Masculinity In Macbeth

In Shakespeare’s play ‘Macbeth,’ the author clearly portrays the characteristics: ambitious, masculine, and cunning in lady macbeth and her influence on the readers. Firstly, In act one scene two, Lady Macbeth is characterised as ambitious. An example of this is: "Glamis thou art, and Cawdor; and shalt be What thou art promised" Pg. 20 (act 1 scene 5) ( I, i 2) Shakespeare's use of authoritative tone in scene 1 highlights her ambitious nature and that she is the powerful person in the relationship. In context, Lady macbeths ambitions stands out, becasue women at the time were only known as mothers and wives to not have an authority. Having lady Macbeth take control over the event, contradicts that fact. Secondly, Lady Macbeth shows a number of masculine traits such as aggression, thirst for power, and the desire to be in control. She demonstrates a controlling nature by “tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here, And fill me from the crown to the toe top-full Of direst cruelty” Pg. 21 (act 1 scene 5) ( I ,v 30-33) Shakespeare’s use of Visual Imagery is implied by “ fill me from the crown to the toe top-full of direst cruelty” demonstrates Lady Macbeth’s thirst for power, and she sees cruelty as a masculine trait, which traditional women do not have. In act 1 scene 5, Lady Macbeth asks the “spirits” to “unsex her”, to be able to show the aggression she fears Macbeth does not have. Lastly, lady Macbeth is described as being genuinely cunning. Look like the innocent flower, but be the serpent under’t” page 22 (act 1 scene 5) The writer's use of Metaphor portrays Lady Macbeth as cunning. She characterises Macbeth by referring to him both as a “flower” and a “serpent”. She is showing this skill by telling Macbeth to behave as he was “ look like the innocent flower, but should turn his back against King Duncan “ but be the serpent under’t”. Throughout the play Macbeth presents himself as tender. Lady Macbeth “fear thy nature: It is too full o' the milk of human kindness,

To this day, Macbeth is William Shakespeare’s most violent and bloodiest play, which ends in tragedy. The play is set in Scotland during the 17th century. Macbeth, the main character of the play, is focused on becoming the King of Scotland by depicting himself as a powerful and brave man who executes anyone who minimalizes his chances of obtaining kingship. Masculinity is one of the largest themes that is displayed throughout the play. There are many characters in Macbeth that perceive masculinity as a means of power and portray the traits of bravery and courage; dominance; and violence. These characters try to encompass various manly traits to make themselves look powerful in society’s eye but eventually end up losing who they really are and sometimes their own lives as well.

This whole idea of female dominance directly challenges the Chain of Beings and as a result, exemplified Lady Macbeth’s importance as Shakespeare’s device to cause fascination amongst audiences. It also shows explicitly her influence on the main character Macbeth and hence the state of the entire play.

The banquet scene also reveals a few astonishing facets about her, as well as reinforcing her apparent cruelty and ambition. The first part of scene 7 shows a lengthy monologue of Macbeth weighing up the pros and cons of carrying out his wife´s wishes to kill the King. Although Macbeth wants to be King, he is unsure of himself, and it is obvious that he is cracking under the pressure already. Lady Macbeth however, when she sees him in such a state, immediately tries to rectify his weakness, using his pride to blackmail him to her will. It is impressive how she can bend him to her will so easily, to whatever she wished. She again uses veiled words to dupe him, stating that the crown is the "ornament of life" and it would be cowardly not to seek it. While Macbeth is in such an insecure frame of mind, these words infuse him with passion, while he lacks surety; his wife fuels him with pride in his cause. She makes it seem to him that murder is a small price for something so valuable as the crown. Although Macbeth said that he didn´t want to kill the King, I believe he was just trying to goad his wife into changing his mind, knowing that she would make everything seem all right, he does not reveal all his doubts to her, just enough to make sure

In ‘Macbeth’, masculinity is presented as a driving force to Macbeth’s crimes, making it a vital theme. The essay’s focus is masculinity’s presentation through Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. Primarily, Shakespeare portrays Macbeth as “valiant”: a prized masculine quality which was respected in their society. However, this trait becomes warped along the play. Furthermore, Lady Macbeth yearns for masculinity but she fails to acquire it. Shakespeare thus displays masculinity in two different lights.

Despite the resistance to feminine power, Macbeth finds himself acting under the direction of strong women. Although the emphasis of male power in Macbeth, women also play dominating roles, perhaps, even stronger than the men. Men and women despite their gender stereotypes, each have their share of power, whether they are both in control, or supporting each other when one is weaker. During King Duncan's murder, Macbeth is weak and indecisive about whether or not to kill him, Lady Macbeth taunts and threatens him, “pour[ing] [her] spirits in thine ear, and chasti[sing] with the valour of [her] tongue” (1. 5.345) Lady Macbeth takes control and “pours” her dark decisions into Macbeth, leading him to eventually do the deed she wanted.

In Act 1, Shakespeare wrote Macbeth with admired masculine qualities countered with Lady Macbeth criticising his idiosyncrasies. Lady Macbeth’s definition of masculinity is disparate to others’. In Scene 2, the captain labels Macbeth “brave”; a venerated quality

William Shakespeare’s Macbeth, demonstrates an important concept on gendered roles and has a unique view on masculinity and femininity. Men and women are to act, think, and look a certain way based on what society portrays to be their standard of normal. Macbeth, takes place in the Elizabethan era where men were shown to be more powerful and more in control than women were, while women were supposed to be kind and gentle rather than controlling or in power. Shakespeare demonstrates the ramifications that specific gender roles have caused characters to alter their choices and what the effects have caused to a degree. Throughout the play there is a significant events of how gender roles impacted characters.

After this conversation, Macbeth seems ready to kill the king. After countless attacks Macbeth decides to go along with the plan. She even said that ‘if he could lose his ambition so quickly that his love for her could also change so quickly’. She insults his masculinity, saying he must be a coward. At each argument, she increased the brutality of her verbal attack.

At the beginning of the play, Macbeth and his lady are very close, this is supported by how he referred to her in his letter as “my dearest partner of greatness” when he informed her about the weird sisters prophecies.

Shakespeare’s play, Macbeth, begins with the protagonist, Macbeth, being faced with a supernatural prophecy. The temptation of power further corrupts Macbeth as the play progresses, until his murders catch up to him. Despite the time in which a man lives, he is surrounded by opportunity and the constant battle between the loss and acquisition of power. For those deep in search for power often experience the blurring of the lines between right and wrong. In the 17th century, gender roles were strict and unmoving. Men symbolized the power and strength, while the women represented the caring and submissive traits of human nature. Shakespeare utilizes Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s marriage to further toy with the audience’s minds and inverts the gender roles.Throughout the play, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s marriage demonstrates inverted gender roles; but as Lady Macbeth utilizes her influence over Macbeth, her driven attitude leads him down the path of corruption.

She uses her words to inflict pain and despair upon Macbeth's life. Lady Macbeth tells her husband to, " live a coward in thine own esteem” (Shakespeare 1.7.43). She belittles Macbeth to the point that he has no other choice but to bend to her wills. Macbeth falls so far into despair due to his wife’s constant bereavement that he chooses to do as she wants to escape the constant mental

In Medieval times women were viewed as innocent beings who must be controlled by the men in their family; however, in Shakespeare’s Macbeth a woman is the mastermind behind the start of several horrendous deeds. Lady Macbeth was a woman with determination. When it was prophesized that Macbeth would be king, Lady Macbeth wished that her husband would immediately be at her side so she “may pour [her] spirits in [his] ear” (1. 5. 25). Lady Macbeth wanted nothing less that Macbeth to be king. In order for Macbeth to ascend to the throne, it needed to be emptied of King Duncan. Macbeth was an ambitious man but he was not evil, he would not commit murder to gain the throne; therefore, Lady Macbeth took it upon herself to see her husband crowned king. By making Lady Macbeth the mastermind behind a murder, Shakespeare disputed the typical role of women which labeled them as innocent and harmless beings.

Macbeth uses his manhood to portray his solider like qualities, but Lady Macbeth’s masculinity manipulates Macbeth’s actions, however, in the end it is Macbeth who uses his masculinity to do heinous actions.

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)