Shakespeare's portrayal of women in Hamlet is different from his portrayal in Macbeth; however, they have similarities that are seen later in each work. Ophelia, who is Laertes' sister, Polonius' daughter, and Hamlet's lover, is seen as submissive and innocent while Macbeth's wife, Lady Macbeth, is shown as ruthless and corrupting. Ophelia and Lady Macbeth are different in their characters because of Ophelia's weakness, her obedience to Laertes, Polonius, and Hamlet, Lady Macbeth's perseverance for power, and her manipulative nature towards her husband. However, Ophelia and Lady Macbeth both need men in their lives to keep them sane and die after these men leave them. Ophelia's weakness and easily influenced personality contrast with Lady Macbeth's outward display of strength and independence. Ophelia needs her brother and father to think and act for her as she cannot formulate her own thoughts without their help. They give her their advice, knowing that she will obey it. An example is in Act 1, Scene 3, lines 6-48, where Laertes advises Ophelia not to fall for Hamlet's displays of affection. This is also seen in Act 1, Scene 3, lines 112-114 when Polonius wonders how Hamlet treats Ophelia: "Do you believe in her 'offerings,' as you call them?" to which Ophelia replies, "I don't know, my lord, what I should think." In contrast, Lady Macbeth is able to form her own thoughts and ambitions without help. She is the first to think of the plan to kill King Duncan to follow the witches' prophecy and make Macbeth ascend the throne faster. He fears that Macbeth will not have the courage to seize the crown, even though it is predicted that he will eventually become king as in Act 1… middle of the paper… would have been the time for such a word” (Vv20-21). Ophelia in Hamlet and Lady Macbeth in Macbeth initially seem like two opposite characters, with Ophelia as the passive daughter and Lady Macbeth as the authoritative wife over her husband. However, both show similarities in that they rely on males, and without this dependence, they are driven to destruction. Ophelia's excessive dependence on Laertes, Polonius, and Hamlet drives her to madness when they are not present. Likewise, Lady Macbeth's attack on Macbeth's manhood goes too far, leading him to abandon her, causing his eventual suicide. Works Cited Shakespeare, William, Barbara A. Mowat, and Paul Werstine. The tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark. New York: Washington Square, 1992. Print.Shakespeare, William. The tragedy of Macbeth. New York: Washington Square, 1992. Print.