William Shakespeare 's Macbeth And The Witches

Breaking Gender Roles in Macbeth Women are meant to obey their husbands! Did you know that many people thought that statement was true in the 1600’s? Now women’s rights have come so far into disproving that statement. In Medieval Scotland, women served their husbands and were seen as the weaker sex. In William Shakespeare’s Macbeth, breaking traditional gender roles is a common theme.

If chance may have me king, why chance may crown me with out my stir".

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

William Shakespeare’s tragedy “Macbeth” completely challenges the idea of traditional gender roles and social norms during the renaissance period. The male characters have many feminine traits while the female characters have many more masculine and manlier traits. This was going entirely against the stereotypical outlook of the roles you’re supposed to play as your gender during that time of history. During the renaissance period women were only expected to clean, cook, and to have babies. Men on the other hand were typically expected to work hard and to provide for the home. Socially women didn’t have power or respect and men were the ones who were supposed to be brave and tough at the best of times and the worst of times. That idea is

In 1606, William Shakespeare wrote a play for King James I, the tragedy of Macbeth. For the last five-hundred years, this highly regarded piece of literature has been studied by countless students and intellectuals. One of the many methods scholars use to interpret a piece of literature is through the feminist perspective. Feminism is defined as the doctrine advocating social, political, and all other rights of women equal to those of men (“Feminism”). Although one can use a feminist lens to interpret Shakespeare’s Macbeth, the historical perspective will provide the most effective means of interpretation for readers.

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 presence of gender division was widely felt by the public. Women weren’t allowed to perform in plays and men were seen as superior. Shakespeare challenges these societal norms in Macbeth by presenting ideas in a subtle way that aren’t immediately noticeable. He draws attention to the imbalance between men and women, raising controversy in regards to how women should be viewed, yet skillfully avoids confronting the subject up front. Shakespeare uses Lady Macbeth as a vehicle to represent the power of women with ambition, gender roles and manipulation.

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.

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.

It is inevitable that society has made a stereotype for the definition on what it means to be a man or a woman, it was stated and believed a long time ago and has just moved through life, generation after generation. Society believes that men are the workers and providers and essentially the strength of the family, and women take more of a nurturing and caring role. From this, a man’s physical strength is portrayed as being strong and brave at superior and horrific times, yet through literature like Shakespeare’s Macbeth, it shows that they can end up weak. There are many times in William Shakespeare’s play, Macbeth, where the acts of “reverse-gender roles” are being detected in terms of what

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

It is interesting to note the importance of gender in the personifications of evil in Macbeth. Lady Macbeth is as obsessed with her gender as her evil. When she implores evil to "unsex" her, to take her "woman's breasts for gall" she reveals the sense of powerlessness and weakness she feels. Being a woman makes her dependant on her husband for her social

Throughout human history, many cultures around the world develop a strict guideline of expected duties and characteristics that are based on gender. In Shakespeare’s plays, the role of gender depends on whether the play is a comedy or a tragedy. In many of Shakespeare’s comedies, even the most independent and clever women, who defy their traditional role, are eventually tamed through marriage and are ultimately redeemed. In his tragedies, however, characters who do not adhere to their traditional gender roles are portrayed as evil or unvirtuous. In Shakespeare’s tragedy Macbeth, many characters are used to exemplify the desirable qualities associated with gender during this time either directly or through

The way Shakespeare portrays women in Macbeth defies all stereotypical expectations for women in the early 16th century. Nonetheless, Shakespeares complex characterization of women in many of his works of literature, specifically Macbeth, would have been complex and interesting characters for the Elizabethan audience. Women would have seen these characters as inspiring, liberated, complex and powerful where men would have seen them as complex and of great interest. In essence shakespeare protrays women as evil, powerful and manipulative to expand themes within the story as well as to advance as well as increase plot

To begin with, Macbeth promotes very strict gender roles, with women and femininity being associated with fear and weakness, and men and manliness being associated with power