1. Paragraphs for essay on the treatment of women
Act 1 Scene 5
Paragraphs for essay on the treatment of women

2. 5 PARAGRAPHS: Letter 1st soliloquy 2nd soliloquy LM/M meeting
How does Macbeth treat his wife? Why does Macbeth treat his wife as he does? How does this treatment affect Lady Macbeth’s attitude and behaviour? What is Shakespeare perhaps suggesting about the treatment of women?
5 PARAGRAPHS:
Letter
1st soliloquy
2nd soliloquy
LM/M meeting
Act 1 Scene 6 – relevance?

3. We first meet Lady Macbeth in Act 1 Scene 5, when she is reading the letter about the witches’ prophecies. The very fact that Macbeth has taken the risk of sending such a treasonous letter puts power in her hands and shows he treats his wife with total trust and wants to share everything with her. After all, he pretended to Banquo at the end of Act 1 Scene 3 that he wasn’t even thinking of the witches any more. He calls her ‘dearest partner of greatness’ and this term of endearment shows he loves her genuinely which is perhaps why he treats her as an equal and wants to share his power with her. He talks about the ‘greatness that is promised thee’ so he sees her as someone he wants to impress.

4. After reading the letter, Lady Macbeth thinks about becoming queen
After reading the letter, Lady Macbeth thinks about becoming queen. Because Macbeth treats her as an equal she seems to be confident and power-driven. She abuses the power Macbeth has given her by criticising him. For example, he is ‘too full o’ the milk of human kindness’. The image of milk reminds us of a woman, so she is suggesting that Macbeth is not manly enough to commit a murder. Because Macbeth has treated her so openly, she knows all his weak points and can use them against him. Being treated as an equal gives her power as she is very persuasive. She wants Macbeth to get home so she can ‘pour my spirits in thine ear’. The word ‘pour’ suggests a significant volume of spirits, and that she is therefore very persuasive. Shakespeare's message could be that, if women are not controlled and treated as inferior, they can become manipulative.