Lady Macbeth Stereotypes Of Women Essay

Lady Macbeth rebelled against her gender norms because she was craving the power and was willing to do anything to get the power. Most women in that time period were very intimidated by power because they didn’t have very many rights. So the fact that she was so driven to be powerful says something about her character. Back then women didn’t expect power unless they were in the royal families so when Lady Macbeth heard from Macbeth that he was going to become king she was ready to go to extreme extents for that power and to be a royal family. She went to farther extents for power then most men do.

When one thinks of the words ‘womanhood’ or ‘femininity’, one thinks of gentle, pretty objects. Images that are usually associated with these words are dresses, makeup, housewives, cooking, cleaning, heels, painted nails, skinny, weak, jewelry, etc. Society deems these images as feminine. Although these are the typical stereotypes of being feminine or a woman, most women do not fit these stereotypes. In Shakespeare’s play, Macbeth, Lady Macbeth fits the stereotype and breaks the stereotype at different points in the play.

Historically, gender stereotypes have run rampant within works of literature, a reflection of social stratification in the real world. This is true of William Shakespeare’s play “Macbeth”. In this piece of literature, women are supposed to be gentle, fair, and caring while men are meant to be strong, courageous, and macho. Though Shakespeare’s characters understand their archetypal, assigned gender roles, Shakespeare draws attention to instances his character’s challenge their designated characteristics. One character who often challenges her call to be society’s stereotypical woman is Lady Macbeth.

(I.v.36-37). Lady Macbeth feels that her dainty attributes hinder her ability of becoming a powerful ruler. She wants to betray the “Milk for gall” and take away the ladylike characteristics associated with her gender, and instead be filled with bitter evil (I.v.43). Women’s inability to rise to power shows the political dominance of men during this time period. Lady Macbeth’s longing for change and to have more wickedness displays that women were greatly disregarded and preferred to be divergent from the defining

Lady Macbeth is not the picture of a perfect woman. She is cunning, dissimulative and ambitious with a solid resolve. She seems to dismiss the stereotypical female qualities in favour of male qualities to better serve her and her ambition. She shows this desire when she calls out “Come, you spirits / That tend on mortal thoughts! unsex me here, / And fill me from the crown to the toe top full / Of direst cruelty" (I.5.43-46).

Women in Power: How Stereotypes are battled in Macbeth In Macbeth by William Shakespeare, gothic themes contribute to stereotypical masculinity but not stereotypical femininity in the given era. Macbeth is technically the one who kills King Duncan and fights in wars, but Lady Macbeth has a large part in the decision-making process. Her clever and devilish ways make it easy for her to manipulate her husband into doing these terrible things to make sure they secure a place on the throne. The witches are also a part of this and play an important role overall in combating femininity in Macbeth. The witches, or weird sisters as they are often referred to as, are extremely powerful, they have immense control, and they have the ability to prophesize

The traditional gender role for men and women is a strict set of expectations one must face and either choose to follow or defy it. In the Shakespearian era women portray as the weaker sex because they display as needing protection as the more fragile, innocent, and dependent sex, whereas men have authority as strong, capable, and honourable beings. However, the traditional gender roles play in reversal in Macbeth by William Shakespeare by having Lady Macbeth, the Three Witches (weird sisters), and Macbeth defy the gender roles that allow women and men to portray in a unique way in society. First, Lady Macbeth is defiant to her role as a woman because she is able to take initiative, deceive others, and commit violent acts. Secondly, the three Witches are in fact sisters which avid them to follow their role as women, however they defy their roles because they manipulate others, have the capability to make independent decisions, and kill without hesitation. Finally, Macbeth defies his roles as a man in the Shakespearian era because he acts cowardly, isn’t able to carry out duties himself, and is disloyal to his companions.

In the play Macbeth by William Shakespeare, there is a big gap between masculinity and femininity. Gendered roles in the play influence the plot by showing who has the most dominant and powerful positions in the story, which is Lady Macbeth’s character. Of course, a reader would think that at the time that the play was written, the men would be strong and tough and the women just be hanging around taking care of kids. Well, there is a mixed answer for that, especially for Lady Macbeth’s character, who begins the play by asking to be “unsexed.” After reading the play, Lady Macbeth had a more dominant position, as she commands Macbeth into committing the crimes and taking control of every situation possible. Men like Macbeth, Macduff, and Malcom,

“She challenges his manliness so she can manipulate him, and unfortunately, she is his only advisor throughout the play. It is she who devises the plan to kill Duncan and frame the chamberlains for the regicide, all the while keeping up her appearance as the lady of the castle.” (Shakespeare for Students) She knows she has power over Macbeth, and will push some of the buttons no one else would know how to push. Women in that time period would have never done that.

Lady Macbeth is unlike the women of her time. Her dominant personality and commanding tone differ from the culture of the Renaissance period where a common theme for women was to be seen but not heard. Men thought women were inferior in society, and a multitude of ladies were expected to take on humble occupations with no hope of furthering their education or job position. Leadership and the ability to make decisions concerning life and welfare were left up to the men (Cloud 1). Lady Macbeth challenges this belief in her ambition to be queen and her manipulative tactics to make sure such a goal is accomplished.

Lady Macbeth defies the expectations of a women through her active and violent pursuit of power. The social construct of femininity in this time period viewed a woman’s role as the quiet, obedient servant, which distinctly contrasts Lady Macbeth’s vocal role as a leader in the plot to gain power. The orchestration and committing of murder casts Lady Macbeth in a masculine tone, because these actions portray a demanding character who takes what they want. These qualities are associated with masculinity because men are expected to lead and to be strong and powerful. For Lady Macbeth to be such an aggressive woman, the stereotype of fragile femininity is evidently challenged.

The women in Macbeth, namely Lady Macbeth, contradict these expectations through their commanding, and ambitious tones. During that second half of act one Lady Macbeth is portrayed as the ruling figure in the house. Instead of being a grateful and fulfilling housewife she instead pushes and commands Macbeth to commit assassination. She berates him when he falters and asked if he would rather, “live like a coward in thine own esteem.” (Shakespeare)

In Macbeth, one of the most tragic and well known plays, William Shakespeare changes women’s part in society. During this time period, women are known to be both mentally and physically weaker than men. Women are called to be only housewives. Shakespeare reflected the image of women in society by giving the men bigger leads in his plays. Only in a few of Shakespeare's plays did he give women strong leading roles. Macbeth is one of the few plays where women play a more powerful role than the men. In Macbeth, he gives the women unusual traits like manipulation and betrayal. In William Shakespeare's play Macbeth, women like Lady Macbeth , the trio witches, and Lady Macduff portray non-feminine traits.

Through deep analysis and criticism of the role of Lady Macbeth as a feminist character in William Shakespeare’s Macbeth is often viewed as a manipulative or derogatory role. She achieves her goals and advances her husband’s political status through manipulation. But Lady Macbeth has been criticized greatly for how she goes about achieving her goals and the boundaries she constantly crosses that women in her time would never dream of treading on.

Generally, Macbeth is thought of as Shakespeare’s most feminist play. With a supposedly powerful female character and an inversion of gender roles, it is easy to see how this idea came into being. However, it is totally wrong. Macbeth, written by William Shakespeare, is a play about an ambitious nobleman who would go to any measure to become king and retain that position after receiving a prophecy from three witches. At first, he is unwilling to resort to violence to become king but his wife, Lady Macbeth, manipulates him into doing so. Once the first murder is complete, he has found a thirst for killing and continues to kill various people until he is eventually killed and the rightful king takes his place. The claims of this being a feminist play stem from Lady Macbeth’s character and her relationship with Macbeth. Lady Macbeth is violent and evil, while Macbeth is originally too kind, showing a gender role reversal. Even so, there are many problematic aspects of Macbeth that completely negate the few progressive components in Shakespeare’s writing. Macbeth is a misogynist play because it promotes strict gender roles, gender non-conforming women are demonized and seen as responsible for men’s problems, and by the second half of the play, any innovative gender role reversals are themselves reversed.