October 27th

What could destroy or build a person’s self worth?

ACT 1; SCENE VII
LADY MACBETH What beast was't, then, That made you break this enterprise to me? When you durst do it, then you were a man; And, to be more than what you were, you would Be so much more the man. Nor time nor place Did then adhere, and yet you would make both: They have made themselves, and that their fitness now Does unmake you. I have given suck, and know How tender 'tis to love the babe that milks me: I would, while it was smiling in my face, Have pluck'd my nipple from his boneless gums, And dash'd the brains out, had I so sworn as you Have done to this.


I chose this passage because it demonstrates how much power lady Macbeth holds over her husband. She's especially masculine in her way of controlling him. She attacks his masculinity, and therefore manipulates Macbeth into the murder of Duncan by suggesting he's less of a man if he doesn't go through with the deed. This kind of manipulation would lower anyone's self esteem. We seem to be quite absorbed with ourselves as humans, and therefore are concerned with what people think of us. Lady Macbeth's self esteem must be quite low, if she 's unhappy with what she can do as a woman. She refers to her sex a few times, mentioning how much more she could do if she were a man. One of the underlying reasons people manipulate others is to subconsciously or consciously gain acceptance of themselves; a sense of power.