Stephen Presberg

English 2100

9/12/14

 

Take my Hand

 

            One of the most important relationships that takes place in the play Macbeth is that between Lord and Lady Macbeth.  It’s one of the few relationships that lasts throughout most of the play and is subject to much change.  One motif that I noticed that perfectly illustrates this from the film was Macbeth and Lady Macbeth holding hands.

            The first time we see them hold hands is when they are about to enter the dining room after they talk about killing Duncan in the kitchen.  We see how it is Lady Macbeth who invites Macbeth to take her hand, signifying how she is the one in charge at this point.  As they enter the dining room, you can notice the tenderness of the embrace, as if to say they realize that they are both willingly in this together.

            The second time they touch is when they are in the elevator, right after Duncan is murdered.  Both of their hands are covered in blood, which is both a literal sign and a figurative symbol as to how they have now been stained with blood.  This time, however, their tough is less gentle and almost appears as if they are supporting each other by doing so.  The touch appears to signify, to me at least, that they are still in this together, no longer because they want to be, but because they have to.

            The third time is after Macbeth is crowned king and they are about to enter the dining room to greet their guests.  This time, we see that it’s Macbeth who invites Lady Macbeth to take his hand, signifying their change in roles.  When Lady Macbeth hesitates to take his hand, Macbeth then grabs her hand, forcing her to take his.  This can signify how Lady Macbeth is starting to feel regret for what they’ve done and doesn’t want to continue, but Macbeth won’t allow her to leave him.  It’s as if he’s saying “you will stay with me, whether you want to or not.”

            The last time they actually touch is right after the dinner, after Macbeth sends away the guests.  Lady Macbeth is torn apart and Macbeth is furious with how he lost control in front of his guests, all but confessing to the acts that he has committed.  At the end of the scene, He grabs her hand and practically drags her out of the room.  This reveals how mad Macbeth has truly become, and how he has lost all sense of feelings or love for his wife or anyone.

            This motif is brought up one more time, however, in the scene where Lady Macbeth is sleepwalking.  In her sleep, she mistakes the doctor for Macbeth and begs him to take her hand.  When he doesn’t she starts to break down and cry.  This illustrates how Lady Macbeth now feels so much grief and sorrow that she’s desperate for some sign, any sign of affection from her husband.  When he doesn’t do so, she then realizes that they are no longer in this together, and how utterly alone she really is. 

            When I saw this film, I was amazed at how something so simple as holding hands could convey so much.  It is the finite details like this that truly make the works of Shakespeare a masterpiece even to this day.