In this particular scene Macbeth and Lady Macbeth almost switch roles. Unfortunately this makes their relationship fray a little.

At the start of the scene she says: "that which hath made them drunk made me bold." it seems that although she is taking a more masculine role in the killing of Duncan, she still has some of her feminine traits because she is scared although she does not seem to show any apprehension until later, although Macbeth seems to feel the complete opposite. The passage suggests that Lady Macbeth did not know what she was doing because she said: "the fatal bellman which gives the sternest good-night." This could also suggest that she knows the deed is wrong.

On the other hand, Macbeth seems to be like a little child and when he brought the daggers back would not do any more. It is as if he is a lost child needing guidance. Lady Macbeth also seems to be the optimist of the two, although she acts in a very manipulative manner and dismisses the murder by saying: "think not of it." This could also suggest that she is deeply disturbed by the murder, yet she refuses to think about it. Lady Macbeth is the leader in this murder and is like a witch tempting Macbeth. Lady Macbeth says: "a foolish thought to say a sorry sight." The sibilance in this could imply that she is the serpent or that she is trying to stop him from being such a coward. She then goes on to say "tis the eye of childhood that fears the painted devil." This is her way of showing Macbeth his cowardice and making him feel small and insignificant. Shakespeare uses a clever bit of language by using the word "gild" to try and introduce the guilt they are both feeling. This pun could mean that the King's blood is like gold, so they have killed a precious thing or that the blood represents the guilt. Macbeth obviously feels much more guilty than his wife because he feels he needs all: "Great Neptune's oceans" to wash the blood from his hand, yet Lady Macbeth tries to dismiss it again by saying: "a little water clears us of this deed." Although the words show a contrast between the two it could all be seen as a parallel because they are both scared. Although it seems that Lady Macbeth has no regrets, Macbeth finishes the scene by saying: "t'were best not know myself." It shows that Macbeth is ashamed of the deed and wishes he didn't know what he has become. He also regrets something else and says: "wake Duncan with thy knocking! - I would'st thou coulds't." He finally makes himself realise he killed Duncan the King and wishes he hadn't.
473 words (timed essay - 1 lesson)

Lady Macbeth and Macbeth prove to be very different people in this scene. Lady Macbeth appears to be very confident in herself. For example she says the drink "made me bold". This shows that she is not a typical woman, scared of murder and crime, but instead thinks that it makes her more powerful. Lady Macbeth knows that she has been deceitful by abusing the King's trust. Just like the grooms who "mock their charges with snores" as instead of looking after the King so that he is safe, she has taken away his life.

Although in this scene Lady Macbeth comes across as a very powerful woman with no feelings, she does have some weaknesses inside her as she says: "had he not resembled my father I had done it". This shows self-deceit as she is not as strong and she believes herself to be. When she cries: "my husband!" this also shows a weakness as it shows that she needs Macbeth.

When Macbeth returns he says that he has "done the deed" which shows that by using a euphemism like : "deed" he is denying to himself what he has done and cannot admit to himself that he has committed a murder. Macbeth is not as confident as Lady Macbeth and when looking at his hands he sees them as a: "sorry sight". Already he is feeling guilty at what he has done and feels pressured. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth's relationship is quite unusual because she acts like the man by saying to him things like: "a foolish thing to say". She tells him what to do and often looks down on him because he is not as brave as she would like him to be.

Macbeth sees his hands as: "hangman's hands" which is already showing how badly he is reacting to what he has done. A hangman is also a long way down the great chain of being which shows that through his ambition they have that ironically ended are further down the chain.

Lady Macbeth tries to be more confident and in this scene her reactions are confident and strong. She says to Macbeth: "these deeds must not be thought ... it will make us mad." This is a very good example of irony because she tells him not to make himself mad, but later on she in fact goes mad herself. Whilst Lady Macbeth remains calm, Macbeth already starts to hallucinate and show signs of madness: "I heard a voice cry". This is Macbeth already showing signs of disorder.

Lady Macbeth sees Macbeth as a coward as he says: "afraid to think what I have done". She says to him that he is: "infirm of purpose". Here she is implying that Macbeth is physically and mentally weak.

Macbeth and Lady Macbeth have very different reactions to the murder. With Macbeth "every noise appals" him which shows his guilt. Lady Macbeth is not so cowardly because when she comes back from taking the daggers she says: "my hands are of your colour, but I shame to wear a heart so white." she knows what she has done and is deceiving herself into thinking that she will be happy now Macbeth will be King. "How easy it is then.": this is ironic because once they commit the murder they are unhappy and they both make themselves mad. Macbeth is already regretting what he has done: "to know my deed t'were best not know myself," which shows he would rather not know the person he has become.

Lady Macbeth takes the lead in their relationship and in this scene appears to be confident and powerful. Macbeth is very different and his reaction is very weak and cowardly compared to his wife's.

624 words  (timed essay - 1 lesson)

Scene two is basically how Macbeth and Lady Macbeth react to the murder and how they feel and cope with the situation.

The relationship between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth is quite strong compared to how it ends up. It is clear that Lady Macbeth is the stronger of the two at this moment. We see this when she says: "a foolish thought". She is trying to convince Macbeth that what he has done is not such a bad thing, when it is. We also know she is a stronger person at this point when she says that "which hath made them drunk hath made me bold". Lady Macbeth is pleased and proud of herself for breaking the trust of the hostess. She has drugged the guards and blamed them so she does not feel so on edge. Although Lady Macbeth is stronger now, we later see in the play she is the one to go mad first and kill herself because she can not deal with her guilt. When she does die Macbeth says "she should have died hereafter.". He feels nothing for her any more, so over a period of time Macbeth has changed so much that his relationship with Lady Macbeth has died.

At this part of the play Lady Macbeth and Macbeth are very jumpy. This shows when they are having the conversation: "when? ... Now" They do not speak whole sentences because they are so much on edge they are both being deceitful to themselves because they are not as strong as they think they are.

The use of language reveals a lot as well. Macbeth talks about his "hangman's hands". This is irony because he has killed the King to be in a higher position but already he has sunk down to being as low as a hang man, a lower position than he had to start with.

It also says "the fatal bellman". A bell man was someone who rang the bell at funerals and executions and it was the death of the King, but it could also point forward to the end of happiness for Macbeth and his relationship with Lady Macbeth.

You can see a parallel between the story of Adam and Eve and Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. Eve is tempted by the serpent and persuades Adam to taste the fruit. It's the same thing: Lady Macbeth made herself evil to tempt Macbeth and it worked, the dagger symbolising the serpent.

Shakespeare uses  lots of Ss together which sounds like the sound that snakes make. So throughout this scene you might say it's like the devil is there. This is something the audience would notice.

Also the atmosphere here may be very scary because it is quiet and Lady Macbeth and Macbeth are very nervous so the audience may be on the edge of their seats a lot.

Macbeth says that: "Neptune's oceans" will not wash clean his hands of this deed. At the moment Macbeth understands the significance of what he has done, but Lady Macbeth still does not know. This shows how blind they both are to the situation. Lady Macbeth is trying to keep Macbeth stable because she knows if they get caught they will be executed.

Macbeth knows that he has deceived himself because he says: "to know my deed t'were best not know myself". This shows Macbeth is scared of the person he is becoming and that if someone else had done it he would not want to know them.

From this point on Macbeth and Lady Macbeth's relationship starts to fail because Lady Macbeth, who thinks of herself as being the stronger, is just deceitful and is weak inside.

612 words  (timed essay - 1 lesson)