Gender Roles In Macbeth And Death Of A Salesman

These two evil sisters disobey their father in everything, and put on a face when he asks who loves him the most because they are simply greedy and want his land for themselves. “I am made of the self-same metal that my sister, and prize me at her worth. In my true heart I find she names my very deed of love; Only she comes too short, that I profess myself an enemy to all other joys which the most precious square of sense possesses, and find I am alone felicitate in your dear Highness' love” (Shakespeare). Here, Regan explains her true love for her father as opposed to the half-hearted love that Goneril has for him. As the two sisters fight over who loves their father more, they demonstrate to the audience that they are selfish and manipulative.

At the beginning of the play, Lady Macbeth begins to encourage Macbeth to commit evil actions for power and fulfill all prophecies. After the witches give me prophecies to Macbeth, Lady Macbeth is determined to make these prophecies true by controlling and encouraging Macbeth to commit crimes. When Macbeth is hesitating about committing crimes, Lady Macbeth argues and says “...From this time/ Such I account thy love. Art thou afeard/ To be the same in thine own act and valor/ As thou art in desire? Wouldst thou have that/ And live as a coward in their own esteem/ letting “I dare not” wait upon “I would” (I.VII.38-44).

When Macbeth commands whether the murderers could handle Banquo to his death, they reply "we are men, my liege" (III i 92). But their response does not provide Macbeth, who titles them as less-than-worthy standards of men. The same as early in this tragedy, Lady Macbeth uses goading methods on Macbeth; forcing him to kill Duncan. But what does it mean, exactly, to “be a man”? Both Macbeth and his Lady seem to have a definite idea of masculinity.

The aspiration of power, transform Lady Macbeth into a person devoid of human senses to accomplish her goal, when she says, “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.V.41-44). Lady Macbeth invokes evil to obtain the assets essential toward her seat on the throne. This idea embodies Lady Macbeth’s strong, decisive, and wicked personality, making her the foil of her husband. She admit that her womanhood is a weakness and that men are the ones who retain strength.

When Macbeth displays uncertainty regarding the murder of Duncan, Lady Macbeth uses his fear of not adhering to the masculine gender role of being cold-hearted and ambitious and only “when [Macbeth] durst do it, then [he was] a man”. (1.7.56) Upon first glance, it would seem as though Lady Macbeth is strong and powerful. However, Shakespeare uses the downfall of both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth to display that women in power are dangerous and corrupt. Due to Lady Macbeth’s coercion into the murder of Duncan, she allows and essentially encourages Macbeth to ravage all of Scotland. Lady Macbeth descends into insanity caused by lack of sleep and guilt.

He uses supernatural themes, violent themes and more. He is able to show the audience the influence of fate and free will have on people and how their lives were effected. As Macbeth rises in power he seeks advice form the witches and fear of being overthrown he starts killing those who he think are a threat to the throne. Quote from the third witch, “All hail, Macbeth, thou shalt be king hereafter! Thou shalt get kings, though thou be none.

In his play, Shakespeare portrays Lady Macbeth as a strong, powerful woman who resists the normal gender roles. In one case, she talked to spirits when contemplating the murder of King Duncan. While doing so, she urged, “Come, you evil spirits that tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here…” (1.5.41-42). Markedly, Lady Macbeth is shown here in this dark scene, asking to be less like a woman; therefore, defying gender roles because

She enters the story by reading a letter from Macbeth about the witches' prophecies. She immediately begins to think of how Macbeth will get the throne. She decides that she wants Macbeth to murder Duncan. Lady Macbeth realizes that her husband is uneasy about this and decides to use fair is foul to persuade him. She says that he should "look like th' innocent flower, / But be the serpent under 't," (1.6.76-78).

As his wife, Lady Macbeth, urges him to kill king Duncan so he can become king, his urge for killing only grows and transforms him into a serial killer. There are many different aspects of this play that could have contributed to Macbeth’s tragic end, including characters. The three witches in the play could be to blame for this. They predicted his future which influenced him greatly. However, the main person to blame for Macbeth’s downfall is Lady Macbeth for three reasons: her insult on his manhood, her her manipulative tricks, and her influential qualities.

Their ambition causes their own tragic downfalls and shows the failings of humanity no matter the differences in time period or cultures. Macbeth’s tragic flaw is his own pride, the prophecies of witches saying that he would one day have the throne and the quite easy persuasion from his wife, Lady Macbeth led him to commit the murder of King Duncan so that he could be the King of Scotland. Insuring to himself that what the witches said would be true whether they said it just to invoke him, or if it was fate for him to become King. In an aside Macbeth says that his greatest position comes after the present promotion, referring to the fact that he was just promoted to Thane of Cawdor because the previous Thane of Cawdor was killed for treason. As well as his own pride, Macbeth’s ambition leads to insensitivity and cruelty.