In the beginning of the play the established relations between Lady Macbeth and her husband are destroyed by the new, persistent thought of appropriation of power, which eventually evolves into dangerous obsession. From the start Macbeth refers to his wife as “my dearest partner of greatness” (I, v, 11-12). Later, the letter, which he sends to her as soon as he understands that he has been made “Thane of Cawdor”, reveals his true attachment to his wife. Furthermore, as Lady Macbeth finds out about the witches’ equivocations that he shall be “King hereafter”, she becomes passionate for power (I, iii, 50). She realizes that she can control her husband and is anxious for him to return and wants to “pour spirits” and “chastise with valor” (I, v, 26-27). This news disturbs the usual relations in their marriage. Lady Macbeth is resolved to overpower Macbeth and convince him to murder the King and become King himself. She wants to be unsexed in order to allow cruelty to prevail over her and help her succeed in convincing him: “…unsex me here,/ and fill me from the crown to the toe, top full/ of direst cruelty…” (I, v, 41-43). However, she realizes Macbeth’s strong moral nature, which would be a major obstacle to the fulfillment of “their” ambitions. Macbeth hesitates (“We will proceed no further in this business”), but by questioning his courage, manhood and his love for her she succeeds to persuade him (I, vi, 31). They unite by the ambition for power, and their relationship becomes even more intense – passionate and obsessive (“what cannot you and I perform upon/ Th’ unguarded Duncan…”(I, vi, 69-70)). However, even though seemingly they have strengthened their bond, in reality they are both not bonded to each other but to the ambition. After Duncan’s murder their relationship is branded with guilt and blood, which creates a sense of discomfort in the relationship. Macbeth becomes more secluded in the ambition for power, which eventually transforms to obsession with power.
Furthermore, as Macbeth falls down in the precipice of voracity, murders become his main ambition and the couple becomes very distant – they no longer confide in each other. It was not enough for Macbeth to become a king. His desire for more leads him further and he plans other murders, while his relationship with Lady Macbeth deteriorates. His evil nature takes over completely. He becomes a tyrant without any feeling or remorse. Between the coronation and the banquet Lady Macbeth is increasingly detached from her husband’s plans – he does not need to be persuaded to kill anymore (“How now my lord! Why do you keep alone...” (III, ii, 8)). Her support is surplus and now that he has the power he is in control of the relationship. In Act 1, Scene vii he promised that “False face must hide what the false hearth doth know”, but during the banquet after Duncan’s murder he cracks his promise to his wife (I, vii, 82). Lady Macbeth realizes that she has lost control over Macbeth and loses her sanity: “Shame itself! Why do you make such faces? When all’s done, You look but on a stool” (III, iv, 67-68). After the banquet we see the two of them are alone and it appears that the only thing, which bonds them at the moment, is the secret they have. Gradually, their relationship shifts in a new, dark direction. The distance between them increases because now they do not even share the same ambitions. Evil prevails over Macbeth and therefore their relationship is almost absolutely deteriorated.
Moreover, until the end of the play Macbeth and Lady Macbeth lose their love because of Macbeth’s ambitions and his desire to keep the misappropriated power. The relationship has slowly drifted apart and is more of a deed than a show of any affection. This is seen in Act V when the doctor explains to Macbeth his wife’s mental condition. The King’s mood of calmness and uncaring is a mere showing of his evil nature.
Cure her of that.
Canst thou not minister to a mind deseased,
pluck from the memory a rooted sorrow,
raze out the written troubles of the brain,
and with some sweet oblivious antidote
clease the stuffed bosom of that perilous stuff
which weighs upon the heart? (V, v, 39-44)
This quotation shows that Macbeth is so overrun with greed and evil that even his demon infested wife cannot detach him from his ambitions. Macbeth does not even talk to her, he just orders the doctor to take care and considers that is enough. Later, when Lady Macbeth suicides it is not even noticeable to him that the woman he has loved is now dead (“She should have died hereafter;/ there would have been time for such a word.” (V, v, 17-18)). This illustrates the true detachment in this marriage. The two of them are not even connected by sorrow anymore. This portrays Macbeth’s true downfall and foreshadows the collapse of his world. Even though Macbeth is alone, he is so full of evil, that he believes he could reign and protect Scotland on his own. Because of this “sick ambition” Macbeth sacrificed his love, left behind all the good moments and feelings, just because he wanted to become more and more powerful. He loved Lady Macbeth in the beginning and because of this love he tried so hard to please her. At the end, however, he forgot what exactly he was doing and thus their love was lost in the obsession with power.
