explore the relationship between macbeth and lady macbeth essay

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‘Macbeth’ Grade 9 Example Response

Grade 9 – full mark – ‘Macbeth’ response

Starting with this extract (from act 1 scene 7), how does Shakespeare present the relationship between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth?

In Shakespeare’s eponymous tragedy ‘Macbeth’, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s relationship is a complex portrait of love, illustrating layers of utter devotion alongside overwhelming resentment. Though the couple begins the play unnaturally strong within their marriage, this seems to act as an early warning of their imminent and inevitable fall from grace, ending the play in an almost entirely different relationship than the one they began the play with.

In the exposition of the play, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth initially appear immensely strong within their marriage, with Macbeth describing his wife as ‘my dearest partner of greatness’ in act 1 scene 5. The emotive superlative adjective ‘dearest’ is a term of endearment, and acts as a clear depiction of how valued Lady Macbeth is by her husband. Secondly, the noun ‘partner’ creates a sense of sincere equality which, as equality within marriage would have been unusual in the Jacobean era, illustrates to a contemporary audience the positive aspects of their relationship. Furthermore the lexical choice ‘greatness’ may connote ambition, and as they are ‘partner(s)’, Shakespeare suggests that Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are equal in their desire for power and control, further confirming their compatibility but potentially hinting that said compatibility will serve as the couple’s hamartia.

However, the strength of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s relationship falls into a rapid downward spiral in the subsequent scenes, as a struggle for power within the marriage ensues. This is evidenced when Macbeth, in act 1 scene 7, uses the declarative statement ‘we will proceed no further in this business’. Here, Macbeth seems to exude masculinity, embracing his gender role and dictating both his and his wife’s decisions. The negation ‘no’ clearly indicates his alleged definitive attitude. However, Lady Macbeth refuses to accept her husband’s rule, stating ‘when you durst do it, then you were a man’. She attempts to emasculate him to see their plan through. The verb ‘durst’ illustrates the risk taking behaviour that Lady Macbeth is encouraging; implying an element of toxicity within their relationship, and her harsh speech makes the cracks in their relationship further visible to the audience. It is also probable that a contemporary audience would be made severely uncomfortable in the presence of Lady Macbeth’s unapologetic display of power, and it is possible that Shakespeare attempts to paint Lady Macbeth as the villain of the play, playing upon the audience’s pre-determined fears of feminine power. Though Lady Macbeth appears to be acting entirely out of self-interest, another reader may argue that she influences her husband so heavily to commit the heinous act of regicide, as she believes that he crown may as a substitute for the child or children that Shakespeare suggests she and Macbeth have lost previously, and in turn better Macbeth’s life and bring him to the same happiness that came with the child, except in another form.

As the play progresses, Shakespeare creates more and more distance between the characters, portraying the breakdown of their relationship as gradual within the play but rapid in the overall sense of time on stage. For example, Lady Macbeth requests a servant ‘say to the king’ Lady Macbeth ‘would attend his leisure/ for a few words’. Here she is reduced to the status of someone far lesser than the king, having to request to speak to her own husband. It could be interpreted that, now as king, Macbeth holds himself above all else, even his wife, perhaps due to the belief of the divine right of kings. The use of the title rather than his name plainly indicated the lack of closeness Lady Macbeth now feels with Macbeth and intensely emotionally separates them. This same idea is referenced as Shakespeare develops the characters to almost juxtapose each other in their experiences after the murder of Duncan. For example, Macbeth seems to be trapped in a permanent day, after ‘Macbeth does murder sleep’ and his guilt and paranoia render him unable to rest. In contrast, Lady Macbeth takes on an oppositional path, suffering sleepwalking and unable to wake from her nightmare; repeating the phrase ‘to bed. To bed’ as if trapped in a never-ending night. This illustrates to the audience the extreme transformation Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s relationship undergoes, and how differently they end up experiencing the aftermath of regicide.

In conclusion, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth begin the play almost too comfortable within their marriage, which seems to invite the presence of chaos and tragedy into their relationship. Their moral compositions are opposing one another, which leads to the distancing and total breakdown of their once successful marriage and thus serves as a warning to the audience about the effects of murder, and what the deadly sin of greed can do to a person and a marriage.

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gcseenglishwithmisshuttlestone

Secondary English teacher in Herts. View all posts by gcseenglishwithmisshuttlestone

9 thoughts on “‘Macbeth’ Grade 9 Example Response”

wheres the context

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It is also probable that a contemporary audience would be made severely uncomfortable in the presence of Lady Macbeth’s unapologetic display of power, and it is possible that Shakespeare attempts to paint Lady Macbeth as the villain of the play, playing upon the audience’s pre-determined fears of feminine power.

Also ref to ‘divine right of kings’

Thank you! This is a brilliant response. Just what I needed. Could you also please include the extract in the question.

We will proceed no further in this business. He hath honored me of late, and I have bought Golden opinions from all sorts of people, Which would be worn now in their newest gloss, Not cast aside so soon.

—> until end of scene

She did (Act 1 Scene 7)

Another great resource for grade 9 Macbeth analysis https://youtu.be/bGzLDRX71bs

In order to get a grade 9 for a piece like this would you need to include a wide range of vocabulary or could you write the same thing ‘dumbed down’ and get a 9.

If the ideas were as strong then yes, but your writing must AT LEAST be ‘clear’ for a grade 6 or above.

This is really great, I’m in Year 10 doing my Mock on Thursday, a great point that i have found (because I also take history) Is the depiction of women throughout the play, during the Elizabethan era, (before the Jacobean era) many people had a changed view of women as Queen Elizabeth was such a powerful woman, glimpses of this have been shown in Jacobean plays, in this case Macbeth, Lady Macbeth is depicted as powerful although she had to be killed of to please King James (as he was a misogynist) women are also depicted as evil in the play, such as the three witches, I also found that the Witches are in three which could be a mockery to the Holy Trinity.

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Macbeth and Lady Macbeth Relationship: Love and Ambition

The essay examines the complex relationship between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth in Shakespeare’s tragedy. It focuses on themes of love, ambition, and power dynamics within their partnership. The piece delves into how their relationship evolves from mutual ambition to tragic downfall, scrutinizing key scenes that highlight their interactions and the influence they exert over each other. It also discusses the psychological aspects of their characters, exploring how ambition and guilt manifest in their marriage. More free essay examples are accessible at PapersOwl about Social Psychology.

How it works

• 1.1 A Caring Partnership Begins
• 1.2 Separate Paths, Collective Downfall
• 2 Shakespeare’s View on Love
• 3 Modern Perspective on Love in Macbeth
• 4.1 References

The Complexity of Love and Ambition

Love demands your full attention. Lady Macbeth and Macbeth’s marriage takes a backseat to their ambitions, which greatly complicates their relationship. Complicating is the best way to describe the relationship between Lady Macbeth and Macbeth. They are both driven by power, are very supportive of each other, and, in the beginning, are treated as equals. Their marriage is the best relationship in all of Shakespeare’s plays, until the murder of King Duncan slowly ruins it.

Their relationship, and later in the play lack thereof, play a small role in both of their downfalls, to imply that while love is a good thing, it can easily be destructive under the wrong circumstances.

A Caring Partnership Begins

Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s relationship is a very caring one, at least initially. Lady Macbeth is loyal, corroborates Macbeth, and sets up plans to help him achieve his goals. She takes advantage of the opportunity that has been presented before them. In her first appearance at the end of Act 1, she is remarkably fervent about murdering Duncan and gives Macbeth the advice he needs to help pull it off, saying, “Look like the innocent flower, but be the serpent under.” After he kills Duncan, he is overtaken by guilt, and Lady Macbeth is there for him. The ambiguous prophecies of the Three Witches also harm their relationship as after he initially acquiesces to their prophecies, he begins to trust too much in them. He does not tell her about the clandestine meetings with the three murderers. As soon as Macbeth distances himself from his wife, their downfall is inevitable. They began dealing with their problems alone, and their weaknesses got the best of them. Their lack of a strong relationship contributes to their own downfall. In terms of marriage, especially during this time, they genuinely love each other. After the murder of Duncan, their relationship begins to decline, and so does the quality of their lives.

Separate Paths, Collective Downfall

Macbeth incorrectly construes the prophecies of the Three Witches, becomes an arrogant despot, distances himself from his wife, and stops involving her in his plans. Without his wife, he is messy, and his hired covert murderers do not completely pull off the murders of Fleance and Macduff’s family. There were multiple factors that contributed to the downfall of Lady Macbeth, and one of those was her lack of involvement with Macbeth during the later acts of the story. In the article ‘Unnatural Deeds do Breed Unnatural Troubles,’ it states, “Her ambition for her husband and herself proved fatal to him, far more so that the prophecies of the witches; but even when she pushed him into murder she believed she was helping him to do what he merely lacked the nerve to attempt.” Lady Macbeth honestly believes she is helping him but does not realize the unintended consequences of her actions, which, as part of a larger problem, would ruin their relationship. While they are both responsible for their own downfalls, Shakespeare uses their relationship, along with all of the others in his many plays, to express his feelings about love.

Shakespeare’s View on Love

Confusing, complicated, and unpredictable. These are just a few of the words to describe William Shakespeare’s feelings on love, as expressed throughout many of his plays, as most of them have some sort of an element of romance in them. Shakespeare’s personal life does not reveal much about his feelings, as he does not explicitly state how he feels in any of his personal writings. There are also many kinds of love, as portrayed by his plays Romeo and Juliet, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Twelfth Night, and Hamlet. Some of these traits are misguided, tragic, and genuine, but the disparities are clear. In Macbeth, Shakespeare implies that love can contribute to one’s own undoing if one allows it to. Lady Macbeth manipulates Macbeth to kill Duncan, which starts a chain reaction in slowly undoing their relationship. Shakespeare’s beliefs on love are unclear, but never in any of his plays does he suggest that love leads to self-destruction.

Modern Perspective on Love in Macbeth

Love is very different from the tragedy of Macbeth. Most relationships do not involve planning to murder the king together. Love mostly plays a background role in Macbeth, but in real life, falling in love and getting married are some of the biggest aspects of life. Love is extremely convoluted. There are lots of elements and hard work that are necessary for a healthy relationship. It is incredibly challenging to maintain a good relationship, with the many possible obstacles in the way. Love cannot be forced. People are willing to go to great lengths to put themselves out there and are willing to try just about anything for a chance at a relationship. The truth is you cannot force something that is not there, and if left unchecked can be an unhealthy obsession. Love is a strong object that brings out the best and worst in people.

Final Thoughts: Love’s Power and Consequences

Lady Macbeth and Macbeth, along with their inability to keep a good relationship with each other, are responsible for their own downfall. Their relationship is not the main reason for their demise, but the lack of one did not help. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s marriage was one of real love, one that was ruined by their ambitions and selfishness. William Shakespeare expresses one of his beliefs on love throughout the play to state that love is a powerful object that can lead to heartbreak or to one of the best feelings in the world. The song The Power of Love says it best, “The power of love is a curious thing, make a one man weep, make another man sing.

• Shakespeare, W. (1606). Macbeth.
• Bloom, H. (2010). Bloom’s Shakespeare Through the Ages: Macbeth. Infobase Publishing.
• Bryson, B. (2008). Shakespeare: The World as Stage. HarperCollins.
• Greenblatt, S. (2004). Will in the World: How Shakespeare Became Shakespeare. W. W. Norton & Company.
• Stallybrass, P. (1986). Macbeth and witchcraft. Witchcraft in Early Modern Europe: Studies in Culture and Belief. Cambridge University Press.

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Macbeth and Lady Macbeth Relationship: Love and Ambition. (2023, Jun 21). Retrieved from https://papersowl.com/examples/macbeth-and-lady-macbeth-relationship-love-and-ambition/

"Macbeth and Lady Macbeth Relationship: Love and Ambition." PapersOwl.com , 21 Jun 2023, https://papersowl.com/examples/macbeth-and-lady-macbeth-relationship-love-and-ambition/

PapersOwl.com. (2023). Macbeth and Lady Macbeth Relationship: Love and Ambition . [Online]. Available at: https://papersowl.com/examples/macbeth-and-lady-macbeth-relationship-love-and-ambition/ [Accessed: 11 May. 2024]

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"Macbeth and Lady Macbeth Relationship: Love and Ambition," PapersOwl.com , 21-Jun-2023. [Online]. Available: https://papersowl.com/examples/macbeth-and-lady-macbeth-relationship-love-and-ambition/. [Accessed: 11-May-2024]

PapersOwl.com. (2023). Macbeth and Lady Macbeth Relationship: Love and Ambition . [Online]. Available at: https://papersowl.com/examples/macbeth-and-lady-macbeth-relationship-love-and-ambition/ [Accessed: 11-May-2024]

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Mr Salles Teaches English

How Does Shakespeare Portray the Relationship Between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth

A free grade 9 essay.

The question is from November 2021

Shakespeare utilises the relationship between Lady Macbeth and Macbeth to represent a patriarchal society where men are encouraged to be violent, whereas women are expected to lurk behind their husbands, only gaining power through the strength of their spouses, demonstrating how women were seen as property of their male societal superiors, with the breaking of this “divine” order by Macbeth and Lady Macbeth resulting in their formerly intimate relationship ending solemnly apart.

Lady Macbeth is first introduced by Shakespeare in Act 1 Scene 5, reading a letter sent after the success of Macbeth on the battlefield – this introduction representing how Lady Macbeth is inherently associated with Macbeth as she was his property according to Jacobean laws. Yet she challenges those traditional gender roles after reading the letter by describing Macbeth as “ too full of the milk of human kindness ”, despite hearing about her husband’s battlefield success. She immediately suggests murder, and hints to regicide, which would have broken the ‘Great Chain of Being’ which sustained societal roles in British society at the time.

She asks for “ spirits that tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here ”, wanting to break those traditional gender roles by going against God, and asking for the power of “ spirits ” instead. Perhaps Shakespeare is trying to reaffirm the role of the male King James after the death of Queen Elizabeth I, describing women trying to gain power as breaking against the will of God, and here Shakespeare describes powerful men like Duncan, Banquo and Malcolm as righteous, whereas the couple who try to break typical societal gender roles are condemned to death, these being the Macbeths. She asks to “ take my milk to gall ”, indicating to us that she was formerly pregnant with a child of Macbeth’s who may have died in the womb, signifying weakness in Lady Macbeth and perhaps the idea that was God’s wrath upon the couple, not giving them an heir, due to their destruction of traditional gender roles.

In Act 1 Scene 7, Lady Macbeth attacks Macbeth for not wanting to kill Duncan, attacking his manhood: “ when you durst do it, then you were a man ”. Perhaps Shakespeare is trying to espouse a more positive form of masculinity, similar to Malcolm’s change from Act 3 Scene 4 to Act 5 Scene 9, where he realises that men have weaknesses too. Alternatively, it could represent how men were expected to be decisive in decision making and Lady Macbeth could be trying to exploit Macbeth’s untraditionally indecisive mind.

Likewise, in the extract, Lady Macbeth once again attacks Macbeth even after he murders Duncan, perhaps indicating to the audience that their relationship is an unhappy one. Macbeth describes his thoughts immediately after he killed Duncan, emphasing that “ Sleep no more, Macbeth does murder sleep ”, with the anaphora of “sleep” perhaps indicating that he will not be able to spend time with his wife, that being in the bedroom with her. Lady Macbeth taunts Macbeth, saying “ Who was it, who thus cried? ” – trying to align his thoughts in her direction, dismissing the mental troubles that he is having after Duncan’s murder. Lady Macbeth simultaneously tries to gain power through her husband, also praising him as a “ noble thane ”, with the conjunction of those two words associated with royalty indicating her high respect and standards of him.

However, she attacks his masculinity once more by describing him as “ Infirm of purpose! ”, with the use of the adjective “ infirm ” suggesting that he is unable to decide what he is to do next, or it could be interpreted as a euphemism for their more intimate relationship, perhaps criticising him for the death of their child, which would have broken Jacobean expectations of women, who were seen as the only possible cause for a man being unable to have a child, linking to the wider patriarchy that existed at the time. Macbeth is pushed further than his limits by his wife, wanting to “ go no more ”, the use of the iambic pentameter showing how afraid and fearful he is, once he broke the Great Chain of Being by committing regicide. Lady Macbeth, in contrast, uses trochaic tetrameter when she says “ For it must seem their guilt ”, with the use of trochaic tetrameter symbolising that she has malicious and evil intentions, perhaps because she is going against what the Jacobeans would have believed was the will of God himself, trying to take on a masculine role while encouraging regicide.

Once Macbeth is king though, she loses her former power and significance, and perhaps we could see this as Macbeth using her like an object to further his “vaulting ambition”, then disposing of her once he gets what he wanted, the kingship. One instance of this deteriorating relationship is in the beginning of Act 3, where Macbeth decides to kill Banquo, and tells Lady Macbeth “ Be innocent of the knowledge, dearest chuck, till thou applaud the deed ”. This description of his wife as “ dearest chuck ” undermines her martial status, with the use of the noun “ chuck ” almost presenting her as a friend rather than Macbeth’s partner in regicide and in life.

We get to see the final destruction of their relationship in the beginning of Act 5, where Lady Macbeth, while sleepwalking, sees herself in the perspective of her husband, repeating his line in Act 2 Scene 2, where he describes all of “ Neptune’s oceans ”, being unable to get the water off his hands. Perhaps this sudden change from the emasculating Lady Macbeth from Act 1 to the vulnerable and suicidal one from Act 5 represents Lady Macbeth paying the price for breaking the patriarchy and reverting to a more traditionally feminine state, with the description of the oceans as being “ Neptune’s oceans ”, perhaps showing her distance from God and Jacobean morality. The irony is that while Macbeth thought he heard “ Glamis shall sleep no more ”, it was in fact his wife who didn’t manage to get sleep by the end of the play, traumatised by his actions, perhaps showing the Jacobean belief in vulnerable women who relied on their male social superiors.

She finishes her soliloquy by saying “ to bed, to bed ”, indicating that she is in need of her husband, yet he is nowhere to be found, reinforcing the Jacobean idea that a woman is vulnerable and requires a man to survive. Macbeth’s unscrupulous response to her death, saying “ she should have died hereafter ”, also indicates his lack of need of a wife, perhaps showing that Shakespeare believed a man didn’t need his wife, shown by his long time away from his wife Anne Hathaway while he was in London making plays, only leaving her his “second-best bed”.

Lady Macbeth dies away from her husband, with the only live indicator of her death being “ a cry of women within ”, symbolising by the end of the play how the relationship of the Macbeths is destroyed due to both of them trying to reject the traditional morals of a Jacobean society while going against the divine will of God, with the relationship ending solemnly and without any fanfare, with only Macbeth wishing she had died “ hereafter ”, linking back to the tragedy that is Shakespeare’s ‘Macbeth’.

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My Commentary

If I had to reduce all the marketing criteria for Grade 9 to simple steps, it would be this:

Have at least a 3 part thesis

Include at least 15 quotes

Constantly refer to Shakespeare’s purpose (and include Jacobean society)

Refer to the patriarchal society

Bring in context to prove your point, embedding it like a quote

Work through the play chronologically

Include a quotation in your conclusion

(Lady Macbeth, in contrast, uses trochaic tetrameter when she says “ For it must seem their guilt ”, with the use of trochaic tetrameter symbolising that she has malicious and evil intentions) - you would get away with this I think, but I think it is definitely still iambic pentameter!

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Examine the changing relationship between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth in

Examine the changing relationship between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth in “Macbeth” and discuss how this is presented by Shakespeare.

Throughout “Macbeth” there are changes in the relationship between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth as they both in turn take on the role of the more dominant character. Shakespeare presents the play in such a way that the audience sees how progressively their relationship changes dramatically as a result of how they each handle their emotions following the murder of King Duncan.

It is evident at the beginning of the play that Lady Macbeth is the dominant character in the play. She is portrayed as ambitious, manipulative and overpowering by Shakespeare. When Lady Macbeth is first introduced in to the play she is reading a letter from Macbeth, describing the Witches’ prophecy and her reaction does not display uncertainty or suspicion. Her only concern is of whether Macbeth is capable of fulfilling the prophecy and she is certain that the “valour of my tongue” will persuade him. This letter in itself shows the nature of Macbeth’s relationship with Lady Macbeth as he clearly trusts her to a great extent to have shared this potentially treasonous information with his wife, describing the Witches’ predictions which indeed could become truth. The letter shows a deep love between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth and the phrase “my dearest partner of greatness” suggests that he sees her as an equal. At this time in history, women were seen as inferior to men and therefore this is significant.

Lady Macbeth sees Macbeth as a weak character and is determined to “pour mine spirits in thine ear.” Already at this point in the play we can see that Macbeth does not share his wife’s ruthless edge and she is confident that she can manipulate him as her main objective is the task of killing King Duncan. Lady Macbeth prays to the dark powers to “unsex me here” and “come to my woman’s breasts and take my milk for gall” as she wants to replace her maternal femininity with cruelty. This could perhaps show a weaker side to her personality as it indicates she was not born evil and needs guidance from the supernatural in order to gain this extra infusion of darkness. Lady Macbeth uses imperatives in her speech which display determination and urgency. Shakespeare implies that Lady Macbeth has no feelings of guilt or remorse and when she says, “That croaks the fatal entrance of Duncan,” we are aware that this is where she intends the murder to take place. She is willing to sacrifice her femininity and humanity to “give solely sovereign sway and masterdom” to Macbeth and herself.

When Macbeth enters they greet each other warmly and Lady Macbeth immediately tells her husband of her plan to murder the king. Shakespeare constructs the character of Lady Macbeth to reveal absoluteness and purpose to her personality, to indicate her control of the situation and to show that she now has the upper hand in their relationship. This portrays an unusual relationship at this time when men were seen as far more important than women.

Lady Macbeth uses veiled talk in order to persuade Macbeth to go along with her plan and to disguise her cruel intentions. She does not specifically say that she wishes Macbeth would murder the king but instead says, “Shall sun that morrow see,” which indicates Duncan will never see the sun rise tomorrow. Lady Macbeth tells her husband not to give anything away in the face and to act “like the innocent flower” and not reveal “the serpent under’t.” Deception is an important theme throughout “Macbeth” as we learn to be aware that appearances are not always what they seem. Lady Macbeth says, “Your face, my thane, is as a book where men may read strange matters. To beguile the time, look like the time.” This speech to Macbeth shows how she manipulates her husband and is telling him how to act when around other people. When Macbeth tries to interject Lady Macbeth’s plans she simply speaks over him, soothes his concerns and making him agree to portray an innocent face.

In the next scene, Lady Macbeth welcomes Duncan and his attendant lords into Macbeth’s castle and plays the part of a perfect hostess. She is true to her own advice and is kind and warm hearted to her guests when all the while she plans to murder King Duncan.

This is a preview of the whole essay

Macbeth weighs up the pros and cons of murdering King Duncan. We see a more humane side to Macbeth’s character and his guilt begins to isolate him from his wife. This shows that Macbeth has a conscience and lives by morals. He knows how serious regicide is and therefore has doubts in his mind. Although Macbeth wants to be king, he is unsure of himself and Lady Macbeth takes advantage of his vulnerability and manipulates him by questioning his manhood and loyalty to her. She claims that she would rather kill her own child and “Have pluck’d my nipple from his boneless gums, And dash’d the brains out” than back down, therefore breaking a promise. This is a powerful image and further increases her mask of cold ambition. Shakespeare shows how in Lady Macbeth’s mind she links femininity with goodness and truth and tries to rid herself of her femininity. Lady Macbeth states that the crown is the “ornament of life” and it would be cowardly not to seek it. Macbeth deeply desires power and Lady Macbeth’s words convince him that murder is a small price to pay for the throne.

Evidence of Lady Macbeth’s influence on Macbeth can be found when Macbeth says, “False face must hide what the false heart doth know,” since this is echoing his wife’s words in a previous scene when she is trying to convince him to “look like the innocent flower.” At this point in the play, Lady Macbeth is the domineering partner in her relationship between her and Macbeth and we see that she exerts ample power over her husband.

The audience can see that Macbeth is now ready to carry out this terrible deed. Macbeth’s character reveals a strong power of imagination at the end of Act I Scene 3 when he begins to deceive people. Shakespeare constructs this scene so that in Macbeth’s asides he reveals a deeply disturbed mind. We see a connection between the Witches and Macbethas his words, “So foul and fair a day I have not seen,” relate to the Witches significant line in Scene 1 “Fair is foul, and foul is fair.”

Whilst Macbeth waits for the signal from his wife, he hallucinates and sees a dagger pointing towards Duncan’s chamber. This reflects his disturbed mind and in his soliloquy he uses images of witchcraft, wolves and ghosts to ally himself with the supernatural and murder.

Lady Macbeth has convinced Macbeth to commit regicide by targeting a flaw in his personality which she recognises as basic dishonesty. I feel that the fact that Lady Macbeth sees Macbeth as an easy target with a weak character does not explain his actions as Lady Macbeth’s manipulating, clever ways could not have convinced Macbeth to carry out the deed if he was wholly good.

We begin to see cracks in Lady Macbeth’s character when she feels the need to drink to keep complete control of the situation. She notes the exhilarating effects of the wine but still focuses on the task ahead and waits nervously for the return of Macbeth from the scene of the crime. When Lady Macbeth hears an owl hoot she panics and is worried that Macbeth has not carried out the crime. She suffers from severe paranoia as she awaits her husband’s return and we see a side to her personality which reveals that she is not without a conscience when she states, “Had he not resembled my father as he slept, I had done’t.” This shows sensitivity which had been concealed up until this point.

When Macbeth returns we begin to see how tortured his mind is as a result of his atrocious act. Lady Macbeth takes control of the situation and she seems to gain strength from her husband’s weakness. An example of Lady Macbeth comforting her husband is when she says, “A little water clears us of this deed.” When Macbeth describes how he cannot say the word “Amen” since he feels he has been cut off from God and everything good, Lady Macbeth soothes him by telling him to “Consider it not so deeply.” Macbeth regrets what he has done and it is clear that it is burning on his conscience.

Shakespeare creates a scene of intense excitement and when Macbeth is almost hysterical on his return, there is a feeling of extreme tension. This puts a strain on their relationship as they are both disturbed by the horror that has just taken place. However, Lady Macbeth only seems to voice her true feelings when she is alone. It is ironic that Lady Macbeth feels she will go mad after thinking about what they have done.

The following scene is constructed so as to increase the dramatic tension since the audience are aware that the chatter between the Porter and Macduff is delaying the discovery of the murder. The imagery of the supernatural and the freak weather conditions builds up tension and it seems as if nature is in revolt at Duncan’s death and indeed the whole castle has died with the King. Through his imagery, Shakespeare is spreading the idea of death and absolute horror.

Macbeth and his wife work well together under pressure as they try to deceive the others into believing they are both innocent. It is ironic that Macduff feels he cannot talk of the murder in front of Lady Macbeth as “the repetition in a woman’s ear would murder as it fell,” when she has rejected her femininity and played a huge part in Duncan’s murder.

Macbeth successfully deceives the other houseguests and says, “Had I but died an hour before this chance, I had liv’d a blessed life,” which appears to be a heartfelt speech. Macbeth kills the guards who he planted the evidence on and claims it was an act of love and loyalty to King Duncan. This temporarily makes Macbeth look guilty but when Lady Macbeth sees the situation she faints in order to distract the attention away from Macbeth. She acts as “an innocent flower” who is overcome with emotions after the discovery of the murder. This teamwork between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth displays an excellent relationship between the couple as they work as a team to convince the others of their innocence.

We see a change in Macbeth’s character when he murders the drunken guards as he acts quickly and now kills without second thought. It is apparent that he is now willing to dispose of anyone who stands in the way of him and the throne and he sees that Macduff is a possible threat to him.

Macbeth is now a more dominant character and has more confidence in himself. This contrasts to lady Macbeth who is slowly becoming unstable and is possibly shocked by the transformation in her husband.

Macbeth seems to gain more courage after his coronation and he independently arranges for the assassination of Banquo whom he sees as a threat. Banquo is seen as goodness and truth as he has wisdom and courage which contrasts to Macbeth who represents everything evil.

It is interesting how Shakespeare concentrates on the meeting between Macbeth and the two Murderers. Macbeth he has picked weak and desperate characters to carry out the murder of Banquo and he manipulates them as he knows that the murderers have had bad experiences involving Banquo. Macbeth tells the murderers that they need to commit the murder in order to prove their own manhood and Lady Macbeth used this same technique on him previously in order to get her evil way. This manipulation of other people is a mark of the tyrant.

When Lady Macbeth asks her husband of his plans he refuses to share them with her and this shows a change in their relationship. Lady Macbeth tries to reassure Macbeth and her words “what’s done is done” echo Macbeth’s words “were done, when ‘tis done,” which were spoken before the murder of Duncan.

Macbeth reveals to his wife that he is tormented by his murderous acts and is having trouble sleeping. His words “Than on the torture of the mind to lie in restless ecstasy” show that he relates lack of sleep with insanity. We also see that he envies Duncan as death looks like sleep.

The relationship has changed between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth as they can no longer share their thoughts with each other. They feel similarly about the situation since they both realise that neither partner is satisfied and when Lady Macbeth says, “ Nought’s had, all’s spent, where our desire is got without content,” we see that she feels they have not gained anything and lost everything. Macbeth has detached himself from his wife and the roles appear to have switched when it is apparent that Macbeth now intends to work independently. Macbeth now tells his wife to “make our faces vizards of our hearts, disguising what they are,” and this is ironic since Lady Macbeth no longer has the power in their relationship and he is convincing her to deceive now. For the first time in the play, Lady Macbeth asks her husband “What’s to be done?” as he now has all control and she is not aware of his plans to murder Banquo. This change of roles is due to an increase in Macbeth’s confidence and a decrease in that of Lady Macbeth’s.

Macbeth asks his wife to act no differently around Banquo when she knows he is soon to be disposed of. This shows Macbeth’s more dominant character and displays how he can act independently and without the manipulation of Lady Macbeth. His words “Be innocent of the knowledge, dearest chuck, Till thou applaud the deed,” reveal his almost inhuman nature.

When banquo’s ghost appears at the banquet, Macbeth is distraught as he realises he is being haunted. Lady Macbeth covers up for him by telling the other guests that the King’s apparent madness is due to a disease and she prevents the truth of Macbeth’s guilt from being shown. A different side to their relationship is now revealed as we see that they compliment each other by being strong for the other partner when the other is weak. Loyalty to her husband is also shown on Lady Macbeth’s side as she tries to protect him. This is the last point in the play when Lady Macbeth and Macbeth are together and indeed the last point when Lady Macbeth acts as the stronger character who is strong willed and in control.

As the play continues, the relationship between Macbeth and his wife deteriorates further as they both suffer from increasing paranoia and they sink further into their own discontent. Lady Macbeth begins to lose all self control and she suffers from a guilty conscience. In the last scene in which Lady Macbeth appears she walks in her sleep and the Doctor is called and he recognises that “More need she the divine than the physician.” Her soul is injured and troubled and she is haunted by the crimes which she has committed. Lady Macbeth has lost all balance, discipline and control which initially were her strengths and allowed her to manipulate her husband.

Lady Macbeth writes letters of confession in her sleep and she re-enacts the murders in her mind in sleep. She repeatedly rubs her hands, trying to wash away the blood on her hands after the killings and she is trying to rid herself of the guilt and torture of the reality of it.

Lady Macbeth remains loyal to her husband and only once does she rebuke him saying, “no more o’ that. You mar all with this starting.” Lady Macbeth cannot control her revealing behaviour which takes place at night and she is aware that “What’s done cannot be undone.”

Macbeth is now too paranoid to even put trust in his wife, when up until now he has trusted her with everything. Lady Macbeth has no say in her husband’s actions as he distances himself further from her and locks himself away from the world. Their relationship continues to decay as he functions without her help. Macbeth now relies on the Witches and begins to seek them out for power.

It is not until the final scene that Macbeth recognises the Witches for their true evil and by this point in the play it is too late as all has been lost. Lady Macbeth commits suicide as she is driven to insanity and cannot live with the burning guilt inside her. When Macbeth learns of her death he is insensitive and says, “She should have died hereafter,” implying that she will now not see her husband as victorious. Macbeth is blinkered by the reality of the supernatural and cannot see that good will always triumph over evil. It is his arrogance that pulls him down and when he discovers the truth of Macduff he realises that maybe he is not immortal.

Macbeth fights a losing battle and Malcolm gains control over Scotland when he is victorious and shows unity with his family and the whole of Scotland. This contrasts to Macbeth who represents division as he plans to selfishly rule Scotland and gradually pushes his wife away. When Malcolm is accepted as the new king, he pledges to bring peace and order back to Scotland. It is interesting in Malcolm’s final speech how he refers to Macbeth as a “dead butcher and his fiend-like queen,” as perhaps Lady Macbeth was driven into madness by her husband.

Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s relationship changed dramatically throughout the play from being one of love and loyalty to one of great ambition where both partners gained strength from the others’ weakness and this resulted in a complete break down in their relationship. Lady Macbeth started out as the determined, manipulative and dangerous woman but her downfall came when Macbeth pushed her away as he gained more confidence and relied more and more on the Witches and the supernatural. Lady Macbeth was evidently the weaker character of the two as she could not deal with her guilt and in the end it was too much for her to cope with. She knew that the “sovereign sway and masterdom” had not come about and she was gradually drawn into insanity. They both depended on each other and when Lady Macbeth is fazed out of the play it shows the decaying relationship between the two as they lived separately in their paranoid worlds. Lady Macbeth originally fuelled Macbeth’s power obsessed personality but he was eventually responsible for his downfall when he began to rely on the Witches. We notice a change in Macbeth’s speech from a diplomat to a language full of blustering, bullying manner.

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• Word Count 3226
• Page Count 6
• Subject English

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The relationship between Lady Macbeth and Macbeth. Essay Example

• Pages: 2 (433 words)
• Published: February 11, 2018
• Type: Essay

In Macbeth, Shakespeare expresses the relationship between Lady Macbeth and Macbeth as a strong bond between the 2 characters which slowly deteriorates into a weak connection which hangs by a thread. As soon as Lady Macbeth receives his letter informing her that he will be king she feels proud of her husband and Shakespeare gives us the impression that the relationship is strong and that the two characters love each other and they support one another, like when Lady Macbeth pushes him into following his dreams and becoming king, even though she rustically forces him into it, he does get what he wanted, to be king.

The relationship then slowly weakens after the killing of Duncan as Macbeth and Lady Macbeth start keeping secrets from each other;

they start to keep their distance as much as they can.

Shakespeare then starts to present their characters as two unloving, selfish, heartless people and the relationship Is revealed to be broken.

It can't be said that Lady Macbeth doesn't love Macbeth, because Shakespeare shows that Lady Macbeth is a character that would do anything for her husband like when she says: "l have even suck and know how tender ins' to love the babe that milks me: I would, while It was smiling in my face, have plucked my nipple from Its boneless gums and dashed its brains out, had I so sworn as you have done to this. " What she is saying Is: I have breastfed a baby, so I know what It's like to love, I loved that baby but If I had promised to kill it I would go through with It.

align="justify">You have promised to kill Duncan now you must go through with It too. She uses emotional blackmail to push him Into doing this.

It can be seen that Lady Macbeth only wants Macbeth to succeed and become inning that's why she's pushing him Into this, not out of selfishness out of love for her husband, also It can be seen that she only wants the best for him and If that means forcing him Into rather than letting him back out and regretting It later she will do It.

This shows she does love him from this view of the scene and the relationship Is strong and that she does care for him and Just wants what's best for them both. But because he was backing out she needed to persuade him to agree again so everything went according to plan. This Isn't finished yet. But will upload a new continued version soon.

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