Key Points
‣ Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s relationship is a complex portrait of love, illustrating layers of utter devotion
alongside overwhelming resentment
‣ the couple begins the play unnaturally strong within their marriage
⤷ early warning of their imminent and inevitable fall from grace
‣ By the end of the play they are so isolated from one another that macbeth doesn't even mourn his wife’s
death, emblematic of the stark volte face of their relationship
‣ Through their relationship shakespeare dissects power within relationships
⤷ Suggests that their compatibility: Macbeth’s malleability and insecurity and LM’s manipulative
tendencies, serve as the couple’s hamartia
Focussed analysis Supporting quotes
Point 1 - intense connection and unusual power balance 1.5 LM (M) ‘my dearest
‣ Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s relationship is a complex portrait of love, partner of greatness’
illustrating layers of utter devotion alongside overwhelming resentment 1.5 LM ‘your face, my
⤷ Fundamental equality within the relationship thane, is as a book’
- They complement each other's weaknesses 1.5 LM ‘leave all the rest to
‣ Their compatibility lies within macbeth’s malleability and Lady Macbeth’s me’
artful manipulation 1.7 LM/M ‘If we should
⤷ They share a thirst for power and so spur each other on to the fail? We fail?’
point of no return (regicide) 1.7 M ‘bring forth men
⤷ are each other’s hamartia and their relationship is integral to each children only’
characters break down and the relationship’s breakdown
‣ Shakespeare observes on the way that relationships intertwine with
ambition and power and the dangers of such fundamental equality within a
relationship (constant back and forth, straying further and further from
morality)
Point 2 - Lady Macbeth's exploitation of Macbeth’s insecurity to fulfil her own 1.5 LM ‘Yet I do fear thy
ambition - artful manipulator nature/ it is too full
‣ LM the Artful manipulator - she has exercises her power through Macbeth o’th’milk of human
⤷ Without him she becomes powerless kindness’
⤷ Because her power is dependent on Macbeth’s malleability and 1.7 LM ‘was the hope
capacity for heartless violence, without him she becomes powerless drunk wherein you dress’d
‣ Emasculation as a means of control yourself? Hath it slept
⤷ Deep understanding of her husband’s fears and insecurities allows since?’
her to steer his actions to suit her ambition 1.7 LM ‘when you durst do
- Her ability to criticise her husband in A1 S5 demonstrates it, then you were a man’
the closeness and the depth of the understanding of each 2.2 M/LM ‘look on’t again,
other that they have I dare not. / Infirm of
‣ Cajoles him using his insecurity as a driving force purpose!’
2.2 LM ‘my hands are of
your colour, but I shame to
wear a heart so white’
Point 3 - Separation of the characters 3.2 LM ‘nought’s had, all’s
‣ A3 S2 is the pivotal scene in their relationship spent where our desire is
⤷ We see a shift in their communication with lady Macbeth still got without content’
preoccupied by the murder of Duncan and Macbeth already moving 3.2 M ‘be innocent of the
‣ Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s relationship is a complex portrait of love, illustrating layers of utter devotion
alongside overwhelming resentment
‣ the couple begins the play unnaturally strong within their marriage
⤷ early warning of their imminent and inevitable fall from grace
‣ By the end of the play they are so isolated from one another that macbeth doesn't even mourn his wife’s
death, emblematic of the stark volte face of their relationship
‣ Through their relationship shakespeare dissects power within relationships
⤷ Suggests that their compatibility: Macbeth’s malleability and insecurity and LM’s manipulative
tendencies, serve as the couple’s hamartia
Focussed analysis Supporting quotes
Point 1 - intense connection and unusual power balance 1.5 LM (M) ‘my dearest
‣ Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s relationship is a complex portrait of love, partner of greatness’
illustrating layers of utter devotion alongside overwhelming resentment 1.5 LM ‘your face, my
⤷ Fundamental equality within the relationship thane, is as a book’
- They complement each other's weaknesses 1.5 LM ‘leave all the rest to
‣ Their compatibility lies within macbeth’s malleability and Lady Macbeth’s me’
artful manipulation 1.7 LM/M ‘If we should
⤷ They share a thirst for power and so spur each other on to the fail? We fail?’
point of no return (regicide) 1.7 M ‘bring forth men
⤷ are each other’s hamartia and their relationship is integral to each children only’
characters break down and the relationship’s breakdown
‣ Shakespeare observes on the way that relationships intertwine with
ambition and power and the dangers of such fundamental equality within a
relationship (constant back and forth, straying further and further from
morality)
Point 2 - Lady Macbeth's exploitation of Macbeth’s insecurity to fulfil her own 1.5 LM ‘Yet I do fear thy
ambition - artful manipulator nature/ it is too full
‣ LM the Artful manipulator - she has exercises her power through Macbeth o’th’milk of human
⤷ Without him she becomes powerless kindness’
⤷ Because her power is dependent on Macbeth’s malleability and 1.7 LM ‘was the hope
capacity for heartless violence, without him she becomes powerless drunk wherein you dress’d
‣ Emasculation as a means of control yourself? Hath it slept
⤷ Deep understanding of her husband’s fears and insecurities allows since?’
her to steer his actions to suit her ambition 1.7 LM ‘when you durst do
- Her ability to criticise her husband in A1 S5 demonstrates it, then you were a man’
the closeness and the depth of the understanding of each 2.2 M/LM ‘look on’t again,
other that they have I dare not. / Infirm of
‣ Cajoles him using his insecurity as a driving force purpose!’
2.2 LM ‘my hands are of
your colour, but I shame to
wear a heart so white’
Point 3 - Separation of the characters 3.2 LM ‘nought’s had, all’s
‣ A3 S2 is the pivotal scene in their relationship spent where our desire is
⤷ We see a shift in their communication with lady Macbeth still got without content’
preoccupied by the murder of Duncan and Macbeth already moving 3.2 M ‘be innocent of the
