Lady Macbeth

In this section, Reid raises the stakes and builds momentum through rapid plot development. She continues to evoke the traditional five-act structure of a play, in which Act II consists of “rising action” or “rising movement.” For example, the arrival of Duncane and the Druide puts Roscille and Fléance at risk and introduces the possibility of regicide, compounded by the witches’ prophecy that Macbeth will be king. The reveal of his first wife’s existence, as well as her ambiguous supernatural quality and unknown fate, adds both mystery and threat. Meanwhile, Lisander’s strange request for a closed window and Duncane’s debilitating illness create an atmosphere of unease and also foreshadow their characters’ secrets. 

The rapidly intensifying situation pushes Roscille into a choice that determines the rest of the plot: Rather than turning to Lisander’s offer of help, she follows Macbeth’s instructions and kills Duncane. Besides establishing a cliffhanger for the next act, this functions as a fatal action from which there is no going back, and it escalates the vicious cycle trapping Roscille. Though she sees that her refusal to submit sexually started a chain of events spiraling beyond her control, her choice to submit to Macbeth fares no better. In carrying out his violence, she reaches her low point and enacts the novel’s ideas about Agency in a Violent World: No matter what Roscille does, she has no real choice while operating within the parameters of this system. 

Moreover, performing actions as an extension of Macbeth erodes Roscille’s sense of her individuality and humanity, developing the theme of The Origins of Individual Identity and Humanity. Reid presents this as a transformation. As Roscille burns her bloodied dress, she feels she is becoming Lady Macbeth instead of Roscille, symbolizing the destruction of her old self. Even before this, her struggle to retain her sense of self is embodied in her attempt to end her existence, which she goes about almost in a trance. Lisander reminds her of her humanity and individuality through his unconditional help and use of her mother tongue, but her connection to him also enhances her guilt when, knowing she plans to kill Duncane, she sees Lisander wiping his father’s face. Lisander’s kindness to both characters creates dramatic irony, building tension and pathos around Roscille’s impending act of violence.

The threat that a violent and patriarchal society poses to Roscille’s sense of self is nowhere clearer than in the novel’s treatment of her magic. As this section builds toward Duncane’s murder, Reid shows that Roscille feels trapped rather than empowered by her abilities. She notes that she would be killed if anyone knew her power’s extent, but it is clear that the fear it inspires is not a fear of magic per se but rather of how she could wield it to undermine the existing social hierarchy. Indeed, far from fearing her, Macbeth uses his knowledge of her magic to exercise control, blackmailing Roscille and cutting off her power by placing his hand over her eyes. In response, Roscille uses her power not to exercise her own agency but to fulfill her husband’s desires. The first time she unambiguously uses her magic to material effect, she does so to kill Duncane and the guards, twisting an element of herself in the process. 

Reid thus connects The Truth of Myth and Magic to her other themes and to Roscille’s journey. The murder scene establishes the literal, objective strength of Roscille’s magic but also shows that its power is limited by her social and political environment. Nevertheless, by ending the section with this practical demonstration of Roscille’s magic, Reid introduces a Chekov’s Gun, a literary device in which an object or element is introduced early in a narrative so that it can assume greater prominence later on. Reid implies further use of this magic as the narrative moves forward, hinting at her protagonist’s underlying power, building anticipation of her realization of it, and offering hope in a dark section of the narrative. 

The introduction of Lisander serves a similar purpose. Their relationship is heavily foreshadowed through Roscille’s immediate fascination with him, offering a glimpse of love and human connection amid her isolation. Overall, Reid uses this section to worsen Roscille’s situation, but she also includes hints at her redemption, enabling her to keep an element of lightness and entertainment in the tone.