Shakespeare's Portrayal of Women and Sovereign Issues in Macbeth

1497 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Characterisation in macbeth

“Almost without exception, people feel constrained to play roles in accordance with what they believe to be the expectations of others” (Asp). During odd or unnatural events, these stereotypical expectations can be overshadowed and conquered by the intense desire for power or wealth. In William Shakespeare’s Macbeth, Shakespeare alters the physical attributes associated with specific genders in order to illustrate the progression of a character’s actions and thoughts.

Throughout history, stereotypical profiles of what a man or woman should be have determined how they are perceived by others. Men dominate their marriage, prove themselves courageous in the line of battle, do whatever they need to do in order to achieve their goals, and are “expected to engage in public affairs (as soldiers, politicians, leaders), to be talkers, make decisions, move events forward” (Gerlach); women should have “obedience, silence, … piety, humility, constancy, and patience” (Gerlach) and be supportive of their husband’s decisions because women “lack those qualities that would fit them for a warrior society” (Asp).

The play opens depicting three witches. As the story progresses, the witches tell supernatural prophesies that influence the other characters. The gender of these witches remains hazy because they exhibit both female and male qualities; they are “[figures] to whom sexual stereotypes are simply not applicable” (Asp). The gender questions confuse Macbeth and Banquo when they first meet the witches; “You should be women, and yet, your beards forbid me to interpret that you are so.” (I iii 45).

These three Wyrd sisters are male in the fact that they deal with masculine situations, such as murder, evil, and positions of power, yet their p...

... middle of paper ...

...eca Daniel. "Revisiting Shakespeare and

Gender." Ed. Patricia Kelley. Virginia Tech Digital Library and Archives.

N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Feb. 2014. old-WILLA/fall96/gerlach>. The Historical Context of Macbeth." EXPLORING Shakespeare. Detroit: Gale, 2003. Student Resources in Context. Web. 18 Feb. 2014."Overview of Macbeth." EXPLORING Shakespeare. Detroit: Gale, 2003. Student Resources in Context. Web. 27 Feb. 2014.

Kermode, Frank. Shakespeare's Language. New York: Penguin Group, 2000. Print.

Samuel, Deborah. "Macbeth and Issues of Gender." Yale National Initiative. N.p.,

n.d. Web. 27 Feb. 2014. initiative_07.01.03_u>. Shakespeare, William. "MacBeth." Athena Edition. Austin: Holt, Rinehart, and

Winston, 1996. 179-249. Print

Show More
Related

  • Lady Macduff Gender Quotes

    553 Words  | 2 Pages

    Gender fluidity can be especially seen with the characters Macbeth, Lady Macbeth and Macduff. Shakespeare proves that the point that gender is a fluid social construct within society. It can be seen with in current time today, people go in and out of gender roles by portraying the opposite or their traditional gender roles when they want or people dress in another gender which is opposite what was assigned to them at birth. Shakespeare destroys the preconceived notions about concrete ideas about gender by making the characters of the play, Macbeth, go in and out of them so easily. Shakespeare proves that gender is a fluid social

    Read More

  • Quotes About Gender Roles In Macbeth

    1188 Words  | 3 Pages

    4. Theme - Gender Roles Throughout this play, many characters equate cruelty and violence with masculinity; Lady Macbeth questions her husband’s masculinity in order to manipulate him to help her achieve her ambitions--goals that she cannot have as a woman. In an attempt to manipulate and convince Macbeth to follow through with Duncan’s murder, she mocks his worries, asking him “Hath it slept since? /

    Read More

  • Femininity In Macbeth

    1001 Words  | 3 Pages

    Lady Macbeth is the wife of Macbeth from the tragic play by William Shakespeare. Macbeth is estimated to have been played for the first time in 1606. Lady Macbeth is one of the few and only woman we hear from in the play, except for the recurring weird sisters and a few comments from Lady Macduff. Being the female who draws the most attention to herself, Lady Macbeth would not only be a fascinating role to play, but she is an interesting character to analyse as well. Considering the typical stereotype of a woman and how she should portray femininity, Lady Macbeth would not be the most feminine of her kind. In the time period of Macbeth, a woman was the weaker sex, physically and emotionally, and it would be their significant other or father

    Read More

  • Masculinity In Macbeth Essay

    783 Words  | 2 Pages

    A prominent theme in William Shakespeare’s novel Macbeth is the idea of universal masculinity. Throughout the play, Shakespeare utilizes male gender stereotypes to present conflicting views on the definition of manhood. Macbeth tells the reader about a man who allows both societal pressures inflicted upon him by his wife and his intense ambition to drag Macbeth into a spiral of committing obscene acts of violence. Characters often associate being a man with courage, cruelty and power. This pervading caricature of a “man” is evident to the reader throughout the play. Lady Macbeth, for instance, goads Macbeth about his masculinity to the point of murder. Additionally, Malcolm and Macduff’s rigid discussion on revenge reveals a defined notion of “true” masculinity. Perhaps the culmination of rigid gender stereotypes is evident in Macbeth's pondering of the legitimacy of the hired murderers' manhood. Clearly, Shakespeare upholds male gender stereotypes throughout Macbeth.

    Read More

  • Gender Roles In Macbeth

    1759 Words  | 4 Pages

    After Macbeth discovers the Witches’ prophecy, he tells his wife, Lady Macbeth, about it. She reacts differently than one would expect a woman to do. She begins to mock Macbeth and ridicule his masculinity. By the conveyance of her speech, Lady Macbeth emphasizes that she is in charge and that Macbeth needs to follow her in order to achieve anything, as she states, “Yet do I fear thy nature;/ It is too full o’ th’ milk of human kindness/To catch nearest way” (1.5.16-18). Shakespeare employs the rhetorical device of a metaphor to describe Lady Macbeth’s view on Macbeth’s personality.

    Read More

  • Corruption of Unchecked Ambition in Shakespeare's Macbeth

    1294 Words  | 3 Pages

    Characters in Macbeth frequently dwell on issues of gender. Lady Macbeth manipulates her husband by questioning his manhood, wishes that she herself could be ?unsexed,? and does not contradict Macbeth when he says that a woman like her should give birth only to boys. In the same manner that Lady Macbeth goads her husband on to murder, Mac...

    Read More

  • Macbeth - Downfall Of Lady Macbeth

    1029 Words  | 3 Pages

    We see how a vigorous Lady Macbeth; initially in association with the witches’ predictions, at-tempts to mirror their disturbance of gender in psychological terms by desiring to "unsex" herself in order to carry out such a powerful action [murder], otherwise, being impossible for a woman to carry out (no offence or sexism is intended when I state this).

    Read More

  • Figurative Language In Macbeth

    968 Words  | 2 Pages

    The quintessential tragedy, Shakespeare’s Macbeth provokes many emotions in the implied reader through its universal themes and other narrative devices. In essence, the play serves as a warning against the corrupting power of unchecked ambition, which is most evident in the ascension of the “villain”, Macbeth to the throne. Though, at times in the play the protagonist is painted as a hero, his actions encourage the reader to despise his path. Yet, empathy for his plight is also evoked as insight is provided as to the multifaceted nature of this tragic hero. Likewise, Lady Macbeth, whilst depicted simultaneously as a loyal wife, and an evil temptress, is clearly a narrative construct developed to warn the Jacobean audience about the dangers associated with inverting gender roles in order to acquire power. This warning is subsequently paralleled with the portrayal of the witches as unnatural characters and bearded women. Thus, this engrossing tragedy captures the audience whilst propagating the dominant Jacobean ideologies regarding

    Read More

  • powmac Macbeth’s Obsession with Power

    995 Words  | 2 Pages

    Wills, Gary. "The Historical Context of Macbeth." Readings on Macbeth. Ed.  Clarice Swisher. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, Inc., 1999. 30-37.

    Read More

  • Gender Roles- Macbeth and Lady Macbeth

    1312 Words  | 3 Pages

    In the old Shakespeare play Macbeth, women wear the pants, while the men wear the dresses, this is the theme throughout the play. It focuses on the marriage of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth takes the lead role, while she convinces her husband to kill Duncan. Shakespeare play concerning gender roles, shows the untraditional marriage in Scotland; what one sees is not what one gets. It also show how one starts is not how they end. The story of Macbeth shows power and betrayal. It shows power because it shows how one can take charge and get it done. It shows betrayal because he kill Duncan just to get the crown.

    Read More

  • Agamemnon and Gender Roles

    800 Words  | 2 Pages

    Throughout the years, history has tried to examine how gender roles have changed over time and views of how women should be have changed. However there are many examples of current stereotypes of women that linger in today's society.

    Read More

  • Challenged Gender Roles in Shakespeare´s Macbeth

    725 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Elizabethan era was a time that had very strict expectations of what it means to be a man or a woman. However, these expectations are not followed in Macbeth. In Macbeth, Shakespeare investigates and challenges the common gender roles of the time. Through defying the natural gender roles, he shows how people can accomplish their goals. He challenges the stereotypical Elizabethan woman through Lady Macbeth and the Weïrd Sisters, and he investigates how the stereotypes for men are used for manipulation.

    Read More

  • Gender And Power In Macbeth Essay

    1355 Words  | 3 Pages

    Gender is evidently out of its traditional order within the play, and thus the three chosen exemplar characters to showcase this are Lady Macbeth, the Witches, and Macbeth. In saying this, Lady Macbeth is a clear example of how the traditional characteristics of a woman are non-existent as they are taken over by masculinity and strength. The witches challenge their womanhood due to the power they hold and attributes they have, all while Macbeth challenges his gender as he shows femininity through weakness and fretfulness.

    Read More

  • The Power of a Woman in MacBeth by Shakespeare

    1175 Words  | 3 Pages

    In the play, Macbeth, the power of a woman is a strong force to be reckoned with. Many times in the play, the female characters have proven their equality with any man. From the witches to Lady Macbeth, these characters show their power either in words or in actions. The women, in the play Macbeth, contradict the roles set by society in 1606. Women who over stepped their boundaries were considered a threat to the people and were punished severely. It was shocking to the public to see such masculine female characters in Macbeth.

    Read More

  • Historical Context for Shakespeare's Plays

    1028 Words  | 3 Pages

    http://www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/romeojuliet/context.html. Thomson Gale. The Historical Context of Macbeth. The Historical Context of Macbeth." February 2007.

    Read More

More about Shakespeare's Portrayal of Women and Sovereign Issues in Macbeth

Open Document