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  • Essay / Issues Concerning Shakespeare's Macbeth

    Macbeth was first performed in 1606; three years after James I ascended the throne. At this time, Shakespeare was the most popular playwright in England; after being promoted to the status of King's Man in 1603. It could be argued that Macbeth was written by Shakespeare with the intention of impressing his new royal patron: James I was also King James VI of Scotland; is why Shakespeare wrote “Macbeth” about Scottish history was a tribute to its new monarch. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay The relationship between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth is proof of this; one could argue that Macbeth's tragedy, the loss of everything he holds dear, is lost because God punished him for not obeying the divine right of kings. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth at the beginning of the play are a very close couple; their ambition is the driving force of their relationship as they strive to achieve more, their relationship becomes even closer after Duncan's death. However, after the witches appear and strengthen Macbeth with another prophecy, Lady Macbeth and Macbeth's relationship deteriorates as Macbeth becomes more independent. After realizing he was constantly being manipulated, their relationship weakens, causing Macbeth to go from a strong, respected man to a cold, heartless, and uncaring abuser, while Lady Macbeth goes from being strong-willed and from a control to a scared and paranoid child. This can be best seen by studying Shakespeare's use of structure, language, and form throughout the play. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth have a strong relationship; This is shown in Macbeth's letter containing a word for word account of what he had experienced during his encounter with the witches. Furthermore, in his letter, he addresses Lady Macbeth as follows: “I have thought well of delivering you, my dearest partner in greatness”. This shows that Macbeth treats Lady Macbeth as his equal, in his rise to greatness, unlike many previous kings. The word “partner” gives us the connotation of sharing possible gains and risks and having an equal share of control over their relationship. However, later in the play we see Lady Macbeth asserting her dominance, upsetting the balance of equality. They are both represented. by Shakespeare as ambitious characters; while Macbeth is content to wait for fate to take its course, Lady Macbeth is not as patient and hastily concludes that they should kill Duncan. Macbeth is petrified of the consequences if they were to be arrested. As a result, he does not attempt to end Duncan's life. As a result, Lady Macbeth gives Macbeth the impetus to carry out her orders by resorting to his strongest asset; his manipulative abilities. “My hands are your color, but I am ashamed to carry a heart so white.” In essence, Lady Macbeth criticizes her husband's lack of masculinity. She shows her lack of support for her husband because white is traditionally a pure color, associated with innocence; these color associations represent Macbeth as an illustration of weakness, dependence and cowardice. For example, showing a white flag in wartime would mean surrender. The concept of remorse is symbolized by the blood on Macbeth's hands and despite his wife's admonitions, he believes that his hands and soul are forever tainted by the guilt of Duncan's murder. After killing Duncan, Lady Macbeth and Macbeth are united by guilt as they both share a dark secret. They are united in an act of self-preservation,..