Macbeth only has one reason for Murdering King Duncan.
“I have no spur to prick the sides of my intent, but only vaulting ambition……”
However, this reason is over weighed with all the aspects of the murder which are wrong, therefore, he makes up his mind that he should not kill the king. Macbeth immediately tells his wife of his decision.
“We will proceed no further in this business”
Macbeth is standing for what he believes is right, even if it does go against what he originally said.
Lady Macbeth wants Macbeth to kill Duncan so much that she tries in many ways to persuade him to do it.
“Was the hope drunk, wherein you dress yourself? Hath it slept since, and wakes it now, to look so green and pale, at what it did so freely?”
Lady Macbeth’s scathing rhetorical questions persuade Macbeth to commit the murder and is querying was he drunk when he promised her that he would kill Duncan.
Another technique that Lady Macbeth uses within the rhetorical questions is sympathy and understanding, but she is using them in a cunning and manipulative way.
“From this time on such I account thy love”
Lady Macbeth says that she would understand if he was drunk when he made the promise but unfortunately for Macbeth this is not the case, and she challenges his manhood. Even though Lady Macbeth asks these questions she knows the answers to them already, yet he does not realize this is what enables Lady Macbeth to manipulate him.
She then accuses Macbeth of being a coward, and that he won’t be able to have any self-esteem if he doesn’t commit the murder.
“and live like a coward in thine own esteem letting ‘I dare not’ wait upon ‘I would’ like the poor cat I’ the adage?”
Lady Macbeth uses a proverb to prove her point to Macbeth about him being a coward. This is because he is having serious doubts about murdering King Duncan, which Lady Macbeth sees as being cowardice rather then moral.
Lady Macbeth is referring to the proverb in which a cat wanted to catch a fish but didn’t want to get its feet wet, she uses this metaphorically to show that saying that Macbeth knows he wants to become king but isn’t willing to kill the king in order to fulfil his ambitions because he doesn’t want to get his hands dirty to become King. Lady Macbeth berates his masculinity in order to persuade him to murder King Duncan.
Eventually after much influential discussion and manipulation Lady Macbeth convinces her husband to kill the king.
Macbeth doesn’t really know how evil his wife can actually be and how well she knows him. This is because Macbeth doesn’t know that his wife called upon the evil spirits to make her stronger and to unsex her so that she could carry out a task like this. Lady Macbeth is the motivation behind the relationship and the one who takes control to achieve her own ambitions. A small weakness is developing in their relationship, because of the fact that Lady Macbeth has an unfair advantage over Macbeth in the way that she can easily manipulate him. This eventually persuades Macbeth to murder King Duncan.
Macbeth returns to his wife from killing King Duncan, and she takes charge of the situation because it is clear that Macbeth is beginning to show signs of weakness, as is Lady Macbeth. This scene in a way is ironic because of the fact that in Macbeth is racked with guilt and in future scenes their roles reverse and Lady Macbeth becomes so wrapped up in that she takes her own life.
Macbeth seems dazed and confused even more so than he was before he killed Duncan, and is at such an early stage after committing the murder showing remorse. He is also terrified of what he has done because he knows he will never be forgiven for it and will not forgive himself for murdering the king.
"This is a sorry sight."
Macbeth realizes his hands are covered in blood and sees that he has done wrong Lady Macbeth, however, tries to tell Macbeth not to feel remorse by saying
“A foolish thought, to say a sorry sight”
Lady Macbeth tries to tell Macbeth that he shouldn’t be saying that his hands are a sorry sight, because he has seen blood many times before in battle.
Since Macbeth is feeling so guilty about the murder he begins to talk about how the guards woke each other up and his rambling irritates his wife, but it can be seen that Lady Macbeth is concerned about her husband as the murder has made him descend into paranoia.
“Consider it not so deeply”
Lady Macbeth is trying to console Macbeth over his feelings of guilt, by telling him not to worry about it, “it” being the guards awakening themselves. This is a key point in their relationship because communication between them is breaking down therefore, causing their previously strong relationship to break down. When Lady Macbeth tells her husband not to worry about the fact that he couldn’t say Amen, Macbeth totally disregards what his wife has to say and continues talking, descending deeper into paranoia, and continues to do so until lady Macbeth questions him on why he kept the daggers. At this point in the play Macbeth actually stands up for what he wants, when he says
“‘I’ll go no more: I am afraid to think what I have done; look on ‘t again I dare not”
For the reason that Macbeth is so rapt in the guilt of what he has done he cannot and will not go back to Duncan’s chamber, therefore giving his wife no option but to do it herself, however Lady Macbeth does try to get Macbeth to go back and dispose of the daggers. She tries to achieve that by insulting his masculinity again.
“Infirm of purpose!”
Lady Macbeth implies that her husband is weak willed and a coward; she also implies that he is afraid of what he has done even though he knows in his heart that it is the right thing to do.
When Lady Macbeth comes back from disposing of the daggers she is beginning to show sings of weakness and that she actually has a conscience.
“My hands are of your colour, but I shame to wear a heart so white”
Not only is Lady Macbeth implying that she is just as much to blame for the murder of Duncan as her husband, Macbeth, is but that she has the heart of a coward when she has done something so evil and terrible.
This is yet another key point in their roles as equal partners within their relationship, because of the fact that these roles are beginning to be reversed, making Macbeth the more dominant partner rather than Lady Macbeth, who has been leading the relationship up to this point.
Further deterioration of Macbeth and his wife’s relationship takes place. When Lady Macbeth is beginning to feel the effects of guilt on her soul, as if she can no longer cope with the amount of evil that she has inside of her, even though she called on the evil spirits they are not enough to quell her feelings of guilt for the part she has played in the murder.
Lady Macbeth is showing signs of regret for taking part in the murder of Duncan, because she no longer seems to have power over her husband and doesn’t know what he’s up to.
“Nought's had, all's spent, where our desire is got without content: 'T is safer to be that which we destroy than by destruction dwell in doubtful joy.”
Here Lady Macbeth is saying that they have given everything yet have achieved nothing. This is especially so as neither her nor Macbeth are happy with what they have got.
When Macbeth enters the scene Lady Macbeth talks to him in a mocking tone, she tries to make a mockery of him and have the control that she once had over him back, because she now feels that he is keeping things to himself instead of sharing them with him as he once did. Macbeth talks to his wife in way which shows he doesn’t care about what she says to him. however, because they are having a banquet that night lady Macbeth tells her husband to be jolly and greet his guest in that sort of way. She says this to him because of the tone her spoke to her in, it came across as tired and she thought that he needed to snap back into reality. Macbeth then replies to her that she should flatter Banquo, and tells her what to do, he takes the driving seat in the relationship.
“So shall I, love; and so, I pray, be you: Let your remembrance apply to Banquo; Present him eminence, both with eye and tongue: Unsafe the while, that we must lave our honours in these flattering streams, And make our faces vizards to our hearts, disguising what they are.”
Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s relationship roles within in the relationship are changing, whereas once they would confided and tell each other everything Macbeth is now holding back and being secretive.
Macbeth also neglects to tell Lady Macbeth the full extent of his plans. What once was a loving relationship, where Macbeth would tell his wife everything even if it meant risking his life has now become a distant relationship powered by nothing but ambition wherein Macbeth makes plans which exclude his wife. Their relationship is changing further, because Macbeth is trying to take back control within the relationship. This is because Lady Macbeth had control when they during King Duncan’s murder, but by not telling his wife his plans, Macbeth is gaining back some of the power he once lost. Not only this but Macbeth uses loving words towards his wife in a scoffing tone, which gives her a confused message as to what he is really thinking when she knew him so well and knew how to manipulate his manhood, but she cant do that now because the murder of Duncan has made her husband stronger rather than breaking him. Instead of Lady Macbeth being the strong one as she once was, now she is the weaker one.
Macbeth also gives clues as to what his plans are concerning Banquo and Fleance, however, he does not entirely give it away.
“Thou know'st that Banquo, and his Fleance, lives”
This shows the audience that Macbeth is being secretive towards his wife, but , what is not known is whether Macbeth tells his wife the full extent of his plans because he wants to protect her or whether it was because his ambition had driven him so much that he was becoming cold hearted, Macbeth speaks in such a way to his wife that she become bewildered by what he is saying, as he only gives away small bits of information about the murder of Banquo and Fleance which is to follow.
Macbeth finds out that Banquo has been murdered but Fleance managed to get away. Once Macbeth has finished talking with the murderers he returns to the banquet, which is where his guests are. Before returning to the table Lady Macbeth has a quiet word with her husband because she doesn’t think he is being a proper host when leaving the room and leaving his guests to tend to themselves.
“My royal lord, you do not give the cheer: the feast is sold that is not often vouch'd, while 'tis a-making, 'Tis given with welcome: to feed were best at home”
Macbeth is being an inadequate host therefore, not toasting to his guests.
Lady Macbeth still thinks she can have some control over her husband, yet because she doesn’t know that he has killed Banquo and let Fleance escape, she cannot manipulate him like she used to because he simply disregards what she has to say and turns back to his guests.
When Macbeth sees the ghost of Banquo sitting at the table he begins talking to him countering the accusations that Banquo throws at him. Even though he has been cruel to his wife and has almost ignored her since he became King she still stands by him trying to cover up the truth and the hallucination that Macbeth is having as a result of his guilt. The ghost is a manifestation of his guilt.
“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”
Lady Macbeth shows clearly here that she cares dearly about her husband but because Macbeth doesn’t give her the time as he is dismissive of her she doesn’t get the time to show him that she cares. However, Lady Macbeth sees this weak point in Macbeth as a good time to get back some of the power she once had only if for a moment and digs at his masculinity once again, Lady Macbeth does this for her own selfish gain to enable her to attempt to gain some control over their relationship. However, Macbeth instead of taking the insults which he did earlier in the play but letting Lady Macbeth browbeat and bully him, Macbeth replies to the comments in a civil but evil manner.
”LM: Are you a man?
M: Ay, and a bold one, that dare look on that which might appal the devil.”
Rather than taking this insult, Macbeth retorts with a comment that in a sense throws his wife off of being strong, because he is saying that she is worse then the devil and rather then calling her his dearest partner of greatness like he did at an earlier stage he is now insulting her. This angers lady Macbeth, because she knows how much being a killer has changed her husband, and replies to what he had to say.
“O proper stuff! This is the very painting of your fear: this is the air-drawn dagger which, you said, led you to Duncan. O, these flaws and starts, impostors to true fear, would well become a woman's story at a winter's fire, authorized by her grandam. Shame itself! Why do you make such faces? When all's done, you look but on a stool.”
Lady Macbeth hints here that her husband is mad because of guilt, which is quite ironic because in the end she is the one who goes mad, and says that he should be ashamed of himself because his fears are no more than tales which are told round a winter fire.
It is evident that Macbeth’s relationship with his wife is rapidly deteriorating as he has become more detached from Lady Macbeth. This angers her because guilt plays on her mind more, showing her as a weaker character that at first is shown because she no longer spurs Macbeth onto doing evil deeds. It is also clear that lady Macbeth does not understand her husband at this stage in the play, because of the way she talks to him, which, most of the time is in a cold, confused tone. She tries to communicate at his level with him but gradually comes to realise that he is on a level that no-one can reach meaning that killing has made him a stronger person as has guilt, rather than breaking him it has done the exact opposite making him stronger willed and therefore he is above everyone else.
We see that Lady Macbeth has reached the point of insanity because guilt has consumed her, and she doesn’t have Macbeth to turn to anymore. He has become so pre-occupied with himself that he doesn’t find time for his wife. However, in this scene Lady Macbeth is seen as a much weaker character than she was when she called upon the evil spirits to help her.
Lady Macbeth sleepwalks in this scene and relives the murder of King Duncan and mentions Banquo’s death. A doctor and a gentlewoman are discussing the mental health of Lady Macbeth and a strong contrast is shown in their conversation.
“She has light by her continually; 'tis her command.”
The gentlewoman and the doctor are confused by the fact that while she is asleep she is able to talk to herself, and seemingly wash her hands and still smell blood on them.
“Yet here's a spot…… 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 had so much blood in him.”
Lady Macbeth’s previous strength that she got from the evil sprits has left her and now she is left with nothing but the guilt of her deed.
“She has spoke what she should not, I am sure of that: heaven knows what she has known.”
The doctor admits that “This disease is beyond my practice” but as lady Macbeth goes on and says “Wash your hands, put on your nightgown; look not so pale.--I tell you yet again, Banquo's buried; he cannot come out on's grave” the doctor realises just what has been ‘haunting’ Lady Macbeth mentally and realises why her heart is so burdened.
Lady Macbeths sleep walking proves to be a key result of the deterioration of Macbeth and her relationship, this is because after Macbeth became king he became cold and what once had been love for his wife now turned into love for the witches, however it was in a different sort of way. Since, Macbeth thinks that because the witches prophecies had come true he could trust them and wanted further prophecies (which is seen when he goes to visit them again), therefore because his addiction to the witches was controlling him so much that, he blocked out his wife. He began disregarding everything she had to say and refused to tell her exactly what deeds he was planning. As Lady Macbeth she no longer had her husband for companionship, and at one time they were a very intimate couple, and because Lady Macbeth had nowhere to go she turned to madness. She cannot talk about her guilt with anyone and the guilt that she contained inside of her burdened her soul and left her with nothing but madness.
The last we hear of Lady Macbeth, is when she takes her own life. Macbeth in this scene is finalizing his preparations for the attack of Malcolm. At the beginning of this scene a stage direction is given which says [A cry of women within], and Macbeth wonders exactly what the cry is, so Seyton is sent off to find out. When Seyton returns he brings bad news to Macbeth. “The queen, my lord, is dead” however, Macbeth is not at all upset about the fact that his wife is now dead.
“She should have died hereafter; there would have been a time for such a word.”
Here Macbeth is saying that because he has seen so many horrors the death of his wife has no impact on him because he was stronger within the relationship because of guilt and that the relationship changed so much because of that fact and he had no conscience to guide him.
We can also see how the murders of Duncan and Banquo have changed Macbeth when he makes a small soliloquy when Seyton is out of the scene.
“I have almost forgot the taste of fears; the time has been, my senses would have cool'd o hear a night-shriek;…..”
Here Macbeth is saying that he has almost forgotten the taste of fear. In the past a shriek may have cooled his senses and prompted the hair on his scalp to rise as if the scream were alive. Yet now because he has committed so many crimes that nothing can make him the way he once was, but then he asks himself why did that scream make him feel fear? It could be said that the reason why he felt fear at the hearing of that scream was because it was his own wife’s scream as she took her life, and because he loved her so much, even though since he became king he may not have shown it, he could feel that something was not right because of the strong relationship that he once had with her.
However, as soon as a messenger enters the scene Macbeth carries on like the way he was before as if for only a split second that he was beginning to feel something but it seemed to him that war was more important than mourning for his wife’s death. Their relationship had changed from equality to Lady Macbeth being stronger then spiralling down into madness and Macbeth became the stronger one.
From the evidence above, it is clear that Macbeth and Lady Macbeth had a very strong relationship at the beginning of the play, this can be told by the way in which they speak to each other i.e. Macbeth calling his wife “my dearest partner of greatness”. After the murder a clear deterioration of their relationship can be seen. The shared grief of their relationship was more then anything else which drove them apart and was the downfall in their relationship.
In a sense now his ambition has been fulfilled he can do as he sees fit, however, he excludes his wife from his plans whereas before he would tell her everything and even though he is cold towards his wife she sticks by him in the banquet scene which is Act 3 Scene 4. However, because Lady Macbeth and her husband become so detached from each other lady Macbeth is driven to madness and Macbeth is willing to die fighting for his position as king.
At the beginning of the play they were equals in their relationship, but when Lady Macbeth calls upon the evil spirits, they are no longer equals and lady Macbeth is ‘wearing the trousers’ in the relationship, then their roles very slowly begin to swap over during and after the murder of Duncan. This is until Macbeth has become the stronger character and Lady Macbeth barely gets a look in, therefore highlighting how the murder changes their relationship for worse.