Theme of relationships in Macbeth

Alternative transcript:

in love with Lady Macbeth and always wanting to please her? Or is he mentally weak? (Pleasing his wife) In Macbeth's soliloquy, he visions a dagger before him, he considers not acting on his ambition but seems to deny all fears because of his wife. Throughout the first two acts, Lady Macbeth criticised Macbeth for his worries over murdering Duncan. She questions his masculinity and implies that he is a coward whilst insisting he murders Duncan. So does Macbeth go through with murdering the king to please his wife. (Macbeth being too nice) Lady Macbeth thinks that Macbeth is too nice to go for the things that he truly wants, such as the crown: 'I fear thy nature, / It is too full o' th' milk of human kindness / To catch the nearest way' (1,5). Shakespeare uses this metaphor to suggest that Macbeth is a good man. But milk, a substance that mothers make to feed to their young, might also suggest that Lady Macbeth sees his kindness as weakness. In this way, as is the case with many Shakespearian plays, the male character seems to have more stereotypically feminine traits (i.e. Macbeth seems kinder and more caring, whereas Lady Macbeth appears to have more control). (Pressuring) Macbeth is very torn on weather to kill his king or not. He initially decides not to go on knowing that ambition is not a good enough reason to want the crown, but Lady Macbeth quickly persuades him to continue with the plan. It seems that one of the key things holding him back is fear of people retaliating. He addresses this at the beginning of his speech in Act 1, Scene 7. Later on in the scene, he asks Lady Macbeth what would happen if they fail. She says that if he is brave, they won't fail: 'But screw your courage to the sticking-place, / And we'll not fail' (1,7). (Feminine) When Macbeth sees Banquo's ghost, Lady Macbeth asks him, 'Are you a man?' (3,4), this suggests that a lack of courage makes him less of a man. People in the Jacobean era saw mental disturbances as a female problem and not one of a man. (Banquo's murder) As the play progresses Macbeth and Lady Macbeth's relationship becomes more distant. Lady Macbeth was the key motivator in Duncan's murder but Macbeth didn't inform or discuss Lady Macbeth about his plans to kill Banquo. He tells her it is better that she doesn't know: 'Be innocent of the knowledge, dearest chuck' (3,2). Perhaps he wants to save her the suffering that he feels: 'O, full of scorpions is my mind, dear wife! (3,2). It seems he has taken control and there has been a power shift in their relationship. (Effect of murdering Duncan) Lady Macbeth almost bullies Macbeth throughout the first two acts of the play, insisting that if he does not murder King Duncan, then he is not a real man. When he finally does murder the king and his personality changes, his relationship with his wife does change - he begins to take control, perhaps believing that the more power he gains, the more his wife will respect him. Theme of relationship in Macbeth In Macbeth and Lady Macbeth's relationship, Macbeth seems kinder and more caring, whereas Lady Macbeth appears to have more control. Macbeth is shown as a loving and submissive husband. (Significance of the letter) Macbeth wrote to his wife to tell her about what the witches said. It's interesting as he seems to treat Lady Macbeth equally in the relationship, suggesting he either cares about her or values her opinions. It also gives the audience an idea on why Macbeth allows Lady Macbeth to influence him in the way she does at the start of the play. Many men in the Jacobean era would not even talk about such things with their wives. (Structure of act 1, scene 5) Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are on stage for the first time together in the play with Lady Macbeth dominating the conversation whilst Macbeth hardly speaks. Macbeth uses loving language towards his wife, 'My dearest love' and Lady Macbeth greets him by flattering his status, 'Great Glamis, worthy Cawdor' Macbeth appears to be the more caring of the two here. This is when Lady Macbeth tells Macbeth her plan, Macbeth tells her they will speak later, but Lady Macbeth seems to interrupt him. This makes us question Macbeth, is he truly in love with Lady Macbeth and always wanting to please her? Or is he mentally weak? (Pleasing his wife) In Macbeth's soliloquy, he visions a dagger before him, he considers not acting on his ambition but seems to deny all fears because of his wife. Throughout the first two acts, Lady Macbeth criticised Macbeth for his worries over murdering Duncan. She questions his masculinity and implies that he is a coward whilst insisting he murders Duncan. So does Macbeth go through with murdering the king to please his wife. (Macbeth being too nice) Lady Macbeth thinks that Macbeth is too nice to go for the things that he truly wants, such as the crown: 'I fear thy nature, / It is too full o' th' milk of human kindness / To catch the nearest way' (1,5). Shakespeare uses this metaphor to suggest that Macbeth is a good man. But milk, a substance that mothers make to feed to their young, might also suggest that Lady Macbeth sees his kindness as weakness. In this way, as is the case with many Shakespearian plays, the male character seems to have more stereotypically feminine traits (i.e. Macbeth seems kinder and more caring, whereas Lady Macbeth appears to have more control). (Pressuring) Macbeth is very torn on weather to kill his king or not. He initially decides not to go on knowing that ambition is not a good enough reason to want the crown, but Lady Macbeth quickly persuades him to continue with the plan. It seems that one of the key things holding him back is fear of people retaliating. He addresses this at the beginning of his speech in Act 1, Scene 7. Later on in the scene, he asks Lady Macbeth what would happen if they fail. She says that if he is brave, they won't fail: 'But screw your courage to the sticking-place, / And we'll not fail' (1,7). (Feminine) When Macbeth sees Banquo's ghost, Lady Macbeth asks him, 'Are you a man?' (3,4), this suggests that a lack of courage makes him less of a man. People in the Jacobean era saw mental disturbances as a female problem and not one of a man. (Banquo's murder) As the play progresses Macbeth and Lady Macbeth's relationship becomes more distant. Lady Macbeth was the key motivator in Duncan's murder but Macbeth didn't inform or discuss Lady Macbeth about his plans to kill Banquo. He tells her it is better that she doesn't know: 'Be innocent of the knowledge, dearest chuck' (3,2). Perhaps he wants to save her the suffering that he feels: 'O, full of scorpions is my mind, dear wife! (3,2). It seems he has taken control and there has been a power shift in their relationship. (Effect of murdering Duncan) Lady Macbeth almost bullies Macbeth throughout the first two acts of the play, insisting that if he does not murder King Duncan, then he is not a real man. When he finally does murder the king and his personality changes, his relationship with his wife does change - he begins to take control, perhaps believing that the more power he gains, the more his wife will respect him.