Family relationships and marriage is a big theme portrayed in Macbeth. Three main families and couples in this play are the Duncan family, Macbeth/Lady Macbeth, and Macduff/Lady Macduff. Duncan is the king of Scotland and has two son’s named Malcolm, who was the oldest, and Donalbain, who was the youngest. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth were happily married and have one of the strongest marriages in Macbeth. Macduff and Lady Macduff were married and struggled in their marriage. Macbeth’s drama centers on family relationships in Duncan’s family, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s marriage, and finally Macduff and Lady Macduff’s marriage and family life.
The Duncan family has a great amount of love for each other. Duncan’s sons show their love for their father …show more content…
Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s marriage is the most convincing in Shakespeare. They show true conjugal partnership (Smuts 72). The Macbeth’s marriage is very different from the Macduff’s. “As a couple, they function in striking contrast to the Macduff’s marriage, in which the husband inexplicably abandons wife and children in his flight to England, and the wife responds with bitter recrimination and open criticism of him in front of the children” (Hopkins 6). The Macbeth’s have a much better marriage than the Macduff’s. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth have a true love for each other; “Despite their childness, however, there can be no doubt that the Macbeth’s relationship is -- initially at least -- a happy one” (Hopkins 6). The Macbeth’s depends a lot on each other. “Lady Macbeth’s role is completely determined by her husband’s” (Ancona 5). They act off of each other like a good married couple should. Lady Macbeth has a huge impact on Macbeth, “Consequently, if there is any change in Macbeth – and there certainly is -- it is because of his wife, not the weird sisters” (Ancona 3). They have a strong marriage because they rely on each other. Lady Macbeth truly loves her husband. “Lady Macbeth does not display sexual vanity and the play gives no hint that she is guilty of adultery” (Smuts 72). Stating that, Lady Macbeth would never commit adultery because her love for Macbeth is so great. Even when Lady Macbeth grossly …show more content…
Lady Macduff tells her son that his father may be dead. He is concerned and asks if his father is a traitor. Lady Macduff claims that liars will be hanged, by honest people; hinting that his dad was traitor (Bloom 34-35). As Lady Macduff and her son were talking a guard interrupted them warning them that they were in great danger and should flee (Bloom 35). Lady Macduff’s love for her son is shown when he is killed. “With his last breath, the young boy calls out to his mother. “he has killed me, mother: / Run away, I pray you!” Lady Macduff, screaming “murder,” runs out, pursued by the murders who are certain to kill as well” (Bloom 35). Lady Macduff’s son also shows his love for his mother when he tells her to flee. The Macduff’s marriage is more centered off of royalty instead of love. “Ultimately, as Lady Macbeth knows only too well and as Macduff comes so tragically to realize he was wrong to put his ambition in service to the throne above marriage, and in this epiphany is his redemption” (Ancona 4). Macduff cares more about his crown than his marriage. Macduff does care about his wife on some level, “MAcduff’s reaction to the news of his wife’s death demonstrates he still has a loving heart” (Ancona 4). It takes something bad for Macduff to show his love for his wife, but deep down he has it. When Macbeth finds out that his family was slaughtered, he loses it because he realizes
The Duncan family has a great amount of love for each other. Duncan’s sons show their love for their father …show more content…
Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s marriage is the most convincing in Shakespeare. They show true conjugal partnership (Smuts 72). The Macbeth’s marriage is very different from the Macduff’s. “As a couple, they function in striking contrast to the Macduff’s marriage, in which the husband inexplicably abandons wife and children in his flight to England, and the wife responds with bitter recrimination and open criticism of him in front of the children” (Hopkins 6). The Macbeth’s have a much better marriage than the Macduff’s. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth have a true love for each other; “Despite their childness, however, there can be no doubt that the Macbeth’s relationship is -- initially at least -- a happy one” (Hopkins 6). The Macbeth’s depends a lot on each other. “Lady Macbeth’s role is completely determined by her husband’s” (Ancona 5). They act off of each other like a good married couple should. Lady Macbeth has a huge impact on Macbeth, “Consequently, if there is any change in Macbeth – and there certainly is -- it is because of his wife, not the weird sisters” (Ancona 3). They have a strong marriage because they rely on each other. Lady Macbeth truly loves her husband. “Lady Macbeth does not display sexual vanity and the play gives no hint that she is guilty of adultery” (Smuts 72). Stating that, Lady Macbeth would never commit adultery because her love for Macbeth is so great. Even when Lady Macbeth grossly …show more content…
Lady Macduff tells her son that his father may be dead. He is concerned and asks if his father is a traitor. Lady Macduff claims that liars will be hanged, by honest people; hinting that his dad was traitor (Bloom 34-35). As Lady Macduff and her son were talking a guard interrupted them warning them that they were in great danger and should flee (Bloom 35). Lady Macduff’s love for her son is shown when he is killed. “With his last breath, the young boy calls out to his mother. “he has killed me, mother: / Run away, I pray you!” Lady Macduff, screaming “murder,” runs out, pursued by the murders who are certain to kill as well” (Bloom 35). Lady Macduff’s son also shows his love for his mother when he tells her to flee. The Macduff’s marriage is more centered off of royalty instead of love. “Ultimately, as Lady Macbeth knows only too well and as Macduff comes so tragically to realize he was wrong to put his ambition in service to the throne above marriage, and in this epiphany is his redemption” (Ancona 4). Macduff cares more about his crown than his marriage. Macduff does care about his wife on some level, “MAcduff’s reaction to the news of his wife’s death demonstrates he still has a loving heart” (Ancona 4). It takes something bad for Macduff to show his love for his wife, but deep down he has it. When Macbeth finds out that his family was slaughtered, he loses it because he realizes