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Macbeth And Lady Macduff Analysis

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Shakespeare’s Macbeth is set in a time of political upheaval, and it is a classic portrayal of human nature. Lady Macbeth and Lady Macduff are two ladies who each had profound influence upon their husbands; but their differences aside from this likeness are far more striking. The influence they both possessed was used in vastly distinct and dissimilar ways. Lady Macbeth exhibits childlessness, neediness for power, and manipulation; in contrast with Lady Macduff, whose character reflects motherhood, powerlessness, and innocence. One of the most evident ways that these two characters differ is in their qualities as women. Although appearing in only one act of the play, Lady Macduff sets a clear visualization as a traditional woman. When her …show more content…

When King Duncan is on his way to Inverness, Macbeth begins to panic and tries to back out of the plan. It’s not until his wife questions his manhood and belittles him that he agrees to do it. She always shamed Macbeth into feeling like he was less of a man if he didn’t do what she wanted and that’s what was the driving force of the play. Lady Macbeth tells him that he is “too nice” to do what it takes to become king. She ultimately gets what she wants when her husband goes through with killing Duncan, but even then she can’t be satisfied. Lady Macbeth is a very savvy character who really propels this story into motion. In contrast with this, Lady Macduff is a very innocent character who just gets caught up in the mess Lady Macbeth and her husband created. She is presumed to be a good woman and mother and did nothing to deserve her cold-blooded murder. Macbeth is a play with a vast amount of dynamic and contrasting characters but of all of these, Lady Macbeth and Lady Macduff are the most prominent. Lady Macbeth’s power-hungry attitude, lack of children, and manipulative ways make her a complete opposite to the more traditional woman who Lady Macduff represents, being innocent, motherly, and at times, powerless. Shakespeare created these differences to bring light to the themes of his play and to add depth to this story of war and

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