When reading Macbeth, youre immediately introduced to the theme of power, deception and the technique of

persuasion, all of these factors greatly influence the transformation of character in Macbeth and Lady Macbeth.
Throughout act 1, we see Macbeth begin to question his morals and values as well as the strength of his
determination and ambition. We also see Lady Macbeths ambition and determination become fiercer to the
point where it becomes violent. Act 1 also indicates the theme of deception, used by Shakespeare to
incorporate the planning of Duncans murder, however the murder would not have been successful without the
technique of persuasion and the grasp of power taken by Lady Macbeth
In seventeenth century society it was believed that a powerful woman was highly suspicious and the concept of
equality between the sexes would have seemed very foreign to most in Shakespeares day.
In a very traditional and religious society people believed Adam had been created first in the Bible and Eve
came from his body. She was created specifically to give him comfort, and was to be subordinate to him, to
obey him and to accept her lesser status. The famous religious scholar and leader John Knox stated Woman in
her greatest perfection was made to serve and obey man and this was a common belief.
Nearly all woman were uneducated and therefore men were more powerful merely by the fact that they had
privileges that were not afforded to woman.
Woman where expected to be supportive and obedient to their husbands. They were expected to have children
and to nurture them and as wives and mothers they were associated with the qualities of the gentler sex such
as sensitivity, love and compassion. They were assumed to be weaker than their husbands.
When we first hear of Macbeth he is a powerful man, a captain of Duncans army makes the initial report of the
battle. At first, he says that the outcome of the battle was in doubt. The Captain uses a metaphor of two
drowning men, who gain no advantage by clinging together but instead choke their art. The introduction of
Macbeth of Macbeth as a warrior hero is crucial to the play. Macbeth is introduced first by the Captain as a great
military leader with much prowess on the battlefield. This shows he is regarded as a very powerful person by
people who are in high positions themselves. Phrases such as Valours minion (the god of courage) and
Bellonas bridegroom (the goddess of war) describe Macbeths heroism and power. His strength is underscored
by the Captains graphic account of Macbeths actions on the battlefield. Macbeth did not simply kill Macdonald
he unseemd him from the nave to the chops, and fixd his head upon the battlements the monosyllabic verbs
showing his ruthless singlemindedness on the battle field.
Macbeths reputation on the battlefield is further enhanced by the similes of the captains second report, in
which Macbeth and his fellow captain, Banquo are compared to eagles and lions unafraid of the timid
Norwegians, who themselves are likened to sparrows or hare. Macbeths and Banquos fighting is compared
to the action of artillery. The result of the battle is doubtful and once more both combatants are seen on equal
terms. self-comparisons until the outcome is decided in Scotlands favour by Macbeth. This shows his military
power and authority.
Macbeth therefore is a very powerful man but he is married to a woman who is also very powerful and atypical
to most women in 17th century society. She is confident and strong in her own right and equal in their marital
relationship and we meet her in Act 1 Scene 5. When we first see her, she is already plotting Duncans murder,
and she is stronger, more ruthless, and more ambitious than her husband. She tells her husband to put This
nights business in my dispatch and to Leave all the rest to me.
Lady Macbeth manipulates her husband with remarkable effectiveness overriding all his objections, when he
hesitates to murder, She repeatedly questions his manhood Your hand, your tongue look like an innocent
flower. She pushes him until he feels that he must commit the murder to prove himself. The fact that Lady
Macbeth has far longer speeches shows us she is bidding to take power. It is very clear that though Macbeth is
a brave and powerful lord, his wife is far from subordinate to his will.
In Act 1 Scene 7 we continue to see Macbeths anxiety and unease about his wifes plans to kill King Duncan. At
the beginning of the scene, again we see Macbeth speak in soliloquy which is a dramatic method used by
Shakespeare to show us Macbeths increasing isolation and obsessiveness. The power of the witches is tempting
him and the soliloquies show is lack of power at this time and his internal struggle
His conscience is obviously troubling him and the strength and power that we heard about at the beginning of
the play is being threatened. The repetition of the supposition if in the soliloquy shows us his internal
confusion and indecisiveness. The is worried about the consequences of the proposed murder,
If the assassination could trammel up the consequence
He knows that he has no reason to murder Duncan as he is his guest, his kinsman and his king, in fact,
As his host who should against his murder shut the door, not bear the knife himself
His own niggling ambition and the confidence of his wife who is a very strong woman, atypical of her time, are
wearing him down. She bombards him with criticism and taunts him with blackmail when he declares that they
will proceed no further in this business. She uses tactics to manipulate him and rhetorical questions to wear
him down. She accuses him of being a coward and of not loving her.

Macbeth finally gives into his wifes mental strength and power. He is in awe of her, almost dumbstruck and
mesmerized by her undaunted mettle. His final words, I am settled show that his wife has taken control of
events and he has been persuaded by her forcefulness and weigh of words to succumb and submit to the
pressure. His loss of power is due to the control of the witches and their initial prophecy and temptation and
secondly his own ambition sparked by their prophecies. At the end of act 1 Macbeths wife has taken control
and he, in his submission is seen as the less powerful character.
Lady Macbeth exposes weaknesses at the start of act 2 for the first time in the play as she admits she has
needed a drink to settle her. This shows she has human qualities and she admits that she couldnt have
committed the murder herself. Macbeth is crazed when he comes out of the murder chamber and we yet again
see Lady Macbeth take control of the situation.
He thinks he hears voices and his mind is in frenzy. He uses a metaphor comparing sleep to an innocent human
being. He becomes obsessed that he will never be able to rest again.
The witches have brought conflict to the Macbeth marriage and have brought confusion to Macbeths mind. At
this point in the play it is the witches who are in control of the situation and have full control over both Macbeth
ad Lady Macbeth.
By the end of Act 2 Macbeth is King, and Lady Macbeth is his queen. We would expect the power struggles of
Act 1 and 2 to have stopped as their ambitions have been achieved. Malcolm and Donalbain have fled the
country and tis has worked in Macbeths favour. We would expect them to be joyful and content, satisfied that
Macbeth is now on the throne. We would now expect their relationship to become settled bit it does not.
Be innocent of the knowledge dearest chuck Lady Macbeth has lost her control over her husband.
Lady Macbeth is losing control of her mind, and the tables turn in the personalities as Macbeth says to hide
behind masks. The witches hold the power in act 3. They may not be present but they control his thoughts and
have shattered his relationship with his wife. Both of them are tired and insecure and suffering from the guilt of
their actions. There is no power struggle between them anymore as the witches have taken control.
By the time we reach the Banquet scene in Act 3 Scene 4 Macbeth has become an evil tyrant. At this time in
the play we see the struggles that Macbeth goes through and the power fall into the witches hands. We see the
now evil and dangerous Macbeth crumble when coming into contact with Banquos ghost. We see how weak
and frail Macbeth is physically and mentally. Lady Macbeth tries desperately to cover for her husband but ends
up telling the guests to leave as Macbeth cracks. We see Lady Macbeths power and authority which is atypical
of the time. This is the last time we see Lady Macbeth before she also cracks like her husband and the
relationship breaks down.
At the start of Scene 5 we see Lady Macbeth in a completely different way to what we saw her at the start of
the play. We see her as an anxious, insecure woman which is a great contrast to the powerful, commanding
figure that we saw before the killing.
Lady Macbeth naively believes that they can hold onto their power, she says, what need we fear who knows it,
when none can call or power to account? we can clearly see the regret that Lady Macbeth has for the actions
she took as she is constantly rubbing her hands as reminder of the bloodshed during Duncans killing. She is
also quoted saying, all the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand. She is clearly disturbed by the
reminder of the part she had to play in the killing.
This play has been about a power struggle between good and evil. Its been both an internal and external power
struggle. Through the soliloquies we have seen the struggle in both Macbeth and Lady Macbeths lives. The play
starts in ends in battles which are both physical battles.
The play has also explored the relationship between Macbeth and his wife set in the context of a 17 th century
society. At the end of the play the Macbeths lie dead. Their power struggle is over. The witches are victorious in
their temptation and destruction.