Macbeth dies when Macduff, rightful heir to the throne, besieges his castle and beheads him in battle. The play provides a detailed exploration of the pathological effects of guilty conscience. While his wife seems at first to be less remorseful than Macbeth, it is she who exhibits classical Renaissance symptoms of mental disturbance. In the famous sleepwalking scene, she is observed and commented on by a doctor. Lady Macbeth dies soon after.
Gender is crucial in the effects of guilt.
While Lady Macbeth's ambition is instrumental in bringing about the murder, the play implies that as a woman she is less able to withstand the strain than her husband is. Also known as The Tragedy of Macbeth.