Ms. Suchiu
ENG3U
15 December 2014
Viola F. vs Lady M.
The Shakespearean play Macbeth and the movie Monster in Law are two very different types of storylines. I will be comparing the two main characters from both. Viola fields, the powerful woman who has a mental breakdown in the beginning of the movie; and Lady Macbeth, an evil, malicious woman who commits suicide at the end of the play. Viola and Lady Macbeth are representations of manipulative and ambitious women because they are always fighting for the top position, commit acts of evil, and their sensitivity proves to be a weakness which ends up in remorse for both the characters.
Lady Macbeth and Viola are both accurate representations of dominant women because they always try to reach the top position, even if illegally. Their ambition is at its highest at all times. For example when Viola is introduced in the movie as being a powerful successful woman always striving to achieve her highest goals even if it means being fake to the people around her. When she is told she is being replaced as the talk show host because they desire to attract a younger audience, Viola says “you know what I’m going to do? I’m going to finish up my contract and I’m going to leave the show with my dignity intact” this shows how setting a good impression on people was really important to her even though it was driving her crazy inside. Also, for Lady Macbeth when she receives a letter from her husband telling her about his promotion and the messenger telling her about the King’s visit, her first thought goes to how she can have her husband steal the throne. “Glamis thou art, and Cawdor; and shalt be What thou art promised: yet do I fear thy nature; It is too full o' the milk of human kindness To catch the nearest way: thou wouldst be great; Art not without ambition, but without The illness should attend it: (1.5.1) showing how lady Macbeth has prioritized her social status before the respect she is supposed to give her King. These both women prove to be dominant and hard-headed throughout most of the movie/play.
Viola Fields and Lady Macbeth commit acts of evil to attain contentment. Lady Macbeth is ready to plant the seed of murder in her husband’s mind. She talks Macbeth into doing “the deed” just so she gets to be the Queen. – the “deed” being murder of King Duncan. She also thinks Macbeth will not be brave enough to do it so she talks to the spirits and asks them to “unsex her” and fill her of “direst cruelty” (1.5.38–41). This means she is willing to give up her natural feminism and is ready to sacrifice every womanistic quality about her just for the throne. Viola Fields is also the same kind of a malicious woman, ready to practically kill his son’s lover just because she thinks Charlie isn’t good enough for him, when in reality she doesn’t want her son’s attention to be diverted from her to another woman. For example, she tries to add nuts to the gravy at a family dinner, purposely, knowing that Charlie (daughter in law) is allergic to nuts. Ruby, Violas secretary says to her “You are far worse. I don't recall Gertrude ever trying to poison you.” Gertrude is Viola’s mother in law, and this was said when they both were being compared as mother in laws. Both these women, Viola and Lady M. prove to be illegally committing acts of evil to get to their desired positions.
Viola Fields and Lady Macbeth, both, have a sensitive conscience driving them to sorrow, guilt, and remorse by the end of the movie/play. Lady Macbeth happens to commit suicide because her guilt becomes too much to bear. She always seems to be “washing her hands” trying to get rid of the blood of her murdered King. For example in one scene, she’s going crazy “Out, damned spot! Out, I say!—One, two. Why, then, ’tis time to do ’t. Hell is murky!—Fie, my lord, fie! A