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Masculinity in the story of Macbeth
Masculinity in the story of Macbeth
The role of the women in Shakespeare
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Although Macbeth is most guilty of the destruction and evil, other characters play a significant part in his decisions for the crime he committed. The play Macbeth by William Shakespeare was written in the 1600’s and is a play about greed, death, and ambition. The main characters kill the king to gain power. In the play, Lady Macbeth contributes to the story’s conflict by being so power-hungry, un-lady like, and manipulative.
Lady Macbeth’s hunger for power leads her to her own suicide. While reading a letter and later talking to Macbeth she mentions, “Glamis thou art, and Cawdor, and shalt be what thou art promised… 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!” (1.5.13-14,41-44). She tells Macbeth that if he follows her plan then they could become king and queen of Scotland. She’s also practically begging to be stripped of womanly weakness and replaced
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When he started talking about backing out on the plan, 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.”(1.7.55-57). She basically calls him a coward and tells him to man up which gets her control over Macbeth. She also says how attractive and manly he would be, also a bigger man and namely king by committing the murder. Because she’s manipulating Macbeth by calling him a coward, he feels the need to prove her wrong and that’s exactly what Lady Macbeth wants.
Throughout the play, Lady Macbeth contributes to the story’s conflict with her hunger for power, her un-lady likeness, and her manipulative ways. Macbeth shows that ambition will drive a person crazy and may bring the ones they love to fall down along with them. It teaches us that our greed and selfishness can easily take over and control the things we do if we give it the chance, and may even lead us to our
“When you durst do it, then you are a man.” (I, vii, 55)- Lady Macbeth is very conniving showing that she is willing to convince Macbeth to murder Duncan, despite the fact that she is unable to carry out the actions by herself. She is willing to jeopardize the safety of her husband in the pursuit of happiness, even though in the end without realizing that it will compromise that happiness. Lady Macbeth knew her husband was ambitious, but he was too kind. So she wanted to manipulate him into killing Duncan in order to fulfill he pursuit of happiness. During her soliloquy in act I scene v lines 13-29 Lady Macbeth states “Glamis thou art, and Cawdor, and shalt be what thou art promised. Yet do I fear thy nature. It is too full of the milk of human kindness to catch nearest way. Thou wouldst be great, Art not without ambition, but without the illness should attend it… And chastise with the valour of my tongue all that impedes thee from the golden round which fate and the metaphysical aid doth seem to have the crowned withal.” During this soliloquy Lady Macbeth states that she is going to convince her husband into taking action so that he can become king. This soliloquy shows that Lady Macbeth is the dominant partner, which is contrary to the stereotypical gender stereotypes of that time frame. This proves that once again that in the pursuit of happiness that Lady Macbeth is willing to take over the relationship in order to achieve what she thinks will bring her happiness. Lady Macbeth and Macbeth also lied in order to achieve what they though would bring them
As Macbeth becomes less dependent on his wife, she loses more control. She loses control of her husband, but mostly, of herself, proving her vacillating truth. Lady Macbeth’s character gradually disintegrates through a false portrayal of unyielding strength, an unsteady control of her husband and shifting involvement with supernatural powers.Throughout the duration of play Lady Macbeth’s truly decrepit and vulnerable nature is revealed. Lady Macbeth has been the iron fist and authority icon for Macbeth, yet deep down, she never carried such traits to begin with. This duality in Lady Macbeth’s character plays a huge role in planting the seed for Macbeth’s downfall and eventual demise.
William Shakespeare’s Macbeth is a tragedy in which the main characters are obsessed by the desire for power. Macbeth’s aspiration for power blinds him to the ethical implications of his dreadful acts. The more that Shakespeare’s Macbeth represses his murderous feelings, the more he is haunted by them. By analyzing his hallucinations it is possible to trace his deteriorating mental state and the trajectory of his ultimate fall. Throughout the play Macbeth is never satisfied with himself. He feels the need to keep committing crime in order to keep what he wants most: his kingship. The harder Macbeth tries to change his fate the more he tends to run into his fate. His ambition and struggle for power was Macbeth’s tragic flaw in the play. Macbeth’s rise to the throne was brought about by the same external forces that ensure his downfall.
My client is pleading innocent. My client, a humble, well deserving man, as described on account of the Sargent, Seyton and Ross, was just another puppet in the cruel game that transpired some short months ago. The weird sisters have confessed to manipulate Macbeth by telling him his future. It is of my belief that the witches used Macbeth as nothing more than a middle man, a mailman to deliver the message to Lady Macbeth.
Before the murder of King Duncan, Macbeth was a brave, noble warrior. “For brave Macbeth well he deserves that name… Till he unseamed him from the nave to th’ chop and fixed his head upon our battlements” (Act I, Scene 2, lines 2). He was one of the last people anyone would expect to kill King Duncan. Shakespeare chooses a noble character such as Macbeth, to emphasize how greed and power can alter a person’s good morals. In Act one we start to see Macbeth’s desire for more power rise. “Stars, hide your fires; Let no light see my black and deep desires. The eye wink at the hond yet let that be which the eye fears, when it is done to see” (Act I, Scene 4, lines 52- 55). His desire for power is at war with his good morals. He wants to become king but does not want to kill Duncan.
Firstly, he defeats his enemies. Next he is praised by the other soldiers and King Duncan appoints him as the Thane. For example, if a person desires for a manager title, the person will work hard to earn it, and it is possible that other workers will see this and boost the chief individual’s desire. It is from here that the person might think they deserve the title and look for more power. Similarly, Macbeth must have thought somewhere in his mind to be king. In the book Witches’ Caldron: a study of motive in Shakespeare’s Macbeth Dr. K.C. Mathur says that although the witches did prophesy he would be king and even boosted his desire “They did not create the thought of murder of King Duncan. It was Macbeth’s own latent ambition embodying his power drive and seeking affirmation that invites the witches.” (Witches Caldron, 6) Dr. Mathur also says “Macbeth had acquired this status and it is not surprising that he thinks of achieving higher status by being aggressive and domineering. It is this psychological impulse that is projected in his ambition for the crown and not any criminal instinct or latent evil.” (6) There was a negative environment of witches and the association of Lady Macbeth around Macbeth which influenced him to murder. The environment creates a huge part in the play and if he had a good environment it is possible that he would have remained loyal to King
William Shakespeare's play Macbeth is a five-act drama that shows a clear example of how pride, greed, and power can alter a man's actions and personality. The taste of power blinds the story's main character, Macbeth. Sparked by Lady Macbeth, he becomes heartless and cruel as he kills anyone who is a threat to his power due to his paranoia of losing the throne. This fear ironically leads to his downfall and loss of the throne. The theme of the story is deceit and evil and how they affect a man's decisions.
Among the greatest gifts that the renaissance produced was the eloquent and incredible Shakespearean plays. Written mostly in the 1590s these plays have been performed and admired countless times; entertaining mass audiences by providing interesting tales that explore the depth of human insights and the different universal themes. Among the many Shakespearean plays Macbeth, written in 1606, stands out with its short composition but multiple themes. This tragedy narrates the tale of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s quest to grasp ultimate power by ignoring their morals and succumbing to their dark desires, which ultimately leads to their downfall. This tragic play portrays the desires, needs, and temptations that accompany ambition in men and women. However the ambition in Macbeth is blind, it does not abide to the morals, but it allows space for dark actions as means necessary for accomplishment. Blind ambition serves as the main driving force that drives Macbeth to subdue to his dark desires, defy his noble behavior, and ultimately his downfall.
“ The wonderful news of our greatest success”. I am the queen of Scotland. I've always wanted to become queen of Scotland. The people treat me with special royalty and grant me luxurious goods. I didn't believe that Macbeth would be man enough to think of killing the king. Macbeth wanted the spirits to help with his plan to kill Duncan. “ I said to Macbeth “ I no longer want to be sweet and nice like some women “. “ I want these spirits to make me cruel and ruthless from my head down to my feet”. “Thicken my blood so I am not able to feel natural pity to distract me from the foul deeds I must do.” ( Act 2 & 3). Killing the king seemed like it was a turning point for Macbeth and myself to become the villages center of attention but
In the play Macbeth by Shakespeare, Lady Macbeth was just as guilty for the death of Duncan as Macbeth. Lady Macbeth persuaded her husband, planned the murder, and finally helping to carry out and cleaning up the murder. By modern standards there would be no question on whether she was guilty or not.
Ladies and gentlemen of this court I thank you for letting me give my testimony today. I am Macduff, thane of Fife; I am 30 years old and have been well-respected in my role for 5 years. I am only interested in what is best for Scotland, and I speak to you today to give my testimony as to why I believe Macbeth is the reason for Scotland suffering as he was a bad king for the time of his reign. I pledge to tell the truth and only the truth as a witness today to prove the guilt of Macbeth, previous king of Scotland for his crimes of murder, treason and for his crimes against our beloved country. My evidence today will show the reasons why Macbeth is guilty and should not be considered a worthy king in the eyes of Scotland. His pride, his ability
Macbeth is a tragedy by William Shakespeare. It is thought to have been first performed in in 1606. It dramatises the damaging physical and psychological effects of political ambition on those who seek power for his own sake. Macbeth is a brave scottish general receives a prophecy from a trio of witches that one day he will become king of Scotland. Consumed by ambition and spurred to action by his wife, Macbeth murders King Duncan and takes the throne for himself. In this situation Lady Macbeth is most responsible for Duncan’s murder.
In the text, Macbeth is an adult and the head of the family and such it was expected that he had the upper hand in deciding what should be done regarding the issue. However, Lady Macbeth usurps this expectation and convinces Macbeth into the ploy of killing King Duncan-- bringing into parallel likeness the biblical story where Eve used her power as a woman to convince Adam of sin. In both stories, women pushed men into committing an act which he was reluctant to do. Women are known to be charming because of the beauty that is associated with them. As such, when a woman threatens with the withdrawal of her affection, it becomes a concern for the husband and this may make the man to rescind on his principle. The situation in this scenario is an epitome of how a person can use her relationship into compelling the other to take a decision which originally was not his or hers. Evidently, Macbeth tries to contemplate the idea of not participating in the death of King Duncan, fearing not only mortal repercussions, but also ecclesiastical fallout that he will face in "the life to come." However, due to the threats from his wife, he continues with the plan. From this situation, it is clear that Lady Macbeth wants to enjoy the aura brought by power and status associated with being a queen; making this her motive to see King Duncan dead. Therefore, Lady Macbeth manipulates Macbeth because she is intended to become a queen; this is a clear example of how a person the twists the minds of decision-makers in order to attain their intentions.
Since the beginning of the play, Lady Macbeth’s obsession is to become powerful. Lady Macbeth has a conversation that ultimately leads to the death of Macbeth. When Lady Macbeth and her husband Macbeth was given what their future beholds, Lady Macbeth was committed to the crimes the second it came out of the three witch’s mouth. In the other hand, Macbeth was nervous to do a crime right after he had just been crowned thane of Cawdor. Instantly, Lady Macbeth was quick to reassure him, so it would benefit her wants and so called “needs” of becoming powerful. Towards the beginning of Act I, (I.VII.1-28) Lady Macbeth began to make Macbeth feel as if he were a coward, “What beast wasn’t, then, that made you break this enterprise to me? 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. Nor time nor place did then adhere, and yet you would make both. They have made themselves, and that their fitness now does unmake you. I have given suck, and know how tender ’tis to love the babe that milks me. I would, while it was smiling in my face, have plucked my nipple from his boneless gums and dashed the brains out, had I so sworn as you have done to this.” Shakespeare put the character Lady Macbeth to demonstrate how people use manipulation to get what they want. Nowadays, you see that celebrities will create a problematic situation that leads to inheriting a title that holds power. Lady Macbeth is no doubt a person who speaks freely and wants what she demands. Shakespeare inserted text describing how Lady Macbeth used manipulation to gain status, because of her desires to be married to a King. It's not new that people use certain advantages to receive what they want. Lady Macbeth’s high achieving personality does the job well. Her persuasion
In Shakespeare's Macbeth, the focus that is placed on the character of Lady Macbeth helps to convey the play's theme of the strife created by the struggle for power and control that is present throughout the entire work. Shakespeare presents her character in great detail and shows her to be a dominating, authoritative woman who thrives on the power she holds over her husband. He then shows the principle character, Macbeth, rise up and join his wife in a struggle for power of his own. It is the actions that Macbeth takes in attempt to achieve ultimate authority that lead to his downfall, and it is Lady Macbeth's loss of control over her husband as he gains this independence which causes her own weakening and eventually leads to her demise as well.