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Gender And Gender Roles In William Shakespeare's Macbeth

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Macbeth is one of the famous play that was written by William Shakespeare in 1606. Even today, students and others still read and watch this play due to its powerful theme it portrays. Shakespeare explores and challenges the concept of a typical gender role. In Macbeth, the gender roles were quite strange and ironic. The male characters in this play, are shown with feminine traits while the female characters are shown with masculine traits. Traditionally, the men are the providers, workers, and essentially becomes the strength of the family while the women are the ones who stay in the house and take care of the children. A man’s physical strength is depicted as strong and brave at dreadful times, but in Macbeth, the men can wind up weak while the women remain strong as proven many times between Lady Macbeth and Macbeth. The gender roles between the Macbeths’ gradually transition throughout the play presenting the stereotypical gender are explored and challenged. …show more content…

As Lady Macbeth is being introduced, we can already sense her dominance and power over her husband, Macbeth. For instance, when she immediately takes of control of the situation of when Macbeth is hesitant of how to administer King Duncan’s visit to their home as shown in the play it says, “ But be the serpent under’t. He that’s coming Must be provided for; and you shall put this night’s great business into my dispatch,” (Macbeth 1.5. 58-60). This proves how the gender roles are reversed as the wives are usually portrayed as caring and timid when it comes to making difficult decisions especially in cases like

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