The relationship between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth and how it changes throughout the play

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Daniel Coetsee

10E- Coursework-Kings School-Grantham

The relationship between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth and how it changes throughout the play

 There are two central characters in the play Macbeth, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. They are married to each other which gives us a sense of a strong relationship at the start of the play. He is a successful soldier and she is a loving and supporting wife. In act 1 scene 5 Macbeth sends a letter to Lady Macbeth, and in the letter he writes ‘This have I thought good to deliver thee, my dearest partner of greatness’, the use of this quote shows he admires his wife and treats her as an equal.

 When Lady Macbeth finds out about the prophecy that the witches told Macbeth about him becoming king, she jumps at the chance of becoming the queen. When she finds out that Duncan, the current king at the time, is going to be staying at their castle, she persuades Macbeth to kill him in order to pursue their goal in Macbeth becoming king. In act 1 scene 7 when Macbeth has doubts about murdering Duncan, Lady Macbeth persuades him by saying ‘from this time such I count thy love.’ Which means Lady Macbeth is saying if you don’t kill him you don’t love me.

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  At this point the relationship between Lady Macbeth and Macbeth is strong but slowly beginning to deteriorate after their argument over whether to kill Duncan or not. Lady Macbeth decides that Macbeth is going to kill Duncan, by first of all getting the guards drunk, then going in and killing Duncan and finally going out and placing the dagger in one of the guard’s hands. This shows that Lady Macbeth has an evil side to her as well and that Macbeth does not make all the decisions in the relationship.

  In act 2 scene 1 Macbeth kills Duncan ...

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