Relationship

Macbeth - Loving and Submissive Husband

In Macbeth and Lady Macbeth's relationship, Macbeth seems kinder and more caring, whereas Lady Macbeth appears to have more control.

Significance of the letter

Macbeth writes to his wife and tells her about what the witches have said.
- It is interesting that he seems to treat her more equally – this could suggest that he either cares about her, or he values her opinion. Perhaps she has helped him with decisions in the past?
- It might give the audience a clue about why he lets her influence him in the way that she does at the start of the play. Many men would not talk such things with their wives.

Structure of Act 1, Scene 5

Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are together on stage for the first time. Lady Macbeth dominates the conversation. Macbeth hardly speaks.
- Macbeth uses loving language towards his wife, 'My dearest love'.
- Lady Macbeth greets him by flattering his status, 'Great Glamis, worthy Cawdor'.
He seems the more caring of the two here.
Lady Macbeth decides the plan for them. Macbeth tells her they will speak later, but Lady Macbeth seems to interrupt him.
This makes us question things about his character – is he desperately in love with her and keen to please? Or is he really weak mentally?

Pleasing his wife?

In Macbeth’s soliloquy (speech to himself), when he sees the vision of the dagger before him, he thinks of many reasons why he shouldn't act on his ambition but seems to deny all these fears because of his wife.
Throughout the first two Acts, Lady Macbeth has been criticising Macbeth for being worried about murdering King Duncan. She questions his masculinity, implies that he is a coward, and insists that he murders Duncan.
- Does he go ahead with the plan to kill the king to please his wife?

Lady Macbeth's Treatment of Macbeth

Lady Macbeth seems to view Macbeth as weak and controls him accordingly.

Too nice

Lady Macbeth thinks that Macbeth is too nice to go for the things that he truly wants, such as the crown: 'I fear thy nature, / It is too full o' th' milk of human kindness / To catch the nearest way' (1,5).
Shakespeare uses this metaphor to suggest that Macbeth is a good man. But milk, a substance that mothers make to feed to their young, might also suggest that Lady Macbeth sees his kindness as weakness.
In this way, as is the case with many Shakespearian plays, the male character seems to have more stereotypically feminine traits (i.e. Macbeth seems kinder and more caring, whereas Lady Macbeth appears to have more control).

Pressurising

Macbeth is very torn about whether he should kill the king or not. He decides not to go on because he does not think ambition alone is a good enough reason to want the crown.
But his wife quickly persuades him to continue with the plan. This suggests that she has power over her husband.
It seems that one of the key things holding him back is fear of people retaliating. He addresses this at the beginning of his speech in Act 1, Scene 7. Later on in the scene, he asks Lady Macbeth what would happen if they fail. She says that if he is brave, they won't fail: 'But screw your courage to the sticking-place, / And we'll not fail' (1,7).

Feminine

When Macbeth sees Banquo's ghost, Lady Macbeth asks him, 'Are you a man?' (3,4).
This suggests that a lack of courage makes him less of a man.
People often saw mental disturbances as a female problem.

Macbeth's Changing Relationship

Macbeth seems to become more distant from his wife as the play progresses.

Banquo's murder

Lady Macbeth was the key motivator behind the murder of King Duncan. But Macbeth doesn't even discuss his plan to kill Banquo.
He tells her it is better that she doesn't know: 'Be innocent of the knowledge, dearest chuck' (3,2).
Perhaps he wants to save her the suffering that he feels: 'O, full of scorpions is my mind, dear wife!' (3,2).
It seems he has taken control and there has been a power shift in their relationship.

Effect of murdering Duncan

Lady Macbeth almost bullies Macbeth throughout the first two acts of the play, insisting that if he does not murder King Duncan, then he is not a real man.
When he finally does murder the king and his personality changes, his relationship with his wife does change – he begins to take control, perhaps believing that the more power he gains, the more his wife will respect him.

1Literary & Cultural Context

1.1Context

1.1.1Tragedy

1.1.2The Supernatural & Gender

1.1.3Politics & Monarchy

1.1.4End of Topic Test - Context

2Plot Summary

2.1Act 1

2.1.1Scenes 1 & 2

2.1.2Scene 3

2.1.3Scenes 4-5

2.1.4Scenes 6-7

2.1.5End of Topic Test - Act 1

2.2Acts 2-4

2.2.1Act 2

2.2.2Act 3

2.2.3Act 4

2.3Act 5

2.3.1Scenes 1-3

2.3.2Scenes 4-9

2.3.3End of Topic Test - Acts 2-5

3Characters

3.1Macbeth

3.1.1Hero vs Villain

3.1.2Ambition & Fate

3.1.3Relationship

3.1.4Unstable

3.1.5End of Topic Test - Macbeth

3.2Lady Macbeth

3.2.1Masculine & Ruthless

3.2.2Manipulative & Disturbed

3.3Other Characters

3.3.1Banquo

3.3.2The Witches

3.3.3Exam-Style Questions - The Witches

3.3.4King Duncan

3.3.5Macduff

3.3.6End of Topic Test - Lady Macbeth & Banquo

3.3.7End of Topic Test - Witches, Duncan & Macduff

3.4Grade 9 - Key Characters

3.4.1Grade 9 - Lady Macbeth Questions

4Themes

4.1Themes

4.1.1Power & Ambition

4.1.2Power & Ambition HyperLearning

4.1.3Violence

4.1.4The Supernatural

4.1.5Masculinity

4.1.6Armour, Kingship & The Natural Order

4.1.7Appearances & Deception

4.1.8Madness & Blood

4.1.9Women, Children & Sleep

4.1.10End of Topic Test - Themes

4.1.11End of Topic Test - Themes 2

4.2Grade 9 - Themes

4.2.1Grade 9 - Themes

4.2.2Extract Analysis

5Writer's Techniques

5.1Structure, Meter & Other Literary Techniques

5.1.1Structure, Meter & Dramatic Irony

5.1.2Pathetic Fallacy & Symbolism

5.1.3End of Topic Test - Writer's Techniques

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