Transformation in the Relationship Between Lady Macbeth and Macbeth Essay

Explain the Transformation in the Relationship between Lady Macbeth and Macbeth following the murder of Duncan.

Macbeth was written between 1603 and 1606 in the times of King James VIs reign; a time when the stereotype for the stronger and harder gender was the male sort, however Shakespeare obviously knew that making a play that contradicts this would cause a huge uproar either for or against it, luckily for us, it was a success and we still relish it still today. Shakespeare probably did not believe that women were inferior as he had made a few plays in which women were more dominant, two famous examples are Much Ado About Nothing and, obviously, Macbeth, which I will explain in this essay. Lady Macbeth dominates for at least 1/3 of the play, but when she and Macbeth swap roles, it only leads to their downfall I am going to explain the transformation and how it revolves around the murder of Duncan.

One of this versatile plays many themes is blood, it also an important one that is repeated all over the play...and, on thy blade and dudgeon, gouts of blood which was not so before. Theres no such thing...II.i L: 46-47, the blood is also used to symbolise a certain amount of madness as it is symbolising Macbeth imagining blood on the sword, this would add suspense to the scene. The blood is also representing the stain of evil upon Macbeth...so is he mine, and in such bloody distance that every minute of his being thrusts against my nearst of life...III.i L: 115-117, Macbeth is saying that his existence is preventing his, he wants him dead, how much more evil can you get?

On the talk of themes, one of the plays themes is the natural order of things; everything runs in a certain way, one of these things is Kingship and how people of that time believed that kings were chosen by God and they had divine rights so, if someone becomes king by force, it isnt following the natural order of things and therefore considered to be from the devil, which shows that, initially, Lady Macbeth was possessed by the Devilyet I do fear thy nature: it is too full othe milk of human kindnessI.v L: 14-15, she is almost saying that he isnt evil enough to do the deed she is imagining at this point, she is not saying it openly, but is implying that she wants Macbeth to kill Duncan. It would take an evil mind to concoct a plan to kill a well loved king like DuncanFirst as I am his kinsmanI.vii L: 13, everyone loves and respects Duncan so much that they consider Duncan as one of his kin. Shakespeare makes Duncan really loved and respected so that when he dies, everyone knows that evil has taken over! It would really shock the audience and make them miss him, making Lady Macbeth and Macbeth seem even darker, it becomes very dramatic.

Speaking of evil, another theme of this play is evil, and, at the beginning, Lady Macbeth was just that; the witches did not imply that Lady Macbeth and Macbeth would have to kill Duncan to obtain his crown, they only said that Macbeth will be kingAll hail Macbeth, that shalt be king hereafterI.iii L: 49, Lady Macbeth considers the most violent method possible for Macbeth being king. And then, finally, when Macbeth is told of her plan, he is quite the counterpartDuncan comes here tonight.

And when goes hence?

Tomorrow, as he purposed.

O never

We will speak furtherI.v L: 55-58, Macbeth is so unnerved by her proposal that he wants to put it off for as long as possible. It is obvious he is feeling uncomfortable as he is caught along the fence along the lines that he wants to become king, but he does not want to kill his king, to whom he is loyal as his host, however, he cannot be disloyal to his wife, either! I believe that Lady Macbeth is being possessed by the devil as she is very confident in killing Duncan right now but when they actually do kill him, it tips her mental balance and has disastrous consequencesYet heres a spot.

Hark! She speaks. I will set down what comes from her, to satisfy my remembrance the more strongly.

Out, damned spotV.i L: 31-33, she begins to sleepwalk and spurt out their plan! This part of the play is a mirror image of the earlier part of the playa little water clears us from this deedII.ii L: 67, you get the sense that Macbeth has woven this tapestry.

Shakespeare has made the murder scene a very dramatic and tense oneis this a dagger which I see before me Come let me clutch thee I have thee not and yet I see thee still!II.i L: 33-35, you get a sense that Macbeth in on the verge to madness so the audience doesnt know what he might do, the audience may know that their relationship starts to change too; it makes this scene a nail biter! In this scene, maybe the path to insanity inspires Macbeth to become the man of the relationship and the fact that Shakespeare introduces a weakness in Lady Macbeth encourages the changehad he not resembled my father as he slept, I had donet.II.ii L: 12-13, Shakespeare needs to introduce the change in Lady Macbeth as he has already introduced it in Macbeth. Of course, if Lady Macbeth had murdered Duncan, the play would have been dull as there would be no twist, Shakespeare had to make it that there was only so far that Lady Macbeth can go. Upon the re-entrance of Macbeth, carrying the bloodstained daggers, the tension rises even moreinfirm of purpose! Give me the daggers.II.ii L: 53-54, once again Lady Macbeth is dominant and Macbeth weak as she is using him when she says infirm of purpose and Macbeth is too disturbed to replyMacbeth does murder sleep the innocent sleepII.ii L: 36, in this, it is obviously saying that Macbeth has travelled deeper into his madness but the madness has not yet made him the man, it has made Lady Macbeth more dominant because she is looking down on him. By innocent sleep it is referring to Duncan as innocent because Duncan was always a humble king, it is also illustrating his path into darkness, evil and madness. At this point in time Macbeth must always run past his decisions past Lady Macbeth, as few as they may be, Lady Macbeth is still the employer.

During III.ii and beyond the change finally arrives and the audience sees Macbeth go mad with powerwe have scorched the snake, not killed ItIII.ii L 13, Macbeth is actually telling Lady Macbeth the situation! He is saying what they must do! However Lady Macbeths lead role has now ended, all she is needed for is comforting MacbethGentle my lord, sleek oer your rugged looks, be bright and jovial among your guests tonightIII.ii L: 27-28, she is now playing the stereotypical woman figure in the relationship, wishing him good luck in his plan, not making it, not directing it, not even in it! Be innocent of the knowledge, dearest ChuckIII.ii L: 45, he is treating her like his inferior, dearest Chuck he is almost putting her down by saying that!

Just by this use of language, Shakespeare has made the change a little more obvious for the audience.

Macbeth finds that he does not need to consult his ideas with Lady Macbeth anymore, it depicts this in III.iiBut who did bid thee join with us?

Macbeth.III.ii L: 1-2, Macbeth does not tell Lady Macbeth that he wants to kill Banquo and Fleance, he decides it himself! Should he have sought advice from Lady Macbeth, she would have opposed it as she would know that by murdering Banquo and Fleance would be a give-away that they murdered Duncan and would get them executed, Lady Macbeth was wiser which is what Macbeths downfall was.

There is quite a contrast in the play; in the beginning, Lady Macbeth was possessed by the devil, however, towards the end, it is MacbethI will tomorrow and betimes I will to the Weird SistersIII.iv L: 131-132, in the beginning, Macbeth was afraid of disobeying the natural order of things, it was Lady Macbeth who was the evil one, now it is Macbeth who is embracing evil, he knows he is already damned to hell, so it doesnt matter if he commits any more evil which is why he is going to the witches. Lady Macbeth contradicts her previous personality, it seems she was so enticed in evil then, that when she had to do it, she went into insanitywill these hand neer be cleanV.i L: 42, this is an obvious recall of when she says a little water clears us of this deed; How easy is it then!II.ii L: 67-68 it proves that the evil at the beginning was not her, proving my theory that the devil possessed her, another example iswhats done cannot be undoneV.i L: 63-64, this is a tragically ironic echo of whats done is doneIII.ii L: 12.

Shakespeare brings another twist to the play: Lady Macbeths departure! Remove from her the means of all annoyanceV.i L: 72 Lady Macbeth is in a state of Despair (religiously conceived), and therefore must have been considered a suicide so it was anticipated courtesy of the doctor. So, you could argue that Macbeth did not mourn Lady Macbeths death too much The Queen, my lord, is dead.

She should have died hereafter.V.v L: 17-18, instead of being really upset he simply says that she would have died sooner or later. Should she have died earlier in the play he would have and burst into tears as she was his only support in this plan and he would be shattered; he would make fatal mistakes in the play or he would simply not go along with it anymore! This is probably the biggest evidence on the transformation of their relationship!

So, to conclude, Lady Macbeth was more evil and ruthless than Macbeth during the initial introduction of the prophecy from the witches, prior to the murder and immediately following the murder. Shakespeare defies his time by showing a woman being the ruthless and dangerous sex! During most of the play, Lady Macbeth has all of the dominance.