“What beast was’t then
That made you break this enterprise to me ?
When you durst do it, then you were a man.
And to be more than what you were, you would-
Be so much more the man.”
She then speaks the worst reference of all-she tells Macbeth that she would rather brutally kill her own child than to break such a promise.
“I have given suck and know,
How tender ‘tis to love a babe that milks me:
I would, while it was smiling in my face,
Have plucked my nipple from his boneless gums
And dashed the brains out, had I so sworn
As you have done to this.”
All of her words are pure shock tactics, attempting to make Macbeth feel awful for even thinking of disagreeing with her. And, just as she wants, he breaks and agrees to carry on with their plot. She reassures him that it will all go smoothly, and she will drug the guards, so that they can later be blamed for the deed. Again, she is reassuring Macbeth, and he is taking in everything she tells him. This is commonplace in their relationship, with what we have seen of the couple so far.
The next scene our Lady appears in is Act 2, scene 2. Lady Macbeth has drugged the bodyguards as she stated she would, and is waiting on Macbeths return from killing Duncan. She is exhilarated with excitement but fears that the murder has not been gone through with. However soon after the scene begins, Macbeth returns, bloody daggers in hand. He tells her that he has in fact killed Duncan, but is distraught. He is obsessed by his inability to say ‘Amen’ after his cruel deed had been done. He is also transfixed by a voice that he had heard, crying that he has murdered sleep and would never sleep again.
“Still it cried, ‘Sleep no more’ to all the house;
‘Glamis hath murdered sleep’, and therefore Cawdor
Shall sleep no more: Macbeth shall sleep no more.”
Lady Macbeth in her usual non-sympathising way dismisses his hallucinations and orders him to put the daggers back by the guards.
“”Who was it, thus cried? Why, worthy thane,
You do unbend your noble strength to think
So brain-sickly of things. Go and get some water
And wash this filthy witness from your hand.
Why did you bring these daggers from your place?
They must lie there. Go carry them and smear
The sleepy grooms with Blood.
Macbeth, changing his usual role in the relationship, refuses!
“Ill go no more
I am afraid to think what I have done;
Look on’t again, I dare not.
Lady Macbeth seems a little taken aback, but bossily takes the daggers to put them back herself. She leaves Macbeth to his own thoughts. A knocking sound frightens the already very fragile-minded Macbeth, and on Lady Macbeth’s almost immediate return, she tells him to pull himself together, and smoothly plans an alibi.
This scene is another clear cut example of Lady Macbeths dominant role in her and her husbands relationship. It seems Macbeth’s strength in life is found within Lady Macbeth. And Lady Macbeth herself feeds on this. So this situation is a fantastic opportunity for each of the two to show how they in their own way depend on one another.
The next scene Lady Macbeth appears in, is at a climax point when Duncan is found dead. When Lady Macbeth enters, she is told of the news, and she, smooth as silk, acts suitably shocked at the ‘news’. This would have been substantial enough, but then when Macbeth re-enters to tell them all that he has killed the two guards, Lady Macbeth attempts to take the attention from him, by fainting. Of course, this as planned takes eyes away from Macbeth, and the moment is broken. Some might say however, that at this point Lady Macbeth is acting of rather high suspicion from being so overly-dramatic. But we have to assume that they are already so distraught about Duncan, and still so wrapped up in all of the goings on, that they miss this-which of course suits Lady Macbeth down to the ground!
2 scenes later, when Lady Macbeth next appears, Act 3, scene 1, she is now heralded as Queen. She only has presence there for 3 short lines, but essentially helps Macbeth to invite Banquo to that evenings banquet, and again is almost overly welcoming, which might, looked at in other eyes, look again rather suspicious.
The next scene that Lady Macbeth appears in is Act 3, Scene 2. The scenes between her appearance and this one, show Macbeth hiring murderers to kill Banquo. This is a massive pivotal step for Macbeth, as he is clearly taking matters into his own hands rather than relying upon his Lady.
He is however still very wound up about the murder and what has gone on. This reflects into Lady Macbeth, as in this scene she is shown to be rather troubled at this point, because Macbeth is still utterly distraught at what has gone on. She advises him not to brood at what has gone on, but this makes little difference. This may be because he is simply too upset to notice her help, but may also be because he is ceasing to listen to her so much. Macbeth then goes on to talk about how he even envies the peace that Duncan has now that he is dead! It was certainly not part of Lady Macbeth’s plan for Macbeth to get so upset, and I don’t think she’s quite sure how to handle it!
Then however, Macbeth turns his attentions to telling his wife to pay special attentions to Banquo that night at the banquet. He hints darkly to her of dark deeds going ahead that night. This is almost teasing her with information-he knows that she thrives on being the one in control and is almost lavish with his words. At this, Lady Macbeth says nothing, but we can but imagine how she would be feeling to have the notion that Macbeth is doing things without her guidance or leadership.
The next scene she is in is Act 3 Scene 4. Banquo has now been killed by Macbeths hired murderers. This scene is the all important banquet scene. It is a banquet held by Macbeth and his Lady, to welcome all of the lords under him, and essentially to try and impress them so that they will support him. Therefore it is undoubtedly very important for everything to go well.
The very beginning of the scene shows Macbeth welcoming them all, and inviting them to sit down. The murderers then enter to inform him of Banquo’s death, and Fleance’s escape. Macbeth is distressed at the news of Fleance’s escape, but soon consoles himself that Fleance is too young to do any harm.
Then, Banquo’s ghost appears, and sits in Macbeths seat. Lennox urges him to sit down with them, but Macbeth denies that there is space for him to sit down. A small discussion takes place in which they are all urging Macbeth to sit down, and Macbeth continues to deny there is space! He then becomes increasingly upset, and accuses the Lords of putting Banquo’s ghost there. Sensing that there will be trouble, Lady Macbeth intervenes and tries to calm the situation, and the confused Lords, by telling them that Macbeth is having a momentary lapse, and not to encourage him as it will upset him further;
“Sit, worthy friends. My lord is often thus,
And hath been from his youth. Pray you, keep seat.
The fit is momentary; upon a thought
He will again be well. If much you note him
You shall offend him and extend his passion.
Feed, and regard him not.”
She then turns to Macbeth and uses a past used expression of, “Are you a man?!” He answers that he is, and much alike to her character, dismisses him just as she has done so often before when Macbeth shows weakness. Macbeth tells her to look at the ghost, as he is seeing already, and then tries to ‘talk’ to the ghost! This shows how certain he is that Banquo’s ghost is there. The Ghost then leaves the room, and while still maintaining that he saw Banquo’s ghost, Macbeth broods for a short time on how the dead return. He then seems to settle himself, and apologises to his guests before proposing a toast of general good health to them all, and to Banquo. At this point, the situation seems to have been salvaged but then the Ghost re-enters and once again and Macbeth explodes into violent language, through obvious sheer fear. Lady Macbeth attempts to reassure the guests in between his outbursts.
“Think of this, good peers,
But as a thing of custom. ‘Tis no other,
Only it spoils the pleasure of the time.”
But as Macbeth rants on, terrified, she realises she is losing control of the situation, and makes a last bid of control by ordering the Lords to leave.
“I pray you speak not; he grows worse and worse.
Question enrages him. At once, good night.
Stand not upon the order of your going,
But go at once.”
The Lords leave, while Macbeth broods on murder, and the general unnaturalness. Lady Macbeth does little to stop him, which suggests that she is finally at a loss of what to do. It is evident that she has lost control of him at this point. Macbeth vows that he will go and see the witches and will go by anything they tell him from now onwards. This may seem simple to Macbeth, but must be difficult for Lady Macbeth, as this is yet another blatant turn away from her control and guidance. She tells him to go to bed, not even commenting on his choice to go to the witches instead of her.
After this scene, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth do not appear in any more scenes together. Macbeth most definitely continues to take the lead in the relationship, which is a complete and utter turn around from what we were seeing at the beginning of the play. Macbeths and his Lady’s relationship was based almost entirely on the fact that he depended on her completely, trusting her with everything. She in turn depended on him, as her role in their relationship purely was to guide and dominate Macbeth. This had worked perfectly fine until the point when they killed Duncan. This was a pivotal point in the play, because after Macbeth had gone through with the murder he, through his own decision and means, went and killed the guards. This was not part of Lady Macbeths structured plan, and this was his first break away from her regulation. From that point, Macbeth rapidly began to break away from Lady Macbeths domineering side, and started doing things for himself, notably when he arranged for Fleance and Banquo to be killed. As the play progresses it was evident that Macbeth was speedily becoming a much stronger, more brutal, and perhaps most significantly, self dependant. And as a direct result, Lady Macbeth faded out in her dominance and general persona.
The next scene that Lady Macbeth appears in is much later in the play, which is Act 5, scene 1. She hasn’t even been mentioned during this time, let alone by Macbeth.
The scene begins with a waiting-gentlewoman and a doctor. The Gentlewoman is telling the Doctor that she is concerned, as Lady Macbeth has been frequently been sleepwalking. He asks her what she has been saying all the while she has been sleepwalking, and she refuses to tell him. However at that point Lady Macbeth herself enters, sleepwalking, and he finds out for himself. She is seemingly rubbing her hands, which the Doctor enquires about. Then, Lady Macbeth speaks; “Yet here’ a spot” So the two onlookers listen to her words.
“Out damned spot! Out, I say! One. Two. Why then ‘tis time to do’t. Hell is murky. Fie, my lord, fie, a soldier,
and afeard ? What need we fear ? Who knows it, when none can call our power to account? Yet who would have thought the old man to have so much blood in him?”
And then;
“The Thane of Fife had a wife. Where is she now ? What will these ne’er be clean? No more o’that, my lord, no more’that. You mar all this starting.”
The Doctor and Gentlewoman at this point comment that they know that she has spoken of what she has not. She has basically just told them that she knows and was involved in murder. And still, she continues;
“Here’s the smell of blood still; all the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand. O, O, O.”
The doctor and gentlewoman are somewhat shocked at her words and state that her heart is heavily burdened. The Doctor says that, “This disease is beyond my practise”, meaning that he cannot heal her saddened heart. And then Lady Macbeth speaks again;
“Wash your hands, out on your nightgown, look not so pale. I tell you yet again, Banquo’s buried; he cannot come out on’s grave.”
And then;
“To bed, to bed; theres a knocking at the gate. Come, come, come, come, give me your hand; what’s done cannot be undone. To bed, to bed, to bed.”
And then she leaves. Her last few words are the words she told Macbeth when he was so unsure of himself and was upset at what they had done. When she repeats them at this point, it is almost as if she is reassuring herself as she speaks, rather than just going over it, which is interesting. It is obvious that now that it has finally hit Lady Macbeth the extent of what has been happening. It has finally occurred to her also, how much she has lost control. And this is literally killing her.
The Doctor and Gentlewoman do not want to comment on what they have heard, for fear of what has been said. The scene ends with the Doctor being bid goodnight by the gentlewoman, as he goes to find Macbeth and tell him of his diagnosis.
When Macbeth, 2 scenes later, is told that Lady Macbeth is irreparably unwell, he simply dismisses medicine and even suggestively dismisses the Doctor himself, while asking for his armour. He is only now thinking of himself. That is clear. He has no feelings of care or love for his once doted upon wife and instead can only think of himself and what is going on around him in regards to the attack.
In Act5, scene 5, Macbeth is told of Lady Macbeth’s inevitable death. If at any point much earlier in their relationship Macbeth had been given such news, he would undoubtedly have been distraught. It would have been of great loss to him. But here, not so. Instead, he selfishly twists the news into some sort of extra ‘problem’ or ‘hassle’ to him. He sees it as another bad thing that has happened in his life. He shows no sadness, and instead is filled with feelings of resentment that it should just be yet another downfall in his life. This shows just how bad their relationship has got. It has got to the point where Macbeth is literally only looking out for one person, and one person only- himself. He has no further need for a wife, and so feels no grief at her death, and instead reflects on life’s futility;
“Out, out, brief candle,
Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player,
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage
And then is heard no more. It is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury.
Signifying nothing.”
As we have followed Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s relationship, various changes have occurred, which in turn have all ricocheted down the line towards Lady Macbeths death, and then eventually Macbeths own death.
Macbeth took first steps towards less dependence when he went and killed the guards. This was not an apparent part of Lady Macbeths plan, and this unsettled her. But still she took charge of the situation by fainting, to draw away attention from his unintended actions.
Then, he took further steps by arranging Banquo and Fleance to be murdered, and then Macduff’s family. Most importantly in it all, Macbeth did not tell Lady Macbeth of his actions. Instead he teased her with the notion of his plots and plans, leaving her ponder. He most probably enjoyed this mockery of his wife, as it was a large statement in their relationship, which once had been based on his dependence.
He continues after all this to keep breaking away from her. He stops telling her his thoughts and plans entirely, and in accordance to this, Lady Macbeth loses her somewhat vital status, which is essentially what she thrived on, and how was the only way to keep their relationship going in the only way she knew how.
So inexorably she gets to a point when she is only left to her own thoughts which she has in the past shied away from through putting all her efforts into her husband and his welfare. Off-stage, she dies, although it is never made clear how. We are left to assume that as foreseen by the doctor she died in her bed of such a burdened heart. Alternatively she may have taken her own life, or “fallen on roman daggers”, as it described as earlier in the play.
As described earlier Macbeth takes this to his own heart as another ‘fault’ in his own life, and shortly after this point is justifiably murdered himself, by Macduff, whose family Macbeth earlier killed.
Earlier in the play, Lady Macbeth sums up the futility of their actions and almost a premonition of what lay ahead was summed up when she said;
“Nought’s had, all’s spent
Where our desire is got without content.
‘Tis safer to be that which we destroy
Than by destruction dwell in doubtful joy.”
