The Relationship Between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth

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The Relationship Between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth

Macbeth and Lady Macbeth face an extraordinary situation involving a

strong supernatural theme and murder and treason of the highest kind.

However Shakespeare still cleverly manages to make Lady Macbeth and

Macbeth relate to audiences of all eras and to convey a strong moral

message within his play.

The relationship between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth is fascinating to

study. Shakespeare constantly changes their attitude to each other

throughout the play, making it hard to form a clear-cut opinion of

their relationship. My personal opinion is that, although events in

the play certainly draw Macbeth and Lady Macbeth apart, their love for

one another is evident throughout the play.

Having encountered the witches, Macbeth sends a letter to his wife

informing her of their prophecies. In the Elizabethan and Jacobean

times the Divine Right of Kings claimed that Kings were appointed

directly by God, and were therefore answerable to only God. This meant

that to resist a King was sinful, and so to murder a King was to

commit utmost sin against God. By sending his wife a letter with such

treasonable contents, Macbeth demonstrates an incredible trust in Lady

Macbeth. I believe that Macbeth's main motivation for sending the

letter was his recognition of his own weakness. Upon hearing the

witches' prophecies Macbeth interprets them himself, and speculates

that the murder of Duncan is necessary for his immediate claim to the

throne. However he is unwilling to take the responsibility and blame

of murdering Duncan alone, and so by sending Lady Macbeth the letter,

Macbeth hands the 'task' to her. ...

... middle of paper ...

...went on, due to the

acts committed and the conscience of each person. The deeds which the

pair carry out in the play meant that the public opinion of them

deteriorated dramatically. Macbeth, who was considered to be a worthy

man, became a treacherous fiend, and Lady Macbeth, the 'doting wife',

became a self-created devil. Shakespeare adds dramatic irony here

regarding the opinion of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth as Duncan, who

thought most highly of the pair, was murdered by them. This sense of

the betrayal of a friend contributed to the ill opinion of the pair at

the end of the play.

Shakespeare wrote 'Macbeth' very cleverly. He established a strong

sense of moral justice in the play - a wrong deed will always catch up

with you. In the case of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, it was through

loneliness, heartbreak and death.

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