Macbeth Symbiotic Relationship Essay

A symbiotic relationship refers to the close associations formed between two organisms where one or more sides are benefiting from their connection to one another. This can take on various forms and Shakespeare’s Macbeth particularly highlights mutualism, commensalism, and parasitism. Mutualism is a beneficially bilateral connection. In other words, this symbiotic relationship survives on the basis that both parties gain a mutual advantage from the other’s presence. This is evident in Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s reliance on each other as a plot device. The premise of the story can essentially be boiled down to a mentally weak host who lacks strong-mindedness and independence yet is given the opportunity to attain power. Macbeth does desire this

It triggers Macbeth’s paranoia and guilt, resulting in his overly desperate reliance on Lady Macbeth to the point that she must assume the dominant role between the two and take on the responsibility for concealing Duncan’s murder. Lady Macbeth assumes control and directs Macbeth to “carry them and smear the sleepy grooms with blood” (Shakespeare 2.2. 63-64) in order to sneakily incriminate the guards and alleviate the worries of her husband while mitigating his erratic behaviour. However, not only does Lady Macbeth now have to persevere through her own internal struggles as a consequence of the murder, but she must also be the point of support and relief for Macbeth that she is so seeking for herself. This dissonance of her responsibilities clashing with her own feelings intends to showcase the odds against this master manipulator. More importantly, it highlights her humanity to show how anyone, even the unlikelihood of a villain, can so quickly spiral into becoming the puppet for a puppeteer to take advantage of. This shift in dynamic parallels one in which an organism lives off the host while simultaneously harming it, most notably known as parasitism. Werbel and Walter makes a point to examine how changes in energy exchange alter the entire framework of a relationship from mutualistic to parasitic, reporting that “symbionts that grow to larger-than-normal numbers and acquire harmful habits (toxins, targeting wrong location, etc) can “wear out their welcome”” (296). In this instance, Macbeth’s intensified reliance becomes the overbearing and harmful habit that prompts this unstableness. In other words, Macbeth becomes parasitic to his host, Lady Macbeth. In the state of this newly formed connection, “the host normally keeps all symbionts in check with a healthy defense system, but changes in the host (sometimes related to host environment) or changes in symbiont population can shift the dynamic