Similarities Between Macbeth And The Great Gatsby

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In William Shakespeare’s Macbeth and F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, both Lady Macbeth and Daisy experience similar conflicts that they have to cope with. Throughout both the novel and the play both women play a part in the role of murder as well as the theme of alienation. Both characters use different ways to cope with the event that occurred. Lady Macbeth in Shakespeare's Macbeth takes part in the murder of Duncan. The murder of Duncan was Lady Macbeth’s idea in order to gain social status for her and her husband. The death of Duncan starts to haunt Lady Macbeth, as a consequence of her action, she begins to sleepwalk. During her sleepwalking episodes Lady Macbeth experiences guilt as she continuously washes her hands of blood. “Out, damned spot! Out, I say!—One, two. Why, then, ’tis time to do ’t...who would have thought the old man to have had so much blood in him.”(Act 5, Scene 1). The act of washing her hands of the guilt can be connected to Pontius Pilate trying to remove himself from the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Lady Macbeth’s action causes guilt for not only herself …show more content…

Lady Macbeth and Daisy Buchanan both experience this theme by becoming alienated by their husbands, Macbeth and Tom Buchanan. They both however, each enjoy great wealth and social power by marrying successful men. Lady Macbeth has no say in front of other men meaning she is forced to rule through Macbeth. She shows her intelligence during her plan for her husband to kill Duncan. Being a women in 1930’s Daisy had to marry wealthy in order to improve her social positions. Although Daisy and Gatsby were in love, Daisy is unable to marry him because he had no money and was unable to support her. Instead of waiting Daisy falls in love with Tom and starts a family without Gatsby. This however, did not stop Gatsby from trying to take back Daisy as his own and to finally marry

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