The Role Of Women In Macbeth

With social and cultural stereotypes in this era, men were viewed as more powerful while women were portrayed as weak. William Shakespeare tries to interpret the roles between genders by having characters of the opposite sex. In the play Macbeth, William Shakespeare uses rhetorical devices to demonstrate Macbeth’s and Lady Macbeth’s switch in traditional gender roles, which arise from the consequences for each character’s actions and speech.

In play Macbeth, Lady Macbeth is one of William Shakespeare’s most dominant and frightening female characters, known for her ambitious nature. As Macbeth’s wife, her role is significant in his rise and fall from royalty. During Shakespearean times, women were regarded as weak insignificant beings that were there to give birth and look beautiful. They were not thought to be as intelligent or equal to men. Though in Shakespeare's play, Macbeth, Lady Macbeth is the highest influence in Macbeth’s life. Her role was so large; in fact, that she uses her position to gain power, stay strong enough to support her unstable Lord, and fails miserably while their

Macbeth by William Shakespeare brings about one of the most controversial topic of the gender portrayal in a play. During Shakespearean times, women were considered as the weaker sex, physically and emotionally. On the other hand, men were seen as the dominant sex that is expected to be the head of their households and a strong figure. Unlike this stereotypical representation of men and women, Shakespeare introduces the reversal of gender roles in his play. Shakespeare’s portrayal of the relationship and characteristics of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth diverged from the stereotypical representation of both men and women. The author, William Shakespeare’s use of reverse gender roles which contradicted with the traditional gender roles, is what

Macbeth, despite influences of the witches and Lady Macbeth, is responsible for his downfall. The witches are not fully to blame but do play a part in Macbeth's tragedy. In William Shakespeare’s play "Macbeth", Macbeth is a hero who soon destroys himself by his own wicked and selfish ambitions. To a certain degree, the witches can be blamed for the tragedy, although the blame can easily fall amongst Macbeth’s ambitious nature, and Lady Macbeth’s manipulation. Overall, the witches play an important role in the tragedy, but the blame cannot be purely placed on the witches as there are the other factors involved in the play, causing the tragic ending.

The witches play an important role they have the ability to predict the future and affect it too. Without their warnings and predictions Macbeth wouldn’t have chosen to act in the way he did. In their second appearance they prophesize that that he cannot be harmed by no one born of woman, a child with a crown represents Malcolm, and he’s warned about the moving Great Birnam wood to high Dunsinane Hill. “But yet I’ll make assurance double sure, and take a bond of fate” (4.1.83-84).

Lady Macbeth is convincing herself to kill King Duncan. “unsex me here...Of direst cruelty. Make thick my blood"(1.5.48,50). Lady Macbeth’s misconstrued idea of what it means to be a man prevents Macbeth from truly comprehending what is important. While trying to fit into Lady Macbeth's ideal of manliness he himself becomes detached from reality and his emotions. Macbeth’s response to the witches prophecy coming true. “ I have almost forgotten the taste of fears”(5.5.11). He feels as though the mass of power he has collected has and will continue to protect him. He then hears of Lady Macbeth's suicide from her guilt.“She should have died hereafter”(5.5.17). This is quite significant because the correct response would be grief, but instead he feels nothing for someone he once loved further showing how the greed for power has corrupted him. The important thing he should have learned is loyalty should take precedence over want for power, or ambition doesn’t have to relate to cruelty. Macduff can be considered a foil to Macbeth; after his family dies “But I must also feel it as a man” (4.3.261). The idea given by Macduff is being a man doesn’t mean you are only cruel and don’t care about the consequences. It’s possible to feel feminine things and still be considered a man. It

Behind every successful man there is a ruthless woman pushing him along to gain her own personal successes. In Shakespeare’s Macbeth, Lady Macbeth causes Macbeths downfall. With the faults and lies of Lady Macbeth, marriage is Macbeth’s big mistake. Lady Macbeth turns his courageous conquests on the fields of war into butchery. Mangled by the blood-spotted hands of his wife he becomes a traitor to himself, the people around him, and even her.

Then slowly Macbeth looses his masculine qualities. The witches have a part in him loosing his masculinity. The traditional role of men usually take charge, and wears the pants, but its already clear the Lady Macbeth wears the pants. “ Lady Macbeth appears to be the more freighting figure” (Maternal Power par 1). The role of Macbeth is a friendly person, who is dictated by his wife; She controls his every thought. Its as if he doesn’t make a move without her knowing. She clearly over powers him in every way. The weird sisters also play apart in the gender roles. “ The disruption of gender roles occur in the weird sisters the trio perceived as violating nature and dispute the designation, as sister the gender roles, the characters is also ambiguous” (play with gender role par 3).

Macbeth, by the playwrite William Shakespeare, is one of his most amazing tragdies and additionally one of his most well known plays. The play has picked up infamy (being great known for some awful quality or deed.) for the mischances that occurred all around its numerous stagings to such an extent that it is otherwise called "the Scottish play" to keep from needing to say its name. The spooky Lore surrounding the showing of the play is fitting given the events that take place throughout the plot.

account thy love. Art thou afraid to be the same in thine own act and

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.

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.

In Macbeth by William Shakespeare, gender plays a pivotal role in the development of the overall plot and as the play advances, certain characters, including Macbeth and Lady Macbeth experience a reversal in traditional gender behaviors. Additionally, we see gender confusion among other characters that enhances conflict in the play. Originally, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are portrayed in ways that enforce their respective masculinity and feminism in accordance to the society around them. As Macbeth begins to contemplate his decision regarding the killing of Duncan, his marriage becomes the primary driving force behind his action and thoughts in this matter. Although in some cases, male and female roles in this play remain static, the

The author includes characters in Macbeth that epitomizes the standard, obsequious woman. One such character is Lady Macduff, whom Shakespeare portrays as completely dependent on her husband. When Macduff left to dethrone Macbeth, rather than worrying for her husband, Lady Macduff complained that he left “...his wife… his babes, his mansion and his titles…” because Macduff “...loves [them] not.” (Shakespeare 119). Shakespeare eventually kills of Lady Macduff to highlight her weakness and naivety, traits people believed to be commonly found in women (Shakespeare 124). Another similar character is the Gentlewoman. The name “Gentlewoman” in its own serves to create an image of a feeble, meek person who only moves only for others. When the