Love, true love is a hard thing to find from within or from others. Even when vowing to ‘love’ this person through sickness and health, hard times and easy it may not be true or pure. Love can be used as opportunity, safety, and even puppetry. Within the play Macbeth Macbeth and Lady Macbeth both express an untrue love. Interestingly, Shakespeare must have known these troubles within marriages and used it within his work. Furthermore, the relationship between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth is represented as a very toxic and un-trustful relationship leaving them as a dangerous duo. Firstly, Lady Macbeth is shown to be a manipulative wife and results in cruel actions on Macbeth’s behalf. Furthermore, it is shown that they only care for the power given from each other but not actually about each other. Finally, it is shown how Lady Macbeth and Macbeth's relationship was their fatal flaw.
Lady Macbeth was a cruel woman and constantly demeaned her own husband. She was a manipulator and convinced Macbeth to become what she wanted him to be and put an un-trustworthy strain between the two. In act 1 Lady Macbeth expressed how she truly felt. “Look like th’ innocent flower, But be the serpent under ’t.” (1,5,67) This quotation expresses how Lady Macbeth acted proper and kind on the outside but within and with her husband she was careless and dangerous. Her behavior gaslighted Macbeth into this serpent ideal as well, leaving this manipulative couple fatally dangerous. Furthermore, using the word “serpent” links back to the representation Shakespeare decided to portray for this couple. Shakespeare lived through a very religious time period and Snakes/Serpents within the Cathlioc and Christian religion were associated with lies, evilness, and temptation. Interestingly, knowing this allows the reader to put context to how much more evil and manipulative it was for Lady Macbeth to ask Macbeth to become a serpent. Moreover, Lady Macbeth asked Macbeth many rhetorical questions. She used this manipulative strategy to guilt Macbeth into doing the ‘manly’ thing, killing King Duncan. “Wouldst thou have that Which thou esteem’st the ornament of life, And live a coward in thine own esteem, Letting “I dare not” wait upon “I would,” Like the poor cat i’ th’ adage? (1,7,41) Shakespeare would have used this language feature to emphasize the need and want that Lady Macbeth has for Macbeth to complete this action. This toxic manipulation showed how Lady Macbeth put an image in Macbeth's head and forced it to become his own. In addition to this Shakespeare uses the structure of soliloquy to clearly represent Lady Macbeth's true intentions after hearing how the Witches told Macbeth he would be king. “Hie thee hither, That I may pour my spirits in thine ear And chastise with valor of my tongue All that impedes thee from the golden round,” (1, 5, 24) This soliloquy links back to the idea of Lady Macbeth being manipulative as she flat out expresses how she was going to persuade Macbeth into following through with the foul actions so he can become king. This action portrays Lady Macbeth’s love for Macbeth as a lie hidden for other intentions. Nonetheless, Some may see Lady Macbeth as just a caring wife looking for the best intentions for her husband. However, for that time period a good wife would also stay quiet, not give her opinion ,and never question her husband's masculinity. Shakespeare would have meant to write Lady Macbeth as not a ‘proper’ wife to represent just how much more evil and ill-intent she was. Manipulation within a relationship causes toxicity and takes away trust. The relationship between these two characters was filled with guilt, vile, and danger. Together they weren't just danger to each other but danger to others.
Macbeth and Lady Macbeth both only cared for the power gained from each other but not actually for one another. In act 3 Lady Macbeth gets frustrated when Macbeth is feeling guilty about the murder. “Using those thoughts which should indeed have died With them they think on? Things without all remedy Should be without regard. What’s done is done.” (3, 2, 12) This quotation expresses the idea that Lady Macbeth didn’t care about Macbeth's feelings and emotions. She was being selfish and she didn't want to feel the guilt he was feeling. She wanted no more talk of the situation so she didn't have to think about it any more. If Macbeth was unable to talk with his wife it would have created an un-trustworthy bond filled with anger and selfishness. Additionally, Macbeth responds with an eerie and unsettling term “Better be with the dead,” (3, 2, 21) This adds to the idea that even though Macbeth was very distraught from earlier events Lady Macbeth didn't care. She didn't want to lose the chance of him having power and being king. The greed for power between these two would make them go to very high extents turning their ‘love’ into danger. Furthermore, when Macbeth and Lady Macbeth were talking about killing Banquo, Lady Macbeth exclaimed “You must leave this.” (3, 2, 36) Even with her showing distraught Macbeth uses a metaphor to express his need for action “Oh, full of scorpions is my mind, dear wife! Thou know’st that Banquo, and his Fleance, lives.” (3, 2, 36) This language feature expresses how Macbeth didn't care about how Lady Macbeth felt, his evil mind already decided. Especially using the term scorpions in his mind - as saying his thoughts are poisoned would have been distraught to a woman during that time period. This quotation would have portrayed Macbeth as a selfish and toxic husband. In addition to this Shakespeare wrote with the effect of the aside which was used to allow the reader to realize how a character could be putting on a fake image. When Macbeth sees Banquo's ghost he starts freaking out whilst guests are around, this leads to Shakspeare having Lady Macbeth use an aside to allow the reader to feel how she truly reacted. “Feed and regard him not. (aside to Macbeth) Are you a man?” (3, 4, 58) This aside shows how Lady Macbeth didn't care to see what was truly wrong with Macbeth but she didn't want others to find out what he did and execute him/ take away his power. This shows how she only cared for his power and not his well being. Nevertheless, Some could have seen these two as loving and protective couple. However, every time either of them was being protective it was so they weren't caught and stripped of the power that they evilly schemed to get. Their planning is what made this couple just that more evil and dangerous when together. Care for loved ones is a big weakness to powerful people. With this toxic relationship having only care for power it had them a step ahead and behind. Having them killing many but also leading to their own deaths.
Every character has a fatal flaw, some are money, greed, death, etc. For Macbeth and Lady Macbeth their fatal flaw was each other. Their fatal flaw was their relationship. In act 5 Lady Macbeth talks unconsciously whilst a doctor watches her “The thane of Fife had a wife. Where is she now? — What, will these hands ne’er be clean? — No more o’ that, my lord, no more o’ that. You mar all with this starting.”(5, 1, 36) This quotation shows how the actions she and her husband followed through on are haunting her on the inside. She was mad at Macbeth but also herself. With her husband not being there for her, guilt would have taken over leading her to death. Even if by suicide or murder her husband didnt fufill his job in protecting her. She made him want more, she made his morality lower. Moreover, when Macbeth found out about Lady Macbeth's death he responded with “ She should have died hereafter.” (5, 5, 17) This key quotation added to the idea of the relationship between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth being their fatal flaw as his actions leaded to her death in either way and he didn't care because he's too focused on gaining more power. When his peripeteia should have shown it didn't because his hamartia got another reason. Lady Macbeth’s manipulation led to Macbeth having a fatal flaw of power which led to a danger killing lady Macbeth. Additionally, he responds to the death of his wife with an opinion on life “Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player That struts and frets his hour upon stage And then is heard no more. It is a tale Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, Signifying nothing.” (5, 5, 24) The use of an opinion in this moment shows that he did think about what he heard but then shows to express how it’s almost needed and continues that she would have died before him. This fatal flaw makes/made their relationship so much less trusting and real. Furthermore, Shakespeare used the structure of stage direction to allow the reader to picture just exactly what happened. Shakespeare used this to his advantage when writing about Macduff killing Macbeth “Enter MACDUFF with MACBETH’s head” (5, 8, 54) This stage direction shows how they believed Macbeth was truly evil as for in the past they decapitated people so their evil spirits couldn't rise from their bodies. This goes back to how the relationship was the fatal flaw as Lady Macbeth is what started the whole beginning of the war. If the war never happened they both wouldn't have lost their identity and died. Alternatively, Some might have interpreted their relationship as a positive and what brought them away from their fatal flaw. However, If they did cause good for each other they both wouldn't have killed so many and wouldn't have died themselves and alone. Their relationship being their fatal flaw links back to the idea that their relationship is represented as toxic, un-truthful and Dangerous. Death of a wife is hard for all spouses, however for Macbeth her dying got rid of him being more pressured. His fatal flaw died leaving him with another - they led each other to only want power.
In conclusion, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s relationship was represented as Toxic, untruthful, and dangerous throughout Macbeth. It was clear throughout Macbeth that Lady Macbeth’s manipulation added to the downfall and danger between the couple. Furthermore, the fact that neither characters cared for one another more than power left each other stranded and alone having no relationship to fall back on when hurt. Overall the fatal flaw being your spouse asks for danger and toxicity, and death really was written all over their relationship. Shakespeare's depiction of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s relationship perhaps reveals that the tragedy between the two were self-inflicted when trying to fake love for ill-intention. This leaves a powerful message to the Shakespearen audience: Love is power, and power is dangerous. when used to ill extent it will open you to defeat - mental, physical, and emotional.
Work Cited
Shakespeare, William. Macbeth. Edited by John C. Crowther, Spark Pub., 2003.
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