Macbeth Essay

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Shakespeare wrote timeless literature pieces, set in the Elizabethan era. His stories relate to conventional views of Renaissance culture while maintaining a realistic, morphable view concerning issues, such as gender roles. By questioning and challenging Elizabethan hierarchy, stories such as Macbeth posed a threat to stereotypes and ideology while respecting values. Shakespeare's tragedy, Macbeth, explores femininity, gender stereotypes, and allusions to Greek mythology to investigate relativity between cruel behavior and masculinity. (NEED ONE SENTENCE) Ideal Elizabethan women portrayed a simple beauty with gentle, empathetic, tender, caring, and sensitive qualities. When Banquo encounters the Three Sisters he addresses them as women “and yet your beards forbid me to interpret that you are so.” They control fate, sustain full independence, being pictured as outcasts in the play’s starting stasis. Lady Macbeth shows prominent contrast to ideal assets. Her debut features an aside questioning Macbeth’s abilities to fulfill prophecy, and takes charge of the situation herself: “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.” Soliloquies reveal a spirit of independence and an unsubmissive nature; she calls upon spirits to silence her sensitivity and remove her tender nature: “That no compunctious visiting’s of nature shake my fell purpose…” Lady MacDuff embodies the one female character portrayed as an ideal Elizabethan woman, submissive to her husband and caring towards their children. Exchanges between Lady MacDuff and her son illustrate a strong woman capable of living life and working through issues, without the need of cruelty. Renaissance men aspire... ... middle of paper ... ... However, this allusion proves ironic as Hecate, guardian, led to Lady Macbeth’s mental demise. “This disease is beyond my practice. Yet I have known those which have walked in their sleep who have died holily in their beds.” Shakespeare’s relatable literature questions Elizabethan hierarchy and morals while respecting society’s parameters. Macbeth exhibits a prime example exploring social issues such as relativity between cruel behavior and masculinity. Protagonists Macbeth and Lady Macbeth conflict with idealology acceptable for Renaissance noble families. By exploring femininity, gender stereotypes, and allusions to Greek mythology, Shakespeare investigates relativity between cruel behavior and masculinity. Macbeth stands as a tragedy through the ages to question stereotypes and how they affect lives in Elizabethan England, and today. Works Cited Macbeth

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