Macbeth Gender Roles

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Although gender roles have changed over time and males and females have become more equal, certain labels of men and women still exist. In William Shakespeare's tragedy “Macbeth“, Shakespeare explores and challenges the ideas of traditional gender roles, regarding leadership, power and masculinity. In the play Lady Macbeth and the witches show a dominant role in the play by unleashing their capabilities to manipulate and toy with men to achieve their objectives. However, the characters of Macbeth and Macduff are seen to portray a very weak and feminine role while Lady Macbeth and the witches are playing the more masculine role.
Lady Macbeth desires to become more masculine. In the play Lady Macbeth portrays herself as being more masculine than Macbeth by continuously mocking him about his masculinity. She feels that unless she takes the masculine role they will not be able to carry on with the murder. She continuously questions his masculinity to motivate him into doing what she wants.
Art thou afeard/ To be the same in thin e own act and valour/
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?/(1.7.39-44).
Lady Macbeth ridicules Macbeth, asking him if he is afraid. She is using mind games hoping that Macbeth will change his mind and follow through with the murdering of King Duncan. By taking control and mocking Macbeth she portrays herself to be more masculine than Macbeth. Lady Macbeth also feels that due to her being a woman she does not possess the masculine qualities needed to carry on with the murder. She th...

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Macduff talks to himself and explains to himself that he needs to set aside what has happened and needs to move on. He knows that sitting there and crying would not help him, more over by doing that it would just leave an impression of a coward in people’s eyes. However, he still struggle with it and some emotions do come out. When Macduff did end up break out he was pressured by Malcolm in embarrassment to take it like a man.
When Ross announces to Macduff that his family has been exterminated, Malcolm is taken back by Macduff’s complete silence. Yet, when Macduff’s emotions do come out, Malcolm counsels in embarrassment, “Dispute it like a man.”
Macduff has a lot of pressure on him; his emotions are getting the best of him. Macduff is having a very hard type following the expectations of the stereotypes of society.

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