“Of All the gentry: there is Siward’s son, And many unrough youths that even now protest their first of manhood” (5.2.9-11). A theme that is constantly presented in The Tragedy of Macbeth by William Shakespeare is the idea of Masculinity. Masculinity, generally, is portrayed as power, vigor, strength, and virility. Undoubtedly, masculinity is used in various ways in the play. For example, Lady Macbeth uses it to overpower Macbeth by shaming his masculinity in which she says he has none. In addition, manliness is represented throughout the book as being dauntless for example, for example, they explain all the youth is going to war against Scotland is a protest to their manhood. Despite Masculinity being known as strength, in the play, it is used in different ways while staying truthful to the broad idea of strength and power. …show more content…
One of the biggest uses of Masculinity in this play is the way Lady Macbeth uses it as a word to overpower herself.
“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!” (1.5.40-43). This quote represents Lady Macbeth speaking to herself as in which she wants the power to have the mindset as a man to kill King Duncan. When she says this she tries to take away the general woman attitude which is kindness and remorse. Surely, this represents a man as being cruel and powerful and not afraid to do anything at will. Another example can be when Lady Macbeth disgraces Macbeth’s masculinity as he visions Banquo’s Ghost. “Are you a man?” (3.4.57). “A woman’s story at a winter’s fire, Authorized by her grandam. Shame itself! Why do you make such faces? When all’s done, You look but on a stool.” The two quotes are when Lady Macbeth pulled aside Macbeth to wonder why he was acting so foolish. To conclude, she is trying to tell Macbeth that since he is so nervous and foolish, he is like a woman, not like a man at
all. The play uses the phrase “being a man” which allows them to cope the idea that they are doing their best or showing that they are strong. To enumerate, they give the idea of doing things and being a man will show that you fear nothing and that you are virile. The idea of feeling pain is to suppose to show that you are strong. For example, when Macduff finds out his family is killed, Malcolm says, “Dispute it like a man,”(4.3.220). “But I must also feel it as a man,” (4.3.221) Macduff replies. This is showing the definition of masculinity as in which Malcolm says to take the pain of sadness and not let it effect you, like a man. By the same token, Macduff shows that he must feel the pain of this sadness as in which he specifically says he must “feel it as a man.” Equally important, is when the English Troops are starting to fight against the Macbeth’s forces. “Of All the gentry: there is Siward’s son, And many unrough youths that even now protest their first of manhood” (5.2.9-11). This can relate to the previous quote as in which there must be the feeling of pain and nervousness in a man and once they have the strength to dispute that pain or nervousness they can be considered a man. Overall, in the play, The Tragedy of Macbeth, there is the idea of Masculinity, which is used as giving the idea of having power and being dauntless. The idea of having power from being a man can be shown by Lady Macbeth as in which she asks to be unsexed from her womanhood into the man so she can have the power to have a mindset of a cruel killer. Being dauntless, showing fearlessness and determination, is presented by Macduff as in which how he contains his emotions against the death of his family. Also being fearless like a man is shown as the troops of England go into war by them being able to put themselves in a dangerous situation while coping their emotions of fear.
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
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...
One permeating aspect of Shakespeare’s depiction of masculinity is its dominance over femininity. Lady Macbeth is a vital contributor to this mindset throughout the plot. As a means of obtaining power, Lady Macbeth sees her femininity as an obstacle and obtaining masculine attributes as a step toward the throne. We see this when she says, “Come, you spirits that tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here, and full me from the crown to the toe top-full of direst cruelty” (33). In this quote she is literally asking to replace her feminine attributes with masculine ones, which she perceives as cruelty and aggression. She continues to emphasize this ideal when she states “Come to my woman’s breasts, and take my milk for gall” (33). This line is a blatant reference ...
Judith Butler’s concept of gender performativity suggests that there is a distinction between “sex, as a biological facticity, and gender, as the cultural interpretation or signification of that facticity” (Butler, 522). Performing certain actions that society associates with a specific gender marks you as that gender. In this way, gender is socially constructed. Alfar defines the societal expectation of women as the “constant and unquestioning feminine compliance with the desires of the masculine” (114). Considering Macbeth from a modern perspective and taking this distinction into account, it is necessary to determine if the play is concerned with sex or with gender. Before the action of the play even begins, the audience is warned that “Fair is foul, and foul is fair” (1.1.11). The first scene of the play casts the world of Macbeth as a land where everything is opposite or disordered. This line at the very start of the play cautions audiences to not take the play at face value because things are not always as they appear to be. Because of this, “all the binaries become complicated, divisions blurred. Thus the binary nature of gender identities, male/female, is eliminated” (Reaves 14). In the world of Macbeth, the typical gender constructions are manipulated and atypical. If the play does not deal with sex, the qualities of Lady Macbeth cannot be applied to all women but rather, representative of society’s construction of gender, “the patriarch, and the limited, restrictive roles of women” (Reaves 11). Within this reading of Lady Macbeth, Shakespeare’s examination and questioning of gender construction allows modern day readers to recognize the enduring relevance of
After receiving prophecies from the witches about his future to come, he is forced into an ambition-fuelled madness. As previously mentioned, Macbeth was persuaded to kill King Duncan by his wife due to his debatable manliness. This presented Macbeth’s need to prove to his wife he was manly by being valiant and strong and partaking in violent acts. He responds to his wife’s forceful directives by telling her, “Please stop! I dare do all that may become a man;/ Who dares do more is none” (1.7.46-47). This quote indicates how Macbeth believes a “real” man would not murder, and only due to Lady Macbeth explicitly attempting to manipulate him into action, does he succumb to do so. Macbeth endeavours the heinous crime of murdering the King, all owing to Lady Macbeth’s commands. On more than one occasion Macbeth is seen becoming mad, being overtaken by guilt and concern, highlighting that his manhood does not in fact give him any power, but only draws attention to his lack thereof. The inferiority he has within his relationship, also makes evident that Lady Macbeth’s pressure causes the transpiration of Macbeth’s powerful future. It is clear that Macbeth’s power was affected by his gender, as seen through his desperate need to prove his masculinity. Without the questioning of his manhood, Macbeth would have still been the
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
...hout the play, he continually worries about his own portrayal of masculinity, something that Lady Macbeth is quick to jump upon to make him do what she wants. When Macbeth says is challenged by lady Macbeth he says that he will do anything to be a man. ’when you durst do it, then you were a man’. Lady Macbeth is tormenting Macbeth by getting inside his head. This symbolises how he is being controlled by evil and corruption. Lady Macbeth and her desires on one side and the witches on the other. This shows how the two control is entangled and entwined. The word ’man’ is used to great effect here, it shows the true desires of the heart. Macbeth wants the recognition of his achievements. Lady Macbeth’s attitude explains how this is not enough. She wants Macbeth to be king, maybe more than he does. She is pushing him forwards.
“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.
In Shakespeare’s play, Macbeth‚ the theme of masculinity is explored. As Macbeth matures‚ there are times when his masculinity is put to the test, mostly after the murder of Duncan. There are four main themes in which masculinity is presented in the play.
In the play, everyone seems to want power. Usually, men are the ones who are outward and aggressive about it, and women are more subdued about it. Lady Macbeth has a great deal of power over Macbeth the power which she holds over him, is the fact that she possesses more of the "manly" quality than Macbeth himself. Because of this, Macbeth is ashamed of himself. Macbeth constantly tries to disprove Lady Macbeths doubt of his manhood. "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." (1.7.22). As you can see in this quote, Lady Macbeth has her doubts.
The great masterpiece Macbeth, which is written by William Shakespeare, deals with many different hidden themes. One of the best-hidden themes in Macbeth is manhood. Shakespeare's descriptions of his characters give real descripitions of living beings, not actors upon a stage. His manuscript is able to show the masculinity of men as well of women. Masculinity is not just for men; some women are just like men in their quest for ambition.
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.
In this play, the manhood is symbolized as the weakness. The weakness and lack of braveness Macbeth has to stand up for himself when he is constantly back-stabbed by Lady Macbeth.
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...
.... The theme of masculinity being displayed throughout the play, particularly by Macbeth himself, reinforces his position in terms of importance. This revolving notion can be justified through the manner in which the audience views Macbeth’s own urge for power- over femininity and also for the throne; thus slowly developing a setting for the preceding plot. Once again Macbeth is also imperative in regards to the story line, as he is the figure in which Shakespeare tends to propose certain principles and consequences.