Examples Of Masculinity In Macbeth

In the play Macbeth by William Shakespeare, the idea of masculinity and what it mean to “be a man” is a common theme throughout the play. Most of the characters associate manhood with the ability to be brutal, violent, cruel, and merciless. However, we can see that Shakespeare doesn’t necessarily agree with this definition of Masculinity when looking at some of the other characters in the play. Pride
Throughout the play, it is shown how many of the main characters have a traditional view of on masculinity. Lady Macbeth’s view on the correlation between cruelty and masculinity can be seen early on in the play, when she wishes to be unsexed so she will have the cruelty of a man that is necessary to kill King Duncan. 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.47-50)

Although she has an extreme view on masculinity, it is clear that this view is not exclusively held by Lady Macbeth.

Macbeth also shares this view with his wife. One of the ways Macbeth convinces the murders he hires that they should kill Banquo is by questioning their manliness. “Now, if you have a station in the file,/ Not i' th' worst rank of manhood, say ’t,/ And I will put that business in your bosoms,” (III.i. 114-116). Such actions reveal not only the Macbeth’s view of masculinity, but on society’s view on its importance as well.
When Shakespeare touches upon manhood, he also shows how important being seen as “masculine” is to most men, and how much a man’s pride is affected by other’s perception of their masculinity. Lady Macbeth intellegintly uses this to persuade Macbeth to kill King Duncan. She says to him, “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.” (I.vii. 56-58). Questioning Macbeth’s manhood is a large factor in how he quickly went from refusing to go through with the murder, to immediately wanting to hear the plan. Many times throughgout the story, characters will question other’s

manhoods.
Ironically, when looking at the definition of masculinity used by most of the characters, some of the woman are the most “masculine” out of everyone in this play.

Lady Macbeth, the witches, and Hectate are all evil, merciless women who are by most of the characters’ definitions, manly. Lady Macbeth is the one behind motivating Macbeth to kill Duncan, and comes up with the plan for murder. In responce to her plan, Macbeth says “Bring forth men-children only,/ For thy undaunted mettle should compose/ Nothing but males.” (I.vii.83-85). Macbeth admires her brutality, and thinks that a woman so brutal should only be able to give birth to males. The witches and Hectate are another example of “masculine” women in this play, because they are evil and trick Macbeth into thinking he cannot be harmed, which ultimately leads to his downfall. Hectate tells the witches that he will belive

that
He shall spurn fate, scorn death, and bear
His hopes 'bove wisdom, grace, and fear.
And you all know, security
Is mortals' chiefest enemy. (III.v.30-33)

In society seen as fragile and weak: faint
O gentle lady,
'Tis not for you to hear what I can speak:
The repetition, in a woman’s ear,
Would murder as it fell.

Eventually, Shakespeare puts forth a different perspective on what it means to be a man.