Relationships can be complicated, but add a manipulative wife, a pushover husband, and a treacherous plan to be king into the mix, it can lead to divorce…or in this case, death. In the play Macbeth, gender roles and relations are a prominent theme throughout the play. This recurring thematic element is especially illustrated in Macbeth and Lady Macbeth's actions as individuals as well as a couple. Their perception of gender specific roles for male and females, as well as their personal adaptation to unforeseen situations in the play, caused them to reexamine the preconceived notions of acceptable male - female relations and ultimately led to their demise both as individuals and as a couple.
During the opening acts of the play, specifically acts I and II, Macbeth’s persona could be described as timid and humble; on the other hand, his counterpart -Lady Macbeth, had ruthless, devious, and manipulative character traits. From the beginning, Lady Macbeth was undoubtedly not a typical wife. She broke the status quo of the stereotypical 11th century wife of the soon-to-be Thane of Cawdor and King of Scotland. She did not stay in her castle and perform mundane wifely duties; on the contrary, she was a go-getter, and her robust nature often made her seem more manly than her husband. In fact, she wanted to become a man, so she could do the things her timid husband would not. She knows Macbeth is ambitious, but fears he is too “full o th’ milk of human kindness” to take the necessary steps to make himself king. “...come you spirits that tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here, and fill me from the crown to the toe top-full of direst cruelty.” This quote from act I, scene IV, was spoken by Lady Macbeth referring to how she desired to become a man and be filled with the vigor to be able to do such manly things. So when performing dauntless activities, she can set her natural femininity aside to perform whatever bloody deeds need to be done to seize the crown her husband is too kind to take.
Although Lady Macbeth desired to become a man, she still put the heavy burden of murdering King Duncan on her affable husband’s shoulders. She resolved to convince her husband to do whatever was required to seize the crown, even if it meant turning him into her puppet. While Macbeth was understandably apprehensive about performing such a treacherous act on his benevolent king, Lady Macbeth was devising a way to manipulate him into doing it by questioning his manhood. “...When you durst do it, then you were a man; And to be more than what you were, you would be so much more the man.” This quote was spoken by Lady Macbeth in reference to Macbeth being afraid to kill King Duncan. She is saying he would be more of a man if he weren't so scared, and if he didn't do it, he would be less of a man and therefore lose respect. Lady Macbeth used his kindhearted nature and lack of masculinity against him by manipulating him into killing King Duncan. Additionally, she threatened to take away her love for him if he didn't fulfill her desire. At hearing this, Macbeth completely changed his attitude and listened with open ears to Lady Macbeth's plan of murder. But his willingness to conform to her will came with a deleterious price.
The hours before the actual murder took place were the most important because it clearly illustrated the true natures and feelings of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. In addition, it also demonstrated just how far each of them were willing to to go when put in a situation as consequential as murder. Macbeth, for example, was in an extremely fragile state of mind. In act II scene I, Macbeth was readying himself to kill King Duncan. His state of mind was best displayed by the taunting visions he experienced; these visions were haunting him and making him wonder if murder was really the best option. He saw a bloody dagger floating in mid air, symbolizing his apprehension about murdering a king whom he revered and adulated. “... Is this dagger which I see before me, the handle toward my hand? Come, let me clutchthee. I have thee not, and yet i see thee still….To feeling as to sight? Or art thou but a dagger of the mind, a false creation...?” This was the best indication of how worried he was about committing murder. On the contrary, Lady Macbeth was excited by the prospect of murder and even excited about being queen. She was so selfishly preoccupied with her own excitement that she took Macbeths nervousness nonchalantly- as if he had just gotten cold feet and wasn’t internally struggling with his conflicting emotions of murder. “... From this time such I account thy love. Art thou afraid to be the same in thy own act and valor as thou art in desire? 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?’’’ That quote was spoken by Lady Macbeth telling Macbeth that if he didn't go through with the plan she would always remember when her love was a coward. She wants him to live not letting cowardliness stop him from doing things he wants to do, but rather go after them with the desire of accomplishing them- such as attaining the throne. With this last push from Lady Macbeth, and despite Macbeth’s still uneasy mind and heart, the deed was done.
The events following the murder of King Duncan were vital in understanding the changes in Macbeth and Lady Macbeth as individuals and as a couple. Macbeth, post murder, was paranoid and guilt ridden about killing Duncan. He was so deeply filled with regret about killing to gain control of the throne that he was experiencing insomnia and could not even pray. “...Listening their fear, I could not say ‘amen’...but wherefore could i not pronounce ‘amen’? I had most need of blessing, and amen stuck in my throat.’’ Macbeth no longer has a relationship with God because if his guilt and he feels he doesn't deserve it. Despite being guilt ridden for killing, he certainly didn't hesitate to do it again to achieve his goal of becoming king. He ordered Banquo and Fleance’s murder because he perceived them as being a threat to his goal. But almost immediately after hearing the news of banquo’s successful murder, he saw Banquo's ghost at a dinner in his home. This proved not only his paranoia, but also his progressive loss of sanity. However, in contrast to his guilt over Banquo’s death, he was angry with the murders for allowing Fleance to escape, expressing how that loose end was a flaw in his master plan of keeping kingship. Through the duration of the play, Macbeth did whatever was necessary to keep his kingship. He continued to become more and more confident in executing murder and lies which added to his newfound hubris character. It will be this tragic flaw that will ultimately lead to his demise.
Meanwhile, Macbeth refused to share the additional murders he has planned with Lady Macbeth, causing a major breakdown in their relationship. At the start of the play, Macbeth and his wife were very close; he even referred to her as “my dearest partner in greatness” in his letter informing her of the witches prophecies. Although she pushed him around and didn’t use the kindest words when speaking to him, he looked to her for guidance; she was the one leading him- and he followed her lead, took her advice, and gained confidence in her council. But after Duncan's death, Macbeth began to become more confident in his abilities to make decisions without the counsel of his wife, to whom he always used to confide in. She began to be left out of every decision made after the murder of the king. She retreats more and more and we no longer see her as part of a couple, but as a separate entity. This isolation led to the end of their relationship and the death of Lady Macbeth. With Macbeth no longer dependant on her, Lady Macbeth began to feel the effects of isolation. She was forced to confide in herself and her own guilty thoughts which drives her insane. Without her other half helping her through that difficult time, she became unable to cope with all she had done and was responsible for. She realized she had been naive to believe “a little water should wash us of this deed”, when in her mind the guilt can never be physically removed. She was plagued by guilty dreams and began sleepwalking; she couldn't escape from herself or her guilty conscience, so she did the only thing she could- she committed suicide. It was the only way to escape the reality she made for herself.
Near the conclusion of the play, Macbeth began to rely solely on knowledge given to him by the witches, which was unreliable and full of half truths. It became them who he looked to for advice and answers. He attained security in his invincibility from the three apparitions, which state that Macbeth should beware Macduff, that none born of a woman can harm him, and that Macbeth shall never be vanquished until Great Birnam wood to high Dunsinane Hill shall come against him. The first apparition: “...Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth! Beware Macduff. Beware the thane of Fife…” The second apparition: “...Be bloody, bold, and resolute. Laugh to scorn the power of man, for none of woman born shall harm Macbeth…” The third apparition: Be lion-mettled, proud, and take no care who chafes, who frets, or where conspirers are. Macbeth shall never vanquished be until Great Birnam Wood to high Dunsinane Hill shall come against him…” Macbeth finds security in these apparitions because of his hubris. He has assigned people to watch over Macduff’s home, he believes every man is born from a woman, and he refuses to believe that literal woods can uproot and come against him. In the end, his false security, and newfound hubrisness led him to his demise.
To conclude, the fates of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth were intertwined from the moment they set their sights on the throne. Only selfless, unconditional love from the beginning could have saved them from their fate. Their gender role transformation resulted in fatal consequences; Macbeth felt the need to overcompensate for the manliness that was absent in the first half of the play, while Lady Macbeth allowed her guilty conscience to drive her insane and eventually commit suicide. In a perfect world, stereotypical gender roles should surpass basic character traits and allow true love and compassion to permeate the relationship.