Macbeth And His Wife

The Changing Relationship Between Macbeth and his Wife

“. . . my dearest partner of greatness . . .” writes Macbeth to his wife when he receives the first three prophecies from the witches. The relationship between Macbeth and his wife is a complicated one. At the start, they seem as in love with each other as when they were when married, the language used by both is intimate and playful. However there is a darker side to their relationship. Lady Macbeth has a change of heart and refers to her husband as a coward when they prepare to murder Duncan.

“ . . . I have given suck, and know how tender ‘tis to love the babe that milks me

I would, while it was smiling in my face, have pluck’d my nipple from his boneless gums, and dash’d the brains out, had I so sworn as you . . .”

Dialogues such as this show her darker side, the side that finally convinces Macbeth to commit the murder of King Duncan. It appears that Macbeth may even be afraid of his cruel wife.

After the deed is done, she continues to look down upon him,

“ My hands are of your colour, but I shame to wear a heart so white . . .”

She still thinks of him as a coward and mocks him about worrying about the deed. Her language and actions display this to us. She sarcastically calls him “ . . . worthy thane . . .” Even though he has done exactly what she wanted him to do; Lady Macbeth still will tease him. This is one of the reasons that drive them apart further on in the play.

Apart from her feigning a feint, we don’t see much of the lady until the coronation banquet. Macbeth arranges for his long time friend, Banquo, to be killed so the prophecy would not be fulfilled. When Lady Macbeth asks her husband what he was planning he tells her nothing, “Be innocent of knowledge, dearest chuck . . .”

This from the man who confided everything with his wife in the letter he wrote about the witches, already they have started to drift apart, and Macbeth has only just risen to the throne. Macbeth although outwardly confident that his plan will succeed, appears to be afraid to let his wife know what he is planning, possibly he is afraid of her interfering like she did when they murdered Duncan in his bed.