Gender Roles of Men and Women in Literature

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The next selection of early literature that portrays the down play of women's rights and respect is "MacBeth". In this tale it begins with three witches giving MacBeth his prophecies by saying he is going to be the Thane of Glamis, Cawdor, and he will become the King. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth both know that he doesn’t have many choices to have power soon enough. Macbeth can either wait until the next heir to throne dies, but that is simply too long of a wait for him. Another option is to kill the King, which is the quickest option. Also this is the option that the selfish Lady Macbeth adores and favors. Throughout the poem these three witches have a significant role and don't lose it. This is an example of a women's role or lack thereof is within Lady MacBeth. She begins the play with MacBeth giving her all the inside information and asking her for advise in confusion of how he is going to become the King and the Thane of Cawdor " Glamis thou art Cawdor; and shalt be/ what thou art promised: yet do I fear thy nature"(16-17). As soon as things get stirred up MacBeth starts to question the task at hand (Act 1, scene 7 ln. 40-43) "Such thy account I love. Art thou afeard/ To be the same in thine own act and valor/ As thou art in desire." He also turns on his second wife, stripping the respect, input, and dignity completely from her. He begins to blame his problems and actions on due to the guilt that he feels from going through with the assassination of King Duncan. The bond that Macbeth and Lady Macbeth have is stronger and intimate before any talk about being a king came to be. Macbeth was indeed scared before and after, but Lady Macbeth, who can be described as heartless, had no remorse for the King or Macbeth’s feelings. Glamis t...

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...iety. As a result, women were gradually trying to make a name for themselves and move up in status in the Victorian Era. Gender behavior is very significant during this era and specifically in these works of literature that were previously discussed. The roles of men and women were very straightforward and easy to understand coming from outside looking in or being in the era itself. Your duty as a man was to support, provide, create generations, make money, politics and so on. As women, you were responsible for cleaning, cooking, birthing, aiding and much more housework. Women are much more powerful and important today than they were during the time that these poems were written, but a lot of these stereotypes are still being pressed on young girls. Women have evolved very much, in literature and society but unfortunately, they are still not seen as equal to a man.

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