Date of Project

11-22-2025

Document Type

Honors Thesis

School Name

College of Arts and Sciences

Department

Theater Arts

Major Advisor

Zack Ross

Second Advisor

Megan Burnett

Abstract

A Heart So White: Musical Reflections on Lady Macbeth’s Mind reimagines one of Shakespeare’s most infamous characters through a trauma-informed lens. This thesis combines artistic creation with interdisciplinary research in psychology, dramaturgy, and musical theatre studies to explore Lady Macbeth’s psychological unraveling and reclaim her from centuries of villainization. Composing from Lady Macbeth’s perspective allowed for a deeper exploration of her guilt, dissociation, repression, and isolation—symptoms traditionally overlooked in favor of Macbeth’s more visible descent into violence. Through musical motifs, lyrical reinterpretation, and staging concepts, the work seeks to humanize Lady Macbeth and highlight how trauma shapes behavior, relationships, and identity. Ultimately, this project aims to challenge traditional portrayals of female antagonists and encourage more empathetic, psychologically nuanced interpretations of Shakespeare’s characters.

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