‘How have visual techniques been used to portray Lady Macbeth as an evil character?’
The rise of an individual and the gain of power can often ignite thoughts and actions of greed
found deep inside. The graphic novel Macbeth by famous playwright William shakespeasre
portrays a dramatic struggle to control greed and ambition in an individual by the use of various
literary and graphic techniques. The graphic novel conveys the notion that ambition of great
power can lead to the downfall and demise of an individual. In the novel Macbeth becomes a
murderer due to his weakness, ambition. Lady Macbeth yearns to gain power by blackmailing
and manipulating her husband into getting what she wants which makes it easier to bend
Macbeth to her will and desires
The power of manipulation is a very powerful tool and can easily be misused to benefit the
person who uses it, while harming the people who are subject to its effects. This assertion is clear
in the opening of the novel (Act 1, Scene 5) as the catalyst, Lady Macbeth constantly questions
his manhood until he feels that he must commit murder to prove himself. Lady Macbeth
influences Macbeth’s fatal flaw and his desire to commit the deed by strengthening his “vaulting
ambition” by misleading him into believing he is manly enough or capable of ending someone’s
life. Lady Macbeth's desire for her wrongdoing to pass unseen by her prying eyes, while she tells
Macbeth to “Look like an innocent flower, but be the snake that hides beneath it” enables
Macbeth to deceive the people into believing he is just like them. This gives her the advantage to
control Macbeth into fulfilling her desires. The use of simile and descriptive language create an
image of his coercion for the reader. Lady Macbeth's facial expression emphasises seriousness in
her tone and allows Macbeth to easily strengthen his ambition to achieve power. Moreover, This
portrays her ability to successfully plot and execute king Duncan’s murder.
Oftentimes, when individuals get a taste for power they will fight to prevent losing said power
and strive to get more, which can lead to significant consequences as the balance of power shifts.
This is evident when (Act 2, Scene 2) Macbeth has committed “the deed” under the influence of
unchecked power, Macbeth takes actions that have serious consequences for himself and for
other characters in the play. The use of Juxtaposition depicts his regret and agitation through his
facial expressions illustrating his true emotional state with upward slanted eyebrows, wide open
eyes and beads of sweat pouring down his face. This is compared with the look of fulfilment on
lady Macbeth's face as she displays no physical sign of guilt. She is very cold and unsympathetic
once she hears Macbeth has done the deed. He is trembling with fear and cannot control his
emotions of guilt and remorse, looking at his hands wondering if “all great Neptune’s ocean
wash this blood clean from my hand? No, this my hand will rather the multitudinous seas
incarnadine, Making the green one red.” The imagery and descriptive language employed has an
effect on Macbeth as he will forever be a changed man as a result of what he has done. Hence,
conveying that Macbeth is indeed a man with good nature however is influenced by the explicit
The rise of an individual and the gain of power can often ignite thoughts and actions of greed
found deep inside. The graphic novel Macbeth by famous playwright William shakespeasre
portrays a dramatic struggle to control greed and ambition in an individual by the use of various
literary and graphic techniques. The graphic novel conveys the notion that ambition of great
power can lead to the downfall and demise of an individual. In the novel Macbeth becomes a
murderer due to his weakness, ambition. Lady Macbeth yearns to gain power by blackmailing
and manipulating her husband into getting what she wants which makes it easier to bend
Macbeth to her will and desires
The power of manipulation is a very powerful tool and can easily be misused to benefit the
person who uses it, while harming the people who are subject to its effects. This assertion is clear
in the opening of the novel (Act 1, Scene 5) as the catalyst, Lady Macbeth constantly questions
his manhood until he feels that he must commit murder to prove himself. Lady Macbeth
influences Macbeth’s fatal flaw and his desire to commit the deed by strengthening his “vaulting
ambition” by misleading him into believing he is manly enough or capable of ending someone’s
life. Lady Macbeth's desire for her wrongdoing to pass unseen by her prying eyes, while she tells
Macbeth to “Look like an innocent flower, but be the snake that hides beneath it” enables
Macbeth to deceive the people into believing he is just like them. This gives her the advantage to
control Macbeth into fulfilling her desires. The use of simile and descriptive language create an
image of his coercion for the reader. Lady Macbeth's facial expression emphasises seriousness in
her tone and allows Macbeth to easily strengthen his ambition to achieve power. Moreover, This
portrays her ability to successfully plot and execute king Duncan’s murder.
Oftentimes, when individuals get a taste for power they will fight to prevent losing said power
and strive to get more, which can lead to significant consequences as the balance of power shifts.
This is evident when (Act 2, Scene 2) Macbeth has committed “the deed” under the influence of
unchecked power, Macbeth takes actions that have serious consequences for himself and for
other characters in the play. The use of Juxtaposition depicts his regret and agitation through his
facial expressions illustrating his true emotional state with upward slanted eyebrows, wide open
eyes and beads of sweat pouring down his face. This is compared with the look of fulfilment on
lady Macbeth's face as she displays no physical sign of guilt. She is very cold and unsympathetic
once she hears Macbeth has done the deed. He is trembling with fear and cannot control his
emotions of guilt and remorse, looking at his hands wondering if “all great Neptune’s ocean
wash this blood clean from my hand? No, this my hand will rather the multitudinous seas
incarnadine, Making the green one red.” The imagery and descriptive language employed has an
effect on Macbeth as he will forever be a changed man as a result of what he has done. Hence,
conveying that Macbeth is indeed a man with good nature however is influenced by the explicit
