I am going to study the relationship of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth throughout the

play, and how it changes as the play continues. I feel that the crucial time for the

survival of their relationship was between Macbeth's first meeting with the witches

and the murder of Duncan. After that point, the damage to their originally close

partnership had, in my opinion, already been committed.

At the beginning of the play, the majority of Act I, just after Macbeth's first

meeting with the witches, they appear to have a very close relationship in which

Macbeth regards Lady Macbeth as his equal. There seems to be a lot of love between

them. This was all quite unusual for this period when marriages amongst the nobility

were arranged for financial convenience, not love. Macbeth confided in Lady

Macbeth about the witches' prophecy, trusting her to keep it secret, finishing his letter

"Lay it to thy heart, and farewell" (Act One, Scene Five, line 13)

and calling her his "dearest partner of greatness"

Lady Macbeth clearly knows Macbeth very well, anticipating his thoughts, and

commenting on his weaknesses. Lady Macbeth's opinions of her husband seem to

" You lack the season of all natures, sleep"

This corresponds with Lady Macbeth earlier telling Macbeth to:

is agreeing to do is wrong. By Act Two, Macbeth is clearly still trying to come to

well as her husband's when she helped him plot to kill the King.

After the murder, it is obvious that the relationship between Macbeth and Lady

enjoyed it. He has not actually behaved like a King or looked after his country. He

The sailor could then be Macbeth, where a curse is laid upon him, in lines 19-22:

knows that Macbeth deeply wants to be king, but he is too full of natural compassion

"A sailor's wife had chestnuts in her lap,

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Approximate Word count = 2271
Approximate Pages = 9 (250 words per page double spaced)