What are the comparisons between shakespeares Macbeth and thomas Hardy's the withered arm?

Answer 1

I have to do this for an English essay, so I guess writing this will be revision of a kind.

Rhoda Brook is a fallen woman, due to her illegitimate son. She is the bottom of the social heap and is powerless in a male-dominated society (Like Lady Macbeth, can only gain power through husband).

Macbeth is a fallen hero, but his fall occurs during the course of the plot, unlike Rhoda who is introduced as a social outcast.

Rhoda feels unjustified by Farmer Lodge's treatment of her; he gets her pregnant and then leaves her, and marries another similar to the way Macbeth feels unjustified at King Duncan's son, Malcolm being announced the next in line to the throne, when it was due to be Macbeth's family's turn to be king. Both are fixated with jealousy.

Gertrude Lodge being married to Farmer Lodge is the stumbling block to Rhoda's hope of a proper family with Farmer Lodge and a chance to have her son legitimised, it is a thwarted ambition, as Malcolm being announced heir is the stumbling block to Macbeth.

Rhoda develops a jealous fixation with Gertrude Lodge, which leads to an unconscious attack on Gertrude, whereas Macbeth's fixation leads to the murder of Duncan and many others that make Macbeth feel paranoid. Note that Macbeth's actions were deliberate and attacking, whereas Rhoda acted in defence. Thomas Hardy generally victimises the female leads of his stories, reflecting the contextual fact that that was the way society was.

Another aspect raised in both plays is the supernatural. In the Victorian period (Withered Arm) beliefs in witchcraft are still there, but are being challenged. The superstition isn't aided by the fact that the farm is a small rural community, different and slower than say, fast moving city people's lives. In Macbeth, superstition is still strong due to England's current monarch King James being a strong believer. Rhoda is also rumoured within the small community to be a witch, highlighting the belief that witches lived on their own, were social outcasts and were secluded and dark. It a possibility that Rhoda is a witch, but Hardy doesn't confirm this, toning it down to the "freaks of coincidence". Macbeth's society is superstitious, and the meetings with the three women raised no question about whether they were witches or not, and other definite supernatural events were raised throughout the play. Hope this helps.

Answer 2

Both Macbeth and "The Withered Arm" explore themes of fate, guilt, and the consequences of one's actions. Both works depict characters who are haunted by their choices and struggle with the moral implications of their decisions. Additionally, both texts feature elements of supernatural intervention and the influence of the supernatural on human behavior.