Macbeth Project

Adam Magnone and Lena LeGere

Friend monologue (to audience): My dearest friend Lady Macbeth has been villainous lately. Her
presence as she walks into a room is cold and unseen. I’m astonished at the murders that she has
been connected to in the recent times. Her confessions have me sworn to secrecy not to tell anyone
of the crimes she has committed. Convincing her husband, Macbeth, to commit such acts makes her as equally guilty as him. Although she has not physically murdered anyone her verbal commands to kill are heard throughout the mind of her husband. I can no longer bear the weight of the murderous confession that Lady Macbeth has told me. As her dearest and closest friend I have always been by her side, but with this situation I fear I must go against her.
The first murder of King Duncan came with such a shock. Macbeth was not confident and showed signs of weakness when it came to standing up for himself. Lady Macbeth told me that Macbeth had ambition and wanted greatness but lacked the ruthlessness that was needed. Lady Macbeth showed power and strength with her pursuance to murder. She strived for her and her husband to be the rulers of Scotland. Lady Macbeth began to think evil thoughts even expressing to me her desire to rid her of the natural tenderness of her sex and fill her from head to toe with direst cruelty. I didn’t think Macbeth would commit such a crime after faltering with the plan to kill Duncan. At one point Lady Macbeth needed to finish the task by framing the guards with smeared blood and placing the daggers in their hands. After the murder was complete Macbeth immediately felt guilty. Hallucinations crept into Macbeth’s fragile mind when he imagined the guards saw him kill Duncan. Lady Macbeth reassured Macbeth that everything was going to be okay, to just go to bed and don’t get lost in thought. I overheard Lady Macbeth telling Macbeth to, “Look like the innocent flower, but be the snake that’s lying under it.”
I feel that Lady Macbeth is just as responsible for the murder of Duncan. I believe that Lady Macbeth knows that she is just as responsible. Her actions have still shown strength but internally she was weakening. At the state banquet Macbeth started to make a scene. He was talking to an unseen person as if he were talking to himself. Lady Macbeth came to Macbeth’s side to relieve the situation. She told the guests that he had a problem since childhood where he would throw raging fits and to please ignore him so his fit would not be extended. As the guests continued to question Macbeth’s unusual behaviors Lady Macbeth miraculously fainted to put the attention on her. Later that evening after the festivities were complete, Lady Macbeth and I talked. She revealed to me the true reason why Macbeth acted the way he did at the night’s banquet. She told me about how she and Macbeth decided to kill Duncan for the crown and Macbeth set up the murder of his best friend Banquo. Macbeth had seen Banquo’s ghost sitting in his seat that night. I could not believe what I heard and I was quick to put the responsibility of Macbeth’s actions in the hands of Lady Macbeth.
I have visited the castle in the past weeks and have discovered the gloomy tone of the castle with Macbeth becoming less remorseful and Lady Macbeth suffering from the ailments of guilt. I am saddened to say that I feel no sympathy for what Lady Macbeth is suffering from. She initiated Macbeth’s deadly murderous path. Macbeth had decided the night of Duncan’s murder that Duncan did not deserve to die, but Lady Macbeth called him a coward saying he was, “like the poor cat in the proverb that wanted to fish but wouldn’t get its feet wet.” By testing his manhood Macbeth succumbed Lady Macbeth’s pressure. Lady Macbeth has been the catalyst to these murders and she is to blame.
I have watched my friend deteriorate and have heard from the chambermaid of the drastic changes to her behavior in the previous weeks. She has begun sleepwalking and talking in her sleep revealing the plans of the murders. I am not shocked to hear the fall of her strength and the rise of her devastation. She has been in danger of harming herself and others, so I will have no regret saying how I am glad our friendship will no longer continue due to her death via suicide. My reputation was at stake while I was connected to such evil, bloody tyrants. I have now cleansed by mind of secret sins committed by others and entrusted in me. I am now able to move on with my life away from this damaged castle.