Compare the writing methods used to create a disturbed female voice in Shakespeare’s Macbeth, Browning’s ‘The Laboratory’, Duffy’s ‘Havisham’ and ...

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Recommended: Themes of Macbeth by William Shakespeare

Four disturbed characters from four different time periods who all desire the same thing: the destruction of others. Ultimately, this has led to the ruin of them. Shakespeare’s Lady Macbeths thirst for power, Browning’s persona motivated by revenge that has been consumed by the green-eyed monster, the necrophilia fantasies of Duffy’s Havisham with her also being obsessed over jealousy and Brontë’s character who is challenged by the thought of choice. All of these women share and unhinged mind. Society has made them believe as though they have no power. The fact that the persona within ‘Spellbound’ is assumed to be female goes to show the influence society has over us even today. This is why these poems are important, as they still represent the society which we are surrounded by. The characters were definitely not born in this way but were moulded over time. It is very difficult to put yourself in the shoes of these women as they are different in many ways; however, they are all united in their uneasy mind-set. The character within ‘Spellbound’ has an indirect desire for power as she has been entranced by the “tyrant spell”. It is not that she doesn’t possess the happiness to overcome this ‘depression’ but lacks the vitality needed to push past this obstacle. Brontë captures the emotion of being in an unfavourable position as the persona experience powers that are beyond human control. The final line of each stanza ends on ‘cannot go’ indicating that she isn’t able to overcome the spell. She is stuck while everything around her is moving, possibly demonstrating the fact that she is trapped within her own mind. Like that of Catherine from Brontë’s famous book ‘Wuthering Heights’ where she soon dies after giving birth implying ... ... middle of paper ... ...make up her mind. The alliteration adds to this haste and magical imagery. It captures the unsure and uneasy mind of this persona. Jealousy, power and ambivalent emotions can illuminate a pathway to an uneasy mind. These feelings and desires may not seem very strong at first glance, but can lead to the total destruction of oneself. All four of these pieces of literature make the reader question the society in which they live in as Brontë upholds the influence that choices have on us, Browning gives us the magnitude of decisions made in haste, Shakespeare giving us all a message to step back and take a closer look at the bigger picture and Duffy who gives us the extent of total damnation. These four characters may seem psychologically disturbed but are in fact products of their societies. All four of these great writers ultimately give a voice, to the voiceless.

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