Couple Relationships in Macbeth by Shakespeare and Cat on the Hot Tin Roof by Tennessee Williams

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Recommended: The relationship between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth

The plays Macbeth by Shakespeare and Cat on the Hot Tin Roof by Tennessee Williams both depict relationships between husbands and wives. In Macbeth the readers experience a relationship between a cowardly king and an ambitious queen, while in Cat on the Hot Tin readers see a more relatable relationship between a heartless plantation tycoon, Big Daddy and his timid wife Big Mama. As like in all relationships, there are definite differences between the interactions of Macbeth to Lady Macbeth, and Big Daddy to Big Mama. However even though these plays take place in different settings in periods of time, similarities can also be seen between the relationships of each husband to his wife.
Macbeth’s and Lady Macbeth’s relationship is very unique compared to other relationships. To begin with, Lady Macbeth is an antagonist wife that forces her husband, Macbeth, to kill King Duncan so she can satisfy her own greediness and become queen. Her greedy desire to become queen makes her lose all morality. For example, when she hears that King Duncan is staying at her castle for the night, she says, “Come, you spirits that tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here, and fill me from the crown to the toe top-ful of direst cruelty! Make thick my blood; stop up the access and passage to remorse.” (Act 1, Scene 5). In the play she constantly refers to her husband, Macbeth, as a “coward” and puts his masculinity into question, which leads to Macbeth having to prove himself to his wife. In the beginning of the play, Macbeth is seen as a protagonist soldier fighting for his king, until The Three Witches foretells his future of being King by saying “All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, thane of Glamis! All hail, Macbeth, hail to thee, thane of Cawdor! All ha...

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It can be seen that there are definite differences between the relationships between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, and Big Daddy and Big Mama; however there are also similarities. There is a desire of power and control in both relationships, in which one partner is more powerful than the other. In Lady Macbeth and Macbeth’s relationship, Lady Macbeth calls the shots, while with Big Daddy and Big Mama, it is Big Daddy who holds the power. However lack of communication can be seen with Big Daddy and Big Mama, which cannot be seen with Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. Lady Macbeth and Macbeth share a relationship in which they converse and talk things over; however with Big Daddy and Big Mama, its always him talking, while she remains quiet and takes whatever mean things he says without fighting back. In conclusion, both relationships share similarities, as well as differences.

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