeth, I noticed that Lady Macbeth and Macbeth were often given equal blame for crimes that were not committed in the same way. Lady Macbeth's only crimes are in her words, which are certainly treacherous, but she never actually kills or hires others to kill for her; such crimes belong exclusively to Macbeth and therefore only he should be held responsible for them. In Shakespeare's Macbeth, Lady Macbeth's wickedness is depicted as equal to that of Macbeth, although their crimes are in no way of the same magnitude, and when her husband becomes a tyrant, she shares his condemnation. One of the recurring themes in Macbeth is that of choices. and how they influence one's destiny. Macbeth's fall from grace is not sudden or involuntary, but rather a slow descent of poor choices. Lady Macbeth may help him strengthen his beliefs but, in the end, every choice was his. When for the first time the witches cry “Hail to Macbeth, who shall be king henceforth” (Macbeth, I. 3. 50)! Predicting Macbeth's reign of Scotland, my initial thought was that only a fool would heed the words of such a dark trio, however righteous their news, for those who did could only come to a dark end. Macbeth listens to the witches of his own free will, without Lady Macbeth's influence. Indeed, it is only after Macbeth realizes that to seize the throne one must first be empty that Lady Macbeth takes on a role. He encourages Macbeth to take the most direct route to the crown by killing King Duncan, and, after a long discussion, Macbeth declares: "I am settled and bow / Every corporal agent to this terrible feat" (Macbeth, I. 7. 79-80 ), indicating that his decision has been made and that he will kill Duncan. Though Lady Macbeth may have helped... middle of paper... blossomed from the evil that consumes her husband, and her image becomes tainted by the association "Though all evil things wear the brows of grace,/ Yet grace it must yet appear so” (Macbeth, IV. 3. 23-24). This concept describes Lady Macbeth's predicament well in that, as evil takes the guise of goodness, true goodness is often ignored a tragic end, succumbing to madness from guilt over crimes she did not commit and ultimately killing herself As Lady Macbeth sleepwalks muttering about the murders Macbeth has committed, her doctor notes that "Unnatural deeds / Breed unnatural trouble" ( Macbeth, V. 1. 67-68).Truth, Lady Macbeth does not even remotely share Macbeth's degree of guilt, however, they are both involved in unnatural events. Unfortunately for Lady Macbeth, such aberrant events often distort the truth.