Compare And Contrast Macbeth And Lady Macduff

To compare and contrast the roles of Lady Macbeth in the play, giving close consideration to their relationship their husbands. In the play ‘Macbeth’ we notice that the roles of Lady Macbeth and Lady Macduff are very different. The contrast between these two ladies, is especially noted by each woman’s loyalties and manner of death. These two women, as similar as they were, also had dissimilarities that are far more striking. Although Lady Macduff and Lady Macbeth each had the ability to influence their family, they used this influence in entirely different ways.

There are many differences between Lady Macduff and Lady Macbeth, one is their loyalties to King Duncan. When Macbeth told his wife that the witches said he would be king, Lady

Whereas, Lady Macduff encouraged her family to be loyal to King Duncan and to his sons, the rightful rulers of Scotland. Lady Macduff is a strong and a loving mother. After her conversation with Ross, in which he tells her that Macduff has fled the country, we see her close relationship with her son when she tells him; because she is furious that Macduff has left them alone, that his father is dead. Even though she doesn’t believe her husband is a traitor. We see her devotion to Macduff when asked by the murders where he is she replies; “I hope, in place so unsanctified, Where such as thou may’st find him.” Lastly, in contrast to how Lady Macbeth faced her death, Lady Macduff had a clear conscience and thought only of her family's safety, even as she was being pursued by Macbeth's henchmen.

The difference between the life stories of the Scottish lords Macduff and Macbeth was largely due to their wives' influence. Overall, Lady Macduff was a much better influence on her husband than Lady Macbeth was. Their goodness or lack thereof affected not only their own lives but also those of every other Scotsmen from that time