Throughout the play of Macbeth, written by William Shakespeare (1564-1616), is a play

about death, deceit, and corruption. At the center of all this is Macbeth and his wife, Lady
Macbeth, and there is an on-going relationship between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. This
relationship is one of the functions of the play that creates most of the actions, reactions,
moods, feelings and attitudes. As the play progresses, their relationship changes dramatically
as a result of how each of them handles their emotions following King Duncan's murder.

At the beginning of the play Macbeth and Lady Macbeth were very close. For example, when
he informed her about the witches prophesies in his letter, he referred to her "my dearest
partner in greatness". Lady Macbeth has a dangerous desire for power and it was her mockery
and persuasion that leads Macbeth to murder the King Duncan.

In Act 2 Scene 2, when Duncan has decided that he is going to stop what he is doing although
he had already killed Duncan, he says,
"I'll go no more: I am afraid to think what I have done."
Then Lady Macbeth replies,
"Give me the daggers.The sleeping, and the dead, Are but as pictures."
It shows that Macbeth was filled with guilt but his wife contradicted him and lead him down
the path of evil. This is the example of the relationship at opposite ends, and Macbeth and his
wife become partners in crime. Lady Macbeth loves her husband so dearly, and it is seen
when Lady Macbeth lies to many noble guests to try to protect his secrets.

But lastly the relationship has slowly drifted apart and it is finally seen in Act 5 Scene 3 when
the doctor tells Macbeth that Lady Macbeth is sick. Macbeth replies, "Cure her of that".
This shows that Macbeth is so overrun with greed, and he just tells the doctor to cure her and
that is all. Even Macbeth does not talk to her.

The relationship that Macbeth and Lady Macbeth had always directly affected each others
decisions and actions. Sometimes this relationship is at peak and sometimes it is on the flat
line. I believe that Macbeth and Lady Macbeth loved each other so much that they tried to
hard to please each other and not to disagree that they forgot what exactly they were doing.
Lady Macbeth and Macbeth enjoyed a close intimacy in the opening scenes. He looked to her
for strength and motivation because both he and Lady Macbeth knew he didn’t have the
required courage to kill Duncan. However the closeness and intimacy suddenly diminishes
when he acts independently and Lady Macbeth loses control over him. In the end they were
like strangers on the opposite side of the spectrum. Macbeth: maniacally and ruthlessly
ambitious and Lady Macbeth: crazy with fear for the future of her husband. She knew the
Macbeth in the opening scenes but she didn’t know the Macbeth at the end of the play. It is
their own foul deed of murdering Duncan that bring them together in teamwork and the same
deed that leads to Macbeth’s tyranny, Lady Macbeth’s insanity, their consequent separation
and the ultimate end of their life and love.