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Macbeth Essay There are three major influences in the play “Macbeth” by William Shakespeare. The three major influences are the witches, Lady Macbeth, and Macbeth but only one of them is responsible for the downfall of Macbeth. At first it would appear that Lady Macbeth and Macbeth’s marriage is an equal partnership. But as the play continues it is evident that Lady Macbeth was the dominant of the two characters, she could have persuaded Macbeth to do anything if she so wished. And though she does not openly exercise her power over him in public, in private she often uses humiliation and emotional bribery to manipulate Macbeth to execute her will. Lady Macbeth is not a typical woman of Shakespearean time in this play. In that time a woman would just be at home cooking, cleaning and looking after the children. They wouldn’t have an active role in public life. However Shakespeare has created Lady Macbeth as untraditional. She talks to Macbeth about his problems, insults him, doubts his honor and courage. A woman might have been badly beaten for saying something like it but Shakespeare has made Macbeth tolerate that and it has great effects on him. Because of Lady Macbeths influence it can be argued that Lady Macbeth is re