Macbeth, a masterpiece by William Shakespeare, depicts the tragedy of the titular hero, Macbeth. The relationship between him and his wife, Lady Macbeth, changes dramatically throughout the story, and in doing so, helps illuminate the key idea of ​​Macbeth's rise and fall as king. Before the murder of King Duncan, and before Macbeth's reign even begins, Shakespeare is the basis of the strong bond between the two lovers. Lady Macbeth enters the play in Act 1, scene 5, in which she receives a letter, by messenger, sent by Macbeth himself. In this letter, Macbeth describes her as his: “greatness' dearest companion.” (1.5/11). Clearly, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth must have a strong relationship, as the play tells this openly to the reader, but it's the smaller details that show how good of a couple they really are. The letter was Macbeth's immediate reaction after meeting the witches, excited to tell his wife the great news. She describes it in a way that makes it sound like it's a gift to her. This is further supported by the undertones of ambition coming from Lady Macbeth, suggesting that one of her greatest desires is to become queen. This “gift” shows that Macbeth knows exactly what his wife wants. And it seems that the recognition of wants and needs is mutual in Lady Macbeth's terms. He only knows from the letter about Macbeth's ambition to become king. This may suggest that they have discussed this topic before, which highlights the trust and respect they have towards each other, and an unusual occurrence for this time period. “too full of the milk of human kindness” (1.5/17). This is how Lady Macbeth describes him, thinking about why Macbeth will not become king. At first glance, this sou... middle of paper... rific way. The relationship at this point was perfect to the point that the respect and trust between the two was unheard of at the time. However, when Macbeth became king, his new personality poisoned both his acts as king and the relationship. The banquet seen marked the theoretical death of both concepts, but it was only at the end of the work that they officially died together. The rise and fall of both are parallel progressions to each other and even have critical turning points during the same scenes. The end of the relationship is intertwined with the fall of Macbeth as a king, and therefore, the progression of the relationship between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth is a successful illuminator of the idea, that is, the rise and fall of Macbeth as a king. Works Cited Shakespeare, William and John Crowther. No Fear Shakespeare: Macbeth. and. New York: Spark Publishing, 2013. Print.