Lady Macbeth Continues to Rule The Roost (Act III)

In Act III, Scene 1, Lady Macbeth appears briefly as Queen. Her only comment to Macbeth is that she hopes Banquo hadn’t been forgotten on their guest list. No disputes yet…So far so good!! Macbeth shows a strong personality when he discusses his planned assassination of Banquo with the two murderers.

At the opening of Scene 2, Lady Macbeth addresses her husband saying “how now, my lord” (l. 8) and “come on. Gentle my lord,” (l. 27). This is a surprise to me because she seems to be showing respect for him which is unusual for her. Macbeth seems to be showing his weakness of character in saying “Better be with the dead, whom we, to gain our peace, have sent to peace, than on the torture of the mind to lie in restless ecstasy.” He is having second thoughts about the murder of Duncan and his guards and is being tormented by the memory and guilt. Macbeth calls his wife “love” (l. 29), but the love they are now showing for each other is only because they are partners in crime. Macbeth shows he is boss by keeping Lady Macbeth in the dark about his plans for Banquo.

In Scene 4, in front of all their guests, Lady Macbeth tells Macbeth off for not entertaining and welcoming the guests. “My royal lord, you do not give the cheer.” (l. 33-34) When Macbeth speaks to Banquo’s ghost, Lady Macbeth explains to the guests that he has always had this problem. “Sit, worthy friends… Pray you, keep seat.” (l. 53-54) she tells them in a bossy tone. To Macbeth privately, she asks “are you a man?” (l. 58-59). This reminds me of when Cher once said to Sonny, “are you a man or a mouse…squeak up!”. Lady Macbeth compares Macbeth’s hallucinations to “A woman's story at a winter's fire authorized by her grandam. Shame itself!” (l. 65-66). It’s as though she is trying to take away his manhood again. “What, quite unmanned in folly?” (l. 74) she shouts when Macbeth imagines the ghost of Banquo to disappear, again challenging Macbeth’s manhood. Lady Macbeth has no pity for her husband’s apparent health problem and does not want his delusions to spoil everyone’s evening. “'Tis no other; Only it spoils the pleasure of the time.” (l. 98-99). “You have displaced the mirth, broke the good meeting, With most admired disorder.” (l. 109-110) shows again her lack of sympathy to her weak husband. Lady Macbeth dismisses all of the guests on behalf of Macbeth, the king.

Poor Macbeth continues to be “henpecked” by his wife Lady Macbeth who obviously “rules the roost”. Even though Macbeth took the reins on the murder plan of Banquo and his son, Lady Macbeth still comes across as the boss because she constantly gets into his mind and makes him question himself and his actions. She always questions his manhood making Macbeth feel like less of a man. Even in his weaker moments, Lady Macbeth takes advantage of the situation and ridicules him in front of his guests. What a royal B!!