Gender And Power In Macbeth

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Recommended: Role of Lady Macbeth

Famous author William Shakespeare’s well known play; Macbeth, was written in the early 1600’s. The play focuses on the construction of gender identities through various representations of masculinity and femininity. Shakespeare has constructed the play using specific techniques to identify the relationships between gender and power and further the values that determine the concepts of gender. This can be seen where Macbeth has been emasculated and how Lady Macbeth has challenged stereotypical gender normalities. This idea can also be seen through the witches portrayal. Moreover, these “bearded women” represent gender inversion by acting as dominant and controlling rather than subservient and weak. These portrayals have enabled the readers to
Shakespeare has positioned both characters to form an emasculated factor towards Macbeth. This has allowed Lady Macbeth to take advantage of Macbeth by influencing him to kill Duncan in order to be the new Thane of Cawdor. “Art thou afeard to be the same in thine own act and valor as thou art in desire? Wouldst thou have that which thou esteem’st the ornament of life, and live a coward in thine own esteem, letting “I dare not” wait upon “I would, ” like the poor cat i' th' adage?”(Act 1, Scene 7). Lady Macbeth is emasculating Macbeth by calling him a coward as he is unsure of the plotted murder. “And that which rather thou dost fear to do, than wishest should be undone. Hie thee hither, that I may pour my spirits in thine ear and chastise with the valor of my tongue all that impedes thee from the golden round, which fate and metaphysical aid doth seem to have thee crowned withal.” (Act 1, Scene 5). He is being influenced and is loosing his power to his wife so that she retrieves all that she wants. By doing so, Lady Macbeth is also challenging the gender normalities throughout the entirety of the
Gender notion and power can be seen through Lady Macbeth’s representation. As Macbeth is being portrayed as emasculated by Lady Macbeth, it can be analysed that Lady Macbeth as challenging the gender normalities in doing so. She is being presented as powerful and above all others and this can be seen in Act 1, Scene 5, where she says “Come, you spirits that tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here, and fill me from the crown to the toe top-full… Come to my woman’s breasts, and take my milk for gall, you murd'ring ministers, wherever in your sightless substances you wait on nature’s mischief. Come, thick night, and pall thee in the dunnest smoke of hell, that my keen knife see not the wound it makes, nor heaven peep through the blanket of the dark to cry.” She is talking to herself after reading the letter from Macbeth about the witches prophecies and in doing so she is plotting how she can become heir and demanding the spirits to make her more a man. Shakespeare has represented her to be the dominant and power filled character that takes advantage of every opportunity and person she

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