Macbeth And Portia

Martin Nowak

ENGL 245

Dr. Chalk

12/5/2016

William Shakespeare often uses gender roles to make an underlying thematic statement. In the Merchant of Venice and Macbeth, two females take different approaches to gaining their dominance over a male first society. Both Portia and Lady Macbeth use male gender roles to exploit and control men for their better interest. While the two Shakespearean women have a similar end goal, due to lady Macbeth’s guilt, explicit manipulation, and whom she can manipulate it is highlighted that Portia can progress in a man’s first society without losing her ability to further manipulate.

In every Shakespearean play, the audience’s perception of the antagonists and protagonists influences the interpretation of

She had Shylock's future in the palm of her hand and she chose to be has harsh as she could without killing him. This was to free her husband's friend from death. Portia's gain from this was not solely for Bassanio. Portia, as Balthazar, asks him for the ring. "Give me your gloves; I'll wear them for your sake. / And for your love I'll take this ring from you" (4.1.24-25). This gave her the opportunity to test her husband's trust. She told him to never take off the ring and he failed the test. Portia completed her husband’s wishes while testing him for her own

She puts pressure on her husband by saying "Like the poor cat I' th' adage?"(1.7.30 3343434 ). She is questioning his manhood and using guilt-inducing methods to manipulate him into murdering the king. These techniques are the outcome of her newly acquired masculine mindset emphasizing her intelligence in a male-driven society. Credit should be given to her intelligence here because she realizes men usually have power and control things in her society and she thinks she has to be "unsexed" to lose the women traits of the incapacity of holding