Macbeth Manhood Quotes

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In this Shakespearean tragedy, the key character, Macbeth, undergoes numerous vicissitudes throughout the play, though the most significant is his evolution of manhood. In the opening of the play, Macbeth is depicted as a valiant and honorable “man”. After a violent and ferocious battle with Norway, three witches provide Macbeth with his forthcoming, bestowing that he will be King of Scotland. Macbeth shortly realizes that he might need to murder Duncan to fulfill his fate; however, his feelings on Manhood preclude him until Lady Macbeth assesses his decision. When Macbeth takes on Lady Macbeth’s definition of manhood, he loses his honor and she loses her sanity. Macbeth begins the play with a strong grip on his principle of manhood: displaying …show more content…

However, his actions and opinions are distorted due to his wife’s insight of what it takes to be a man. After the battle with Norway, the Captain explains to Duncan that “Brave Macbeth- well he deserves that name” (1.2.16), is scorning affluence on the battlefield. The captain continues with Macbeth’s courageousness and willpower and that he slew the trader McDonald, turning the war in favor of Scotland. Not only is Macbeth thought of as the protagonist during this act of the play by the readers, but also by the additional characters. He has a practical view on manhood and distinguishes what it takes to be considered a man. His thoughts become grotesque as he thinks about murdering Duncan due to the witches’ prophecies. His wife, Lady Macbeth encourages him to murder the king: “When you durst do it, then you are a man. And to be more than you were, you would be so much more the man” (1.7.48-50). Lady Macbeth creates an impractical picture of manhood because she isn’t a man herself. She begins criticizing her husband because he refuses to kill Duncan. She explains that he was more of man when he ventured to commit murder. She also supposes that to be a man, one must be a cold-hearted killer,

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