Discuss The Relationship Between Macbeth And Lady Macbeth With Specific Reference To Act Ii, Scene I

Discuss the relationship between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth with specific reference to Act II, Scene ii. How does their relationship change after the murder of Duncan?

Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are first seen together in Act I, Scene v after Macbeth has received a prophecy from the witches claiming that he will become King of Scotland. Their mutual ambition to fulfill the witches' prophecy is a driving force of their relationship. However, while Macbeth is happy to wait for fate to take its course, Lady Macbeth has a clear fervour to usurp the crown; unfortunately, this ambition warps their relationship as both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth change into completely different people. Macbeth goes from being a strong, well respected man to a cold, heartless, fearless murderer while Lady Macbeth goes from being strong willed and controlling to a scared, paranoid child.

These changes are the direct result of murdering Duncan. The King at the time (1605), was James VI who was fascinated by necromancy (a form of magic in which the practitioner attempts to summon the spirit of a deceased person either as an apparition or ghost, or to raise them bodily, for the purpose of divination), which may well have influenced Shakespeare; for example in Act 3 Scene 4 when Banquo's ghost appears to MacBeth at the banquet, after Macbeth suddenly becomes independent, enforcing the murder of Banquo without informing or consulting Lady MacBeth. Showing a change in the routine of their relationship as usually MacBeth would consult Lady MacBeth before taking any actions, and that the power that he has received has given him confidence to act alone.

In Act I, Scene ii Macbeth is described as being a 'brave' warrior, well respected by others including Duncan. However, when we see him with Lady Macbeth there is a subtle submission into a weaker man. Macbeth is easily controlled by Lady Macbeth; for example when Lady Macbeth learns of the witches' prophecy, she is clearly fixated by the possibility of usurping the crown to Scotland for instance when Lady MacBeth says "Come, you spirits, that tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here, and fill me from the crown to the toe topfull, of direst cruelty" through the sexual natural of her speech, she tries to show more authority by becoming masculine.

In Act I, Scene v; when we first see them together, their individual greetings are very telling; Lady Macbeth says "Great Glamis, worthy Cawdor." praising Macbeth through his titles, suggesting she is attracted to the idea of more power. However, when Macbeth greets Lady Macbeth he says "My dearest love." using affectionate and loving words; there is a clear imbalance in terms of dependence within their relationship. In the beginning their relationship is seen to be quite strong, but it is also clear when they start discussing the prophecy that Lady Macbeth is very strong willed and has a compassion for controlling Macbeth, "My dearest partner of greatness". When they are discussing the witches' prophecy, they plan how they are going to make the prophecy come true; "Stars, hide your fires/Let not light see my black and deep desires."

Furthermore; Lady Macbeth tries to convince Macbeth to kill Duncan, by telling him "Look like th' innocent flower, But be the serpent under't." She wants Macbeth to win Duncan's affections so that when he is killed, Macbeth will not be implicated. When Duncan arrives at Macbeth's castle, she enacts such a ploy, saying "For those of old, and the late dignities heaped up to them, we rest your hermits." This is then to highlight her ability to control Macbeth and his actions.

Lady Macbeth is also very critical of her husband's personal anxiety when she discovers his fears of murdering Duncan; she threatens him and forces him into action "Glamis thou art, and Cawdor, and shalt be, what thou art promised; yet do I fear thy nature, it is too full o' th' milk of human kindness." she criticises him for being unmanly and meek, due to his unwilling to usurp power from Duncan. "And live a coward in thine own esteem", "When durst do it, then you were a man". She makes Macbeth feel unworthy as a man and strips him of his masculinity.

In Act I, Scene vi; Lady Macbeth says "I would, while it was smiling in my face, have plucked my nipple from his boneless gums, and dashed the brains out, had I sworn, as you have done to this." This shows that she would do anything to commandeer the crown; it is easy to see that Lady Macbeth is just using Macbeth as a puppet in order so that she can control the throne. Lady Macbeth uses her power over MacBeth, to influence him to kill Duncan. The influence that Lady Macbeth transposes onto Macbeth shows a clear sign of ambition of power that even