Most of the drama of William Shakespeare's Macbeth is based on murder. Throughout the play, much of the dialogue and action concerns plotting homicide, committing a terrible act, or being haunted by the guilt of taking another human life . With this pervasive bloody violence, it is not surprising that the question of privacy within Macbeth's kingdom is not often addressed. Intimacy is, however, a major force in the play, as its presence and absence shapes not only the relationship between Macbeth and his wife, but also the final direction of the plot. The key to the plot movements and the relationship between the Macbeths, whatever twisted and manipulative turns it takes, is the intimacy and closeness of the two. It is their devoted relationship that unites them amidst their anxiety over their murderous acts and political power plays. Ultimately, their loss of closeness and trust in one another signals the collapse of their rise to power and their impending downfall. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get an Original EssayThe initial rapport between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth is characterized by a close affection and deep understanding of each other. This is seen in their interactions with each other at the beginning of the play. The first time an exchange takes place between the couple, it takes the form of a letter written by Macbeth to his wife. Upon learning of his new title, Macbeth immediately communicates the information to his wife in a note, ending the letter with the following: "This I have thought fit to deliver to you, my dearest partner in greatness, that you do not lose the right to rejoice by ignoring what greatness is promised to you” (Iv8-11). Macbeth's choice to immediately inform his wife of the news before he even returns home demonstrates his wife's position as a trusted confidante. Macbeth communicates his desire to share any glory he might gain with Lady Macbeth, showing that he cares deeply for his wife and is truly devoted to her. He also selflessly argues that the greatness they are about to possess is not only promised to him, but also to both "partners". Lady Macbeth's intimacy with her husband manifests itself in a different way, namely her deep knowledge of Macbeth's personality. Once she hears the news of his promotion to Thane of Cawdor, Lady Macbeth immediately launches into deep reflection on her husband's character. She said: “You would be great; / Art not without ambition, but without / Illness must accompany it. What you would highly desire, / You would holyly desire” (Iv16-19). Here, Lady Macbeth demonstrates a keen understanding of not only her husband's desires, but also his morals and the lengths he is willing to go to in order to achieve a goal. She recognizes a kindness in the man that is not suited to the hard game of political advancement and therefore decides that she must help him in his rise to power by pouring “her spirit into your ear” (Iv24). Although Lady Macbeth's intimacy is shown less directly, she and Macbeth have an intimately close relationship. As the play progresses, deeper and more complex elements of the Macbeths' relationship are revealed. As the couple deepens their intrigue, a certain dynamic develops and continues for some time throughout the play. Lady Macbeth took the initiative and hatched a plan in which Macbeth would secretly kill Duncan, thus bringing him closer to hiscoronation king. When Macbeth expresses doubts about killing his king (who nevertheless comes to honor him), Lady Macbeth uses persuasion and manipulation to try to convince her husband to go ahead with the plan. She compares her past determination to a drunken hope, now drunk and “green and pale.” She goes on to say: “From this moment / Such I count thy love” (I.vii.37-39). After using her love as a manipulative tool, she asks if Macbeth would "live a coward in your own esteem" (I.vii.42). His strategic tirade seems to partly convince Macbeth as he moves from asserting that he will not kill his king to contemplating, wondering what would happen if they failed. Her dominance fully asserted, Lady Macbeth responds: “But try your courage, / And we will not fail” (I.vii.61). Macbeth then asks about the details of the plan, apparently persuaded and determined to follow through on his wife's idea. This negotiation highlights a darker side of the intimacy between the couple, where Lady Macbeth uses rhetoric and guilt to manipulate her husband into doing what she sees as most beneficial to them both. This set-up, however, is not a one-sided practice of coercion since Macbeth seems to need the strong hand of his wife to reinforce his most shameful ideas (such as murder for political purposes). At this point in the play, the two men have developed an emotionally symbiotic relationship in which they both know that Macbeth needs his wife's primal words to strengthen his thoughts and soothe his fears. As the death toll rises, an inconsistency in the Macbeths' previously intimate relationship marks the couple's downfall. Their practice of completely trusting and sharing the details of their lives ends here and begins the unraveling of their destiny. When Macbeth becomes suspicious of Banquo and the Weird Sisters' prophecy that his children will be kings, he hatches a plan to have the man and his son Fleance murdered. Macbeth chooses to hide this plan from his wife when the two speak in private. Macbeth says this to his former confidant: “Be innocent of this knowledge, dearest Chuck, / Until you applaud the deed/… You marvel at my words; but keep still” (III.ii.45-54). He tells his wife not to worry about what he has in store for her but to wait for it to come to fruition. This is the first time in the play that Macbeth withholds information about Lady Macbeth, proven in part by her surprised expression which Macbeth comments on. In past situations, Macbeth not only discussed all the details and issues with Lady Macbeth, but he also used his wife as a sort of guide through this bloody mess, someone to calm his fears and reaffirm his actions. The fact that this type of intimacy is no longer the cornerstone of the Macbeths' relationship coincides with further ruptures in the dynamic established between the two. At a dinner where most of the nobles are gathered, Macbeth has a seizure during which he sees the ghost of Banquo sitting at the table with them. Lady Macbeth assumes her role as the one who dispels her husband's fears by saying, "This is the very picture of your fear: / This is the air-drawn dagger which you said / Led you to Duncan." O, these faults and these beginnings, / From impostors to true fear” (III.iv.61-64). Her power over her husband seems to have lost its potency at this point as Macbeth continues to become hysterical in front of his guests. Yelling at the ghost to leave him alone, Macbeth shouts, “Come on! and leave my sight! Let the earth hide you! (III.iv.93). Macbeth seems to be too intensely affected by the murders he caused for the former.