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Character Analysis Of Macbeth Essay
The drama of Shakespeare
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William Shakespeare's tragedy, Macbeth, displays profound motifs and themes of darkness, prophecy and manhood that are repeatedly demonstrated throughout the tragedy that illuminates the literary work as a whole. Darkness and malfeasance play an important role through the intentions taken by a majority of the characters including Macbeth, his wife and the witches who portray immoral intuitions and outcomes. Shakespeare's often use of darkness frequently sets the scene on a dark and stormy night. During the 17th Century, he was highly fascinated with the way fate changed the course of peoples lives and the endless consequences that would supervene. Shakespeare opens up the literary work with three witches conjuring on thunder and opening …show more content…
Lady Macbeth screws Macbeth's courage when she demonstrates that he no longer is a man when he is too coward to go through with the plot to murder Duncan. Lady Macbeth asserts that if her husband were a true man, he would have already had Duncan murdered at that exact moment, and if he was morally certain that his plot was truly great, it would make him an even greater man (Shakespeare I.vii. 55-59.) Demonstrated in a more feministic way, Lady Macbeth's famous soliloquy shows the empowerment of her masculinity., "Come you spirits, / That tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here, / and fill me from the crown to the toe top-full / Of dearest cruelty"(Shakespeare I.v.30-34). She focuses solely on becoming a more manly stature to administer the power to perdure the plot of murder. Masculine identity during 17th Century Shakespeare was held in great desire and influence. Men were leaders and obtained all power and authority; however, Macbeth's cowardliness to kill Duncan opens a pathway for Lady Macbeth to intervene on behalf of Macbeth's unorthodox behavior, contradicting the role of a man in
In regards to Duncan’s murder, Lady Macbeth demonstrates her tragic flaw in her conscious suppression of her muliebrity and her subconscious support of it. In Act I scene 5, she receives a letter from Macbeth. When she hears about the prophecy, she considers killing Duncan to gain power for the first time. Lady Macbeth is too gentle Lady Macbeth has a glorified idea of what it means to be masculine, so she thinks that she could achieve more without her femininity. Consciously, she wishes to be, “top-full/of direst cruelty,” (I.v.48-50).
Initially, when her character is introduced, she displays her masculine traits with complete disregard for any form of femininity. She commands the heavens in these lines, ”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.”(1.5.30-33). In this, Lady Macbeth sheds any attachment she has to her natural embodiment as a woman, and asks the supernatural to help her in her quest to power. It is clearly shown that Lady Macbeth yearns to achieve ambitions that weren’t considered womanly in the time period that this play is set in. As a consequence, she pushes her husband to fulfill her horrendous dreams, because she knows that she will not be affected if Macbeth fails to execute his plans. If Macbeth gets caught, then she remains blameless, and if he doesn’t, she becomes a queen. Either way she doesn’t get hurt. Nonetheless, Lady Macbeth hides another aspiration, one which is evidenced from her humane actions. As a loyal companion to Macbeth, Lady Macbeth wants to ensure that her husband achieves his dream, to be king, at any cost, even if that means sacrificing her femininity and humanity. Generally speaking, this unique perspective on Lady Macbeth shows that her demeaning of Macbeth’s masculinity is actually a display of her true feminine traits; to always support her husband regardless of the price. Lady
Although I do not intend here to resolve the question of gender in Macbeth (actually, I hope to provoke further thoughts on interpretation), I do wish to note that Shakespeare has forcefully bound the cultural problem of violence to the promulgation and validation of the roles a community assigns by sex. Read the play; attend a performance; consider the moral and ethical implications bound up in the plot of a would-be king who sheds true manhood even as he fulfills the masculine ideal.
Macbeth tells himself to act like a man in the following lines: “Prithee, peace! / I dare do all that may become a man; / Who dares do more is none” (I, vii, 45-47). This quote by Macbeth shows how he wants to be a man by killing King Duncan, but he does not think this would be an act of righteousness. Macbeth is in a controversy with himself in this situation. If he does not kill the king then his wife, Lady Macbeth, will not think he is a man, but if he does kill the king then he will betray his leader’s trust in him. Betrayal would not be seen as an act of manliness. Jarold Ramsey explains the situation in the following sentence: “And, striking more ruthlessly at him, she scornfully implies that his very sexuality will be called into question in her eyes if he refuses the regicide” (288). This quote by Jarold Ramsey explains how Macbeth’s manliness will be determined in the eyes of Lady Macbeth when he makes his decision on whether or not he will kill the king. Lady Macbeth shows her desire of being queen in the following lines: “What beast was’t then / That made you break this enterprise to me? /When you durst do it, then you were a man” (I, vii, 47-49). This quote shows how she wants Macbeth to kill the king. In this situation Macbeth tells himself to be a man and kill the king to please Lady Macbeth. Maria Howell exp...
On the night that Duncan is supposedly going to get murdered, there is some dramatic irony of lightness and darkness demonstrated in the play. After Macbeth leaves Duncan’s castle, he wants the stars to hide their fires, in other words for there to be no stars or moon at night when he kills Duncan. Well his wish was granted, but Banquo is a little suspicious as he tell his son Fleance: “There's husbandry in heaven; / Their candles are all out" (2. 1. 6-7). It is pitch black outside, and darkness symbolizes fear. Then Banquo claims: “Merciful powers/ Restrain in me the cursed thoughts that nature/ Gives way to in repose” (2. 1. 11-13). It seems like Banquo is very tired but cannot sleep because he is afraid of something but nobody knows what. Banquo explains to Macbeth that he had a dream about the three weird witches. Could the suspicion be growing for Banquo, very dark night, not a star in sight, could Macbeth be planning a murder? Darkness is emphasized in his part of the novel because the darker side of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth is shown as there is evil side shows that they will do anything to unrightfully make Macbeth become the new King of Scotland even that includes murder to anybody that gets in their way.
A prominent theme in William Shakespeare’s novel Macbeth is the idea of universal masculinity. Throughout the play, Shakespeare utilizes male gender stereotypes to present conflicting views on the definition of manhood. Macbeth tells the reader about a man who allows both societal pressures inflicted upon him by his wife and his intense ambition to drag Macbeth into a spiral of committing obscene acts of violence. Characters often associate being a man with courage, cruelty and power. This pervading caricature of a “man” is evident to the reader throughout the play. Lady Macbeth, for instance, goads Macbeth about his masculinity to the point of murder. Additionally, Malcolm and Macduff’s rigid discussion on revenge reveals a defined notion of “true” masculinity. Perhaps the culmination of rigid gender stereotypes is evident in Macbeth's pondering of the legitimacy of the hired murderers' manhood. Clearly, Shakespeare upholds male gender stereotypes throughout Macbeth.
Macbeth comes from a follower of Duncan, and from this great follower he becomes a ferocious being who willingly kills, whether it is just one person or an entire family. Macbeth obtains many different themes. One of the most important themes is Macbeth’s transition into darkness. His revolution becomes visible from his first murder onwards into his death. Macbeth turns into a dark and ominous being. Macbeth’s transition is deep and dark; he evolves from a faithful follower to a rebellious murderer.
Lady Macbeth is one of the most compelling characters who challenges the concept of gender roles. Her relationship with Macbeth is atypical, particularly due to the standards of its time. Lady Macbeth becomes the psychologically controlling force over her husband, essentially assuming a masculine role, in order to inspire the aggression needed to fulfil his ambitions. Through her powerful taunts and persuasion, Lady Macbeth convinces her husband to murder the king and to take his throne. She emasculates over her husband repeatedly, knowing that in his desperation to prove his manhood, he will perform the acts she wishes. In Act 1, Scene 5
Gender roles in Macbeths society automatically expect men to be physically and emotionally stronger than women, however, lady Macbeth plays as a juxtaposition to Macbeth; encapsulating the emasculating woman prototype. She wants to abandon all her feminine qualities as she recognises that the characteristics she wants are not acceptable for females. She asks the spirits to "unsex" (1.5 46) her and to fill her "from the crown to the toe, top-full/ Of direst cruelty" (1.5 46). It is in gaining these ‘masculine’ characteristics in Lady Macbeth ultimately attacks Macbeths biggest insecurity- his masculinity. Lady Macbeth is more ambitious and power hungry than Macbeth, and uses him as a vice for her own power conquests. It is at times when he doubts what is right and wrong for his own ambition, that Lady Macbeth uses her power of manipulation to call his manhood into question. At first, Macbeth suggests that killing the King would make him less a man and would cause him too loose his humanity, however, he changes his mind as Lady Macbeth proposes that a real man keeps promises and acts on his ambitions: "When you durst do it, then you were a man;/ And, to be more than what you were, you would/ Be so much more the man" (1.7 54-56). Macbeth therefore murders Duncan to prove that he would be defeated neither by his fear
“When you first do it, then you were a man, And to be more than what you were, you would, be so much more the man” (I. VII, 54-56). After struggling with the thought of killing Duncan, Macbeth is reprimanded by Lady Macbeth for his lack of courage. She informs him that killing the king will make him a man, insinuating that he isn’t a man if he doesn’t go through with the murder. This develops Lady Macbeth as a merciless, nasty, and selfish woman. She will say, or do anything to get what she desires, even if it means harming others.
Macbeth rejects conformation to traditional gender roles in its portrayal of Lady Macbeth’s relationship with her husband, her morals and their effect on her actions, and her hunger for power. Her regard for Macbeth is one of low respect and beratement, an uncommon and most likely socially unacceptable attitude for a wife to have towards her spouse at the time. She often ignores morality and acts for the benefit of her husband, and subsequently herself. She is also very power-hungry and lets nothing stand in the way of her success. Lady Macbeth was a character which challenged expectations of women and feminism when it was written in the seventeenth century.
On the other hand, Lady Macbeth views on manhood are much different from her husband's and the other characters in the play. Unlike Macbeth, Lady Macbeth envisions a man to be opportunist, cruel and ruthless instead of honorable and loyal. When she receives the letter from Macbeth and learns of her chance to be queen, she prays that the spirits "that tend on mortal thoughts [would] unsex [her]", and that she will be "fill[ed] from the crown to the toe of direst cruelty", so that she would have the strength to murder Duncan. Believing the spirits would "unsex" her, she hopes that she wouldn't be bothered by a woman's kindness or remorse and thus would become a cruel killer, like a man.
The Tragedy of Darkness Amid the Light in Macbeth In Shakespeare's Macbeth, the topic light versus dark anticipate a demonstration of malevolent or a demonstration of good. Although the play, Macbeth, is a tragedy showed a sense of light in their characters, Lady Macbeth and King Duncan best portrays light by indicating great deeds.
Shakespeare is known for strong male heroes, but they are not laying around in this play, not that Macbeth is full of strong female heroines, either. The women in the play, Lady Macbeth and the witches have very uncommon gender belief, and act as inhumane as the men. While the men engage in direct violence, the women use manipulation to achieve their desires. As Lady Macbeth impels Macbeth to kill King Duncan, she indicated that she must take on some sort of masculine characteristic in order to process the murder. “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 31-34) This speech is made after she reads Macbeth’s letter. Macbeth, she has shown her desire to lose her feminine qualities and gain masculine ones. Lady Macbeth's seizure of the dominant role in the Macbeth's marriage, on many occasions, she rules her husband and dictates his actions. Her speeches in the first part of the book give the readers a clear impression. “You shall put this night’s great business into my dispatch, which shall […] gi...
When the British museum started to display the dress of Queen Victoria, they said it is a view to Victoria’s world and her brilliant reign. The dress was influenced by its owner’s lifestyle and culture during the typical time, which opened a door that people can have a deeper understanding of Victoria and discovered her various identity except for a successful female leader. For instance, the delicate handmade laces on the dress matches marvelously with the genuine silk from China. It’s not hard to find traits of the period of Queen Victoria and details of her habit or personalities through this deluxe dress. People can easily draw a picture of her with the typical traits of her period.