Renaissance Drama – Macbeth (Acts I–III)

Macbeth and Lady Macbeth have begun a spiral downward as both characters suffer from conflicting feelings. Inwardly, Macbeth suffers immediate distress over his actions only to be transformed into a character of evil. Lady Macbeth, however, strives to achieve power by any means necessary only to find herself suffering under the strain of guilt and remorse. Shakespeare uses the relationship between the husband and wife to contemplate whether a person is born evil or created evil. As you read the next two acts of Macbeth, take note of the change that the two characters experience and reflect on how this change relates to friendship and power.