During the first and second act of the play Lady Macbeth is completely in control of the couples’ relationship, but from the third act onwards (after the death of Duncan), it appears that Macbeth is in control. This power balance is similar to that in ‘Porphyria’s Lover’. Lady Macbeth always used to dictate Macbeth saying what he ‘must’ and ‘shall’ do (1.5.65). Similarly, Porphyria dominantly seduces her lover: ‘she put my arm around her waist,’ (16). Both Porphyria and Lady Macbeth are the women in control of their lovers whom are quiet and submissive. Macbeth continues his passive behaviour directly after the murder, letting Lady Macbeth direct him. She is shocked to see Macbeth bring back the daggers and demands Macbeth to ‘go carry them and smear the sleepy grooms’ to frame them (2.2.53-54).
…show more content…
She tells him that he ‘must leave this’ (3.2.35), using consecutive imperative words. Perhaps Lady Macbeth becomes genuinely worried when he ‘keeps alone’ (3.2.7), but soon it is clear that Macbeth doesn’t want to tell her so he is deliberately pushing her away: ‘Be innocent of the knowledge, dearest chuck,’ (3.2.45). Lady Macbeth and Macbeth don’t really have a relationship at this point and Lady Macbeth knows that she’s losing her husband. Macbeth seems to be patronising his wife, calling her a ‘chuck’ meaning she’s a chicken – naive and cowardly. The narrator in ‘Porphyria’s Lover’ relates to Porphyria as ‘without a stain’ (45), representing her as pure. During act 3, scene 2, Lady Macbeth is like a helpless corpse for Macbeth to play with (like Porphyria after the murder; Porphyria was ‘mine, mine’ (36)). Much like ‘Porphyria’s Lover’, a murder causes a power shift. Now the dominance in both the poem and the play is on the men, the stereotypical way it should
She tells him that he ‘must leave this’ (3.2.35), using consecutive imperative words. Perhaps Lady Macbeth becomes genuinely worried when he ‘keeps alone’ (3.2.7), but soon it is clear that Macbeth doesn’t want to tell her so he is deliberately pushing her away: ‘Be innocent of the knowledge, dearest chuck,’ (3.2.45). Lady Macbeth and Macbeth don’t really have a relationship at this point and Lady Macbeth knows that she’s losing her husband. Macbeth seems to be patronising his wife, calling her a ‘chuck’ meaning she’s a chicken – naive and cowardly. The narrator in ‘Porphyria’s Lover’ relates to Porphyria as ‘without a stain’ (45), representing her as pure. During act 3, scene 2, Lady Macbeth is like a helpless corpse for Macbeth to play with (like Porphyria after the murder; Porphyria was ‘mine, mine’ (36)). Much like ‘Porphyria’s Lover’, a murder causes a power shift. Now the dominance in both the poem and the play is on the men, the stereotypical way it should