At the start, the play portrays the relationship of the Macbeth's as close and loving, to the reader/audience.

It becomes obvious that Lady Macbeth is the more dominant and controlling partner in the relationship when she takes control of the planning of Duncan's murder, by suggesting that she shall go to the chambers of the King and drug the Kings guardsmen with wine so that they will bear the guilt of the crime of Duncan's murder and they will be none the wiser of what they did or did not do. Macbeth shows his agreement to the murder by saying "false face must hide what the false heart doth know". What he is describing is that they must hide their devious and evil plans with pleasant looks.

In Act 2, Scene 2 Lady Macbeth has drugged Duncan's bodyguards and is awaiting Macbeth return but doubts he was able to murder the King. Lady Macbeth admitted "had he not resembled my father as he slept" she would of been able to kill the king but this had not been the case. This shows the reader/audience that Lady Macbeth does have a weakness and is not as tough as she makes out. Lady Macbeth once again gains her dominant figure when asking Macbeth, " Why did you bring these daggers from the place?" Macbeth responds to Lady Macbeth demand to take the daggers back herself because "I am afraid to think what I have done", Macbeth shows his weakness of guilt and shows at this stage of the relationship Lady Macbeth is the controlling member and proves this by planting the daggers on the guards and asking Macbeth to clean himself up while she does this. Macbeth shows his guilt in killing Duncan when describing the blood he has on his hands in lines 63-66, in comparison to Lady Macbeth, as she feels no remorse because her heart is so cold.

When King Duncan is discovered to be dead in Act 2, Scene 3 Macbeth kills the bodyguards, nervous that he will be found out to be the murderer. Suspicion is set on Macbeth because he admits to killing the bodyguards but only as he was angry at the death of the King and thought them to be the killers. As the pressure is set on Macbeth, Lady Macbeth helps him out by drawing attention to herself by fainting. In doing this it shows the reader/audience that Lady Macbeth is very supportive of her husband and that she is being protective.

In Act 3, Scene 1 Macbeth has become King because Duncan's sons, Donaldbain and Malcolm have fled to England and Ireland in fear of their lives and future. In this scene, Banquo reveals his suspicions of Macbeth and fears that Macbeth has become King by evil means. It is shown in the text by Banquo saying "I fear thou played'st most foully for 't". Because of this Macbeth plans to hire assassins to kill Banquo to make sure he can stay King. This time Macbeth does not tell Lady Macbeth about his plans showing a decline in the relationship between the Macbeth's. Macbeth is now becoming the more dominant person in the relationship and does not need Lady Macbeth support or advice on what to do in this type of situation. Instead Macbeth asks Lady Macbeth to treat his "good friend" Banquo very well at the feast they are planning in order to make her oblivious to the fact that her husband is planning another murder. Macbeth has shown the first signs that he is starting to shut out Lady Macbeth from his life due to his greed in wanting to stay King.

On page 71 Macbeth uses Lady Macbeth's manipulative tactics to persuade the assassins to murder the well-liked Banquo by taunting the murderers. In lines 91-100 Macbeth urges them to show that they are not just men, but more, and that they have particular qualities that mark them out. He uses the more important qualities of dogs that the murderers obtain like "the swift, the slow, the subtle". Macbeth is flattering the assassins into killing Banquo. Macbeth explains that Banquo is his enemy, but cannot kill him openly. He arranges a time and place for the murderers to assassinate Banquo and Fleance (Banquo's son) so that no suspicion falls upon himself. It was earlier on in this act that Macbeth quizzed Banquo for certain information by asking three questions, "Ride you this afternoon?", "Is't far you ride?" and "Goes Fleance with you?" From this he was able to know where the assassins should kill Banquo and how many they would need to kill.

In Act 3, Scene 2, Lady Macbeth shows signs of a troubled conscience when she mentions to Macbeth of her miserable images she has been having of the dead King. In the conversation between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, it reveals that Macbeth does not always need his wife's help to do evil deeds and he does not have the need to tell her everything. In the conversation it also shows the difference in the way Lady Macbeth addresses Macbeth as she no longer addresses him scornfully but tries to comfort his tortured mind.

In Act 3, Scene 3, Banquo was murdered by the assassins but his son; Fleance was not killed and escaped the assassins.

In Act 3, scene 4, Macbeth is having a banquet and is told of the death of Banquo and is disturbed by the fact that Fleance is still alive. "Then comes my fit again: I had else been perfect" says Macbeth to the assassin that brought the news of Banquo's death. Though Macbeth soon puts aside his fears of Fleance doing harm, as Fleance is still a boy, too young to do any damage. It is in this act that Macbeth sees Banquo's ghost. From this site Macbeth is unnerved and says to his Lords

"Thou cannot say I did it; never shake

Thy gory locks at me!"

Macbeth does not realise it is only him who is seeing the ghost of Banquo so he trys to prove himself innocent. The Lords believe him to be unwell and feel it wise to leave their King and let him rest. Lady Macbeth