Act 1 Introduction and Letter Scene

Shakespeare masterfully introduces the complex marriage dynamic between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth through careful characterization and dialogue. The initial presentation through Macbeth's letter establishes their unusual equality for the time period.

Quote: "This have I thought good to deliver thee, my dearest partner of greatness"

Highlight: The use of "dearest partner" suggests an equality that would have been shocking to a Jacobean audience.

Example: Lady Macbeth's immediate response to the letter reveals her dominance through the metaphor of milk, saying Macbeth is "too full o'th' milk of human kindness."

Vocabulary: Emasculation - the process of depriving a man of his male identity or masculine characteristics.