Macbeth Feminist Lens Essay

In Macbeth, gender roles are held in high regard by the characters and the society in which the characters live. The strict gender roles upheld by society influence the character’s actions throughout the play, becoming a driving factor for the plot of the play. Macbeth's insecurity in his masculinity drives him to be easily manipulated by Lady Macbeth, and her cruelty and ambition are compared to masculinity. Lady Macbeth's desire to escape from the confines of her femininity is driven by the rigidity of the gender roles of her time, which she felt limited her possibility for power. Overall, gender plays an essential role in Macbeth as the struggles the characters face with the constraints of the gender roles of the time guide many of the character's actions and decisions throughout the play.

In the play Macbeth, the author shows how gender roles can be demonstrated by the opposite gender through Lady Macbeth. In the beginning of the play when Macbeth begins to have doubts about killing King Duncan, Lady Macbeth reminds him of his statement that he would murder King Duncan to become king himself.

Lady Macbeth repeatedly uses Macbeth's insecurities regarding his manhood to influence him to kill King Duncan. She states “Unsex me here” (Shakespeare, 1.4), and subsequently, how she wishes to swap her milk for “gal”, so she can be a man so and kill King Duncan herself. This statement emanates the idea that murder is a man’s job, meaning that if Macbeth does not go through with the murder he has surrendered his manhood. Macbeth exercises the societal standard of masculinity as a reoccurring theme which expedites Macbeth to kill the king. Ultimately, Lady Macbeth takes advantage of this theme of Macbeth’s need to prove his manhood, and influences his characters plot.

Some consider Lady Macbeth to be the catalyst of the tragic events in the play, advocating that Macbeth would have never gone through with the murder if it weren’t for her persistent persuasion. This evil manipulation is present in the quote “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” (Act 1, Scene 7). Lady Macbeth insults her husband’s masculinity with the intent of inciting the violence necessary to fulfill her vicious ambitions. In addition to her manipulations, Lady Macbeth makes her desires clear when she calls out for evil spirits to ‘unsex me here’, which ultimately makes her capable both mentally and physically, to commit the fierce murder that soon follows. This is observed in the quote “Come you spirits/

In William Shakespeare’s play Macbeth, Shakespeare uses Lady Macbeth’s character to explore traditional gender roles and the corrupting nature of power. Lady Macbeth is a strong, ambitious woman who isn't hesitant to encourage her husband to kill to accomplish the goal of gaining power. Lady Macbeth goes against the social norms and adjusts to more of a male persona. As the play goes on, it becomes clear that Lady Macbeth’s desire for power ultimately kills her since it drives her mad and consumed with remorse. In the play Macbeth, Lady Macbeth’s character can be described as violent and aggressive, which challenges traditional gender roles and highlights the corrupting nature of power.

Gender Roles in Macbeth The characters of William Shakespeare’s Macbeth deviate from accepted gender roles of the Elizabethan era. Throughout the play, social constructs of expected masculine and feminine roles are defied by both major and minor characters. Throughout Macbeth, Shakespeare explores and challenges stereotypical gender roles through female characters exhibiting masculine behaviours, introducing non-traditional relationships, and portraying examples of sexism. Shakespeare illustrates a world where traditional gender roles are broken.

Violence in Shakespeare’s plays is then typically examined through a lens that further supports the notions of patriarchal dominion against women.” (Reyes & Kenny). This is a perfect example of why Lady Macbeth did this. She desired power, just like her husband, but in a male-dominated society, it’s difficult to do so, so she takes masculine qualities and uses violence to achieve this. A way she does this is by encouraging her husband to achieve their goals by any means necessary, killing King Duncan and Banquo.

Williams Shakespeare's play Macbeth explores issues of gender roles and the supernatural, using aspects of guilt, manipulation, and ambition to help the audience gain a better knowledge of human emotions. Lady Macbeth's influence and the three witches' prophecies shape Macbeth's climb to power. Historically women have been portrayed as the weaker sex, less intelligent, and easily conquered by emotions. Shakespeare plays with gender roles by giving male and female characters characteristics that violate standard gender presumptions.

The society of the historical period in which Macbeth was set was dominated by sexist ideology; women were not seen as equals and could be accused of witchcraft without reason. There were many male and female stereotypes that were popular perceptions of what each gender should be, creating rigid gender roles. In the play, Lady Macbeth takes on many stereotypically masculine characteristics and her dominant power has led to the interpretation that she was responsible for the horrible events of Macbeth. However, Lady Macbeth’s strong actions, despite their bold defiance of gender roles, did not lead to the tragedies of the play, but rather were a result of societal pressure, and after events spiraled out of control, ended in guilt. The real cause

The Portrayal of Gender Roles in Macbeth Shakespeare’s Macbeth follows the story of Macbeth and his wife as they take fate into their own hands, murder the king of Scotland, and put themselves one step closer to being royals. Lady Macbeth is a fascinating and complex character that undergoes many changes and development throughout the play. Lady Macbeth’s actions both challenge and reinforce the perception of traditional gender roles, but defying these roles is ultimately urged against.

In his play, Macbeth, Shakespeare uses the ambitious construct of Lady Macbeth to portray his critical perception of the patriarchal Jacobean society. Consequently, Macbeth’s death is not displayed onstage reflecting gender inequality and the dangerous repercussions of disallowing women to obtain power. The persecution of Lady Macbeth fuels her desire to garner power, ultimately resulting in her manipulating and emasculating her husband to commit regicide. Sexism and the marginalisation of women causes Macbeth to call upon evil spirits to ‘Unsex me here’. ‘Unsex’ implies that Macbeth is aware of the societal disadvantage of being a woman and desires to be stripped of her feminine characteristics allowing her to become more powerful.

However, Lady Macbeth was power hungry to be queen, so she wanted Macbeth to kill Duncan in order to satisfy her wish. In an effort to change Macbeth’s mind, Lady Macbeth calls Macbeth, “a coward in thine own esteem (41, 47),” because Macbeth supposedly wants to kill Duncan, but he says he can’t do it, making him a man who is afraid to commit murder. Lady Macbeth also insults Macbeth by stating, “when you durst do it, then you were a man (43, 56)”. In this quote, Lady Macbeth questions Macbeth ’s manliness by saying that he will never be a true man unless he kills.

Gender roles have impacted the lives of men and women for centuries. In William Shakespeare’s Macbeth, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth attempt to defy societal expectations, but eventually they both succumb to the traditional gender roles assigned to them. The witches are the only ones who never conform to societal standards and are free to act without consequences. Although Shakespeare initially questions the traditional gender roles of his time, it is evident that only the witches, who are gender neutral, are truly free to ignore societal expectations, as Macbeth and Lady Macbeth's attempt to do so leads to their ultimate demise.

Gender’s role in Macbeth In act I of Shakespeare’s Macbeth, some characters allude to their commentaries on the natures of men and women. As she dreams of the throne and contemplates the steps towards her ambitions, Lady Macbeth says, “Come, you spirits that tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here, and fill me from from crown to the toe top-full of direst cruelty…come to my woman’s breasts and take my milk for gall… ”(1.5, 47-55).

Gender Roles- an exploration of femininity and masculinity in Shakespeare’s Macbeth Written by William Shakespeare in the 17th century, Macbeth tells the tale of a power-hungry soldiers rise to the throne, while exploring various themes including concepts of masculinity and femininity, drawing a particular emphasis to the dichotomy between the two. In Macbeth, Shakespeare explores the bounds of these gender roles, and challenges their limits. By juxtaposing characters who step outside of the roles prescribed by their genders, such as Lady Macbeth, with characters who stay within their roles, such as Lady Macduff, Shakespeare conveys a disapproving message regarding individuals who defy their gender roles. Several unique female characters