ipl-logo

Discussion Of Gender Roles In Macbeth By William Shakespeare

576 Words3 Pages

In the play Macbeth written by William Shakespeare, the thane of Glamis, Macbeth, is greeted by three witches who reveal two events that will happen in the thane’s near future. One is that he will soon become the thane of Cawdor, the other being that Macbeth is destined to be the king of Scotland. Promptly after leaving the Witches, Macbeth is declared thane of Cawdor. After seeing the first fortune come true, the readers will soon discover the lengths that Macbeth and his malevolent Wife are willing to go to become king. The concept of gender roles plays an important part in the play Macbeth by assigning specific behaviors and characteristics to certain actions and characters. Readers are able to see this idea when Lady Macbeth wishes to be unsexed in …show more content…

However, in Shakespeare’s time, crying was something strongly associated with femininity. This would mean that Macduff being judged for crying, and being told that he should start acting like a man would be rather normal. Finally, Gender Roles can be noticed when Macduff decides to snap out of his grief and avenge the death of his family. As Macduff is going on about how he needs to be strong and masculine at a time like this, he exclaimed, “Oh, I could play the woman with mine eyes/ And braggart with my tongue! But, gentle heavens,/ Cut short all intermission” (Shakespeare 4: 3: 237-239). Macduff, soon after being judged for crying, admits that he can go on crying like a woman would, or he could be brave and courageous by going to King Macbeth's castle, and slaying the wretched leader. In conclusion, the idea of gender roles plays a key role in the theatrical piece Macbeth by assigning specific characteristics to certain actionss. The Readers are able to see this idea when Lady Macbeth wishes to be unsexed in order to have the man like strength to kill king duncan, when Macduff is scrutinized for weeping at the death of his family, and finally when Macduff decides to stop crying like a woman

Show More
Related

  • Why Is Macduff's Statement Of Being A Man Is More Meaningful Than Macbeth

    623 Words  | 3 Pages

    He discloses to Malcolm that he can cry and sob like a young lady yet rather he wields his sword in the face of Macbeth and run his sword through him (Act IV Lines "246-248"). When you hear that your family is butchered you would separate and cry. It's alright to cry since it's what every single person do, everybody has feelings yet what you do with those feelings. Macduff comprehended what he needed to do which since crying and sobbing is weak which is the reason his meaning of being a man is more grounded than Macbeth's. Rather Macduff would rather face and murder Macbeth is in the face this is not quite the same as Macbeth's murder that was considered as masculine.

    Read More

  • Pursuit Of Power In Macbeth

    729 Words  | 3 Pages

    Well Lady Macbeth, who is dead set on having absolute power, disagrees with that. She convinces Macbeth to kill, to cover up the murders, and tries to convince him that these murders will get them to the top. Lady Macbeth calls upon the witches and states, “unsex me here, and fill me from the crown to the toe top-full of direst cruelty” (Macbeth Act 1 Scene 5 lines 31 and 31). This shows that while in the pursuit of power, Lady Macbeth wanted it so much that she asked the witches to “unsex” her and make her more like man. But along with that you see the theme of gender roles are uncertain which ties into Lady Macbeth leading Macbeth in this pursuit of power, also giving him the ambition that she wants him to

    Read More

  • Masculinity In Macbeth Essay

    1372 Words  | 6 Pages

    Through the course of ‘Macbeth’, masculinity is presented as a driving force to Macbeth’s crimes, making it a vital theme. In this essay, focus will be on masculinity’s presentation through Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. In the beginning, Shakespeare portrays Macbeth as “valiant”: a prized masculine quality and the key to respect in their society. However, this trait becomes warped along the play. Furthermore, Lady Macbeth has power comparable to man’s

    Read More

  • Gender Stereotypes In Shakespeare's Macbeth

    1183 Words  | 5 Pages

    As the Macbeth’s portray the opposite of social constructs and expectations in the play, they eventually fall into their belonged stereotype after Lady Macbeth slowly starts to spiral downhill. Once Macbeth feels as though someone is in the way of him becoming King, he instantly creates a plan to murder them like Lady Macbeth did with Duncan. As they eventually take up each others common behavior, Lady Macbeth drives herself to insanity due to her womanly feelings. “I have seen her rise from her bed, throw her nightgown upon her, unlock her closet, take forth paper, fold it, write upon ’t, read it, afterwards seal it, and again return to bed; yet all this while in a most fast sleep.” , she is seen sleepwalking and participating in strange activities due to the insanity driven from guilt (5.1.4-6).

    Read More

  • Role Of Masculinity In Macbeth

    434 Words  | 2 Pages

    In William Shakespeare’s tragedy, Macbeth, the protagonist desperately tries to live up to the image of a man that his society portrays. The search for his manhood leads him to violent acts that inevitably get him killed. In this tragedy, male and female roles are constantly discussed and defined. Both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth equate masculinity to violence and aggression. They both believe that in order to be a real man, then a man must perform violent acts when necessary.

    Read More

  • Violence And Masculinity In Macbeth

    402 Words  | 2 Pages

    Lady Macbeth is calling to the spirits to assist her murderous ideations and to do that make her less of a women and more like man which will then fill her with deadly cruelty. This supports how she feels, about needing to be manly to commit these horrible

    Read More

  • Masculinity In Macbeth

    834 Words  | 4 Pages

    Through Lady Macbeth’s change from ruthless and masculin to insane, Shakespeare illustrates the impact of murder. Shakespeare portrays Lady Macbeth as masculine, and ruthless in order to illustrate unmerciful cruelty. Just after Macbeth tells Lady Macbeth about his encounter with the three witches, Lady Macbeth prayed to be stripped of any emotions. She prayed to be unsexed which doing so she would have no grieve, guilt, or regret towards killing King Duncan.

    Read More

  • Rebellion Against Femininity In Macbeth

    787 Words  | 4 Pages

    It’s no surprise, that Shakespeare’s Macbeth was clearly constructed as a rebellion against femininity roles of the time. During the Elizabethan era, women were raised to believe they were inferior to men since men obtained desired masculine qualities such as strength, and loyalty, whereas women were viewed as figures of hospitality (1; 6; 28-31). Obviously, not being tempted by the luxury of subservient women, William Shakespeare rebuked this twisted belief, applying that women deserve more respect than their kitchen tables.

    Read More

  • Lady Macbeth Masculinity Quotes

    107 Words  | 1 Pages

    William Shakespeare portrayed the character Lady Macbeth to be extremely ruthless, malicious and manipulative. Thus, being the reason she could easily convince Macbeth to do her will, yet still put on such a convincing performance in front of those who knew nothing of her and her husband’s actions. Lady Macbeth shows her complexity constantly throughout the story when she shares her view-point on masculinity by demasculinizing her own husband, when she strategically plans the murder of the King Duncan, and finally when she finally goes crazy because of the guilt she possesses for not only her own actions but also turning her own husband into a

    Read More

  • Destruction Of Gender Roles In Macbeth

    1657 Words  | 7 Pages

    She rejected her gender role so she could take matters into her own hands, a move that allowed her to persuade Macbeth to kill Duncan. This action is the cause for Macbeth and Lady Macbeth to live in fear that someone may discover what they did, forcing Macbeth to kill those who he perceives dangerous, making him insane. Lady Macbeth, seeing all the trouble she has caused, also goes insane from her guilt. The supernatural are a visual representation of Lady Macbeth’s internal struggles, and they give the reader a better understanding of Lady Macbeth’s character. Lady Macbeth’s rejection of gender roles, illustrated by the supernatural, gave her the ability to control Macbeth, but it was her control that would lead to the downfall and death of her husband and

    Read More

  • Gender And Gender Roles In Shakespeare's Macbeth

    998 Words  | 4 Pages

    (II. III. 92-94). Macduff tells Lady Macbeth, that what he had to say isn't for women ears. This shows that men likes to handle things on their own.

    Read More

  • Character Changes In The Film 'Macbeth'

    973 Words  | 4 Pages

    The film Macbeth illustrates Lady Macbeth and Macbeth to have very different personalities than their original counterpart of the play. Lady Macbeth is portrayed as a much more grieving mother. Her characteristics change and are more revealed during the killing of the Macduff family. Throughout the film Lady Macbeth is demonstrated as a much more emotional character, with her grieving over her child's death, to the breakdown during the terrifying burning of the Macduff family. The new characteristics of the character also again give a new feel to the storyline of the character.

    Read More

  • Macbeth Gender Roles Essay

    1476 Words  | 6 Pages

    Men were supposed to act as strong fighters, while women were locked in the domestic sphere. These gender roles are prominent in the character developments of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. At first, Macbeth is a strong, heroic solider that shows unbounded courage in battle and loyalty to his king. As the play progresses, he becomes cold, ruthless, and miserable. Lady Macbeth takes on a “manly” role, which is surprising because of how patriarchal the society is.

    Read More

  • Essay On Character Change In Macbeth

    1631 Words  | 7 Pages

    Macbeth is a Shakespearean play about a man called Macbeth who becomes evil in a rise to power. The play has many characters who change throughout, in ways more than one. These changes add layers and meaning to the drama and are shown in many ways. A very important character in this play by William Shakespeare is Macbeth, who starts off as Thane of Glamis, and extremely loyal to King Duncan. This character’s first scene of the play is him after killing a traitor to King Duncan.

    Read More

  • Robert Kimbrough's Macbeth: The Prisoner Of Gender

    1152 Words  | 5 Pages

    While Kimbrough believes this to be evil, Shakespeare uses Macbeth’s love for his wife and her love for her husband to show that Macbeth and his wife were victims of their society’s strict views of manliness; manliness is desirable, but femininity is not. The love for masculinity is undermined by Shakespeare as both Macbeth and his wife become mere shells of their former selves by the end of their story by becoming more masculine. Lady Macbeth goes so far as to take her own life, the ultimate display of her femininity. Finally, Kimbrough states throughout his article that Shakespeare wishes to have audiences take a second look at themselves and perhaps judge what is masculine and what is not a little

    Read More

More about Discussion Of Gender Roles In Macbeth By William Shakespeare

Open Document