Ms. Morris
English 12-6th period
12 December 2016
Gender Roles of Macbeth
Greed and impatience can drive someone to the bottom of the ocean. Shakespeare’s characters in his writes show how far someone will go to get what they want. In the play Macbeth, Lady Macbeth the wife of Macbeth, was one of those characters. She was so motivated to get what she wanted she set up King Duncan’s Death. Lady Macbeth is an atypical woman because she is manipulative, masculine, and mentally ill.
Lady Macbeth manipulated Macbeth to kill King Duncan, resulting in her husband’s breakdown. “In his attempt to better himself, and he is helped by Macbeth” (Prisoner of Gender par.8). She put the idea in Macbeth’s mind that if he kills King Duncan he will be king. She made it seem like it would make her husband a better man if he were the king. “And to be more than what you were, you would be so much of a man” (Macbeth 338). Trying to get Macbeth to kill King Duncan she tested his manhood and pressuring him by saying he's not a man. “Who shall bear the guilt of our great quell” (Macbeth 339). Lady Macbeth keeps pressuring him …show more content…
“Gentle my lord, sleek o’er your rugged looks” (Macbeth 365). Macbeth began to breakdown from all the guilt he felt for the murder he had committed. Lady Macbeth then calmed him down and stayed calm herself in the very hectic situation. “As we shall make our griefs and clamor roar upon his death?” (Macbeth 339). Lady Macbeth planned out the murder and explained it thoroughly to Macbeth, taking control and responsibility for the whole plan. “effective rhetorical manipulation of her husband to "be a man" and take action” (Catherine par.2). Lady Macbeth told Macbeth to be a man and do what needs to be done so he can be king, Lady Macbeth would do whatever it takes to be queen. She also questioned his manhood by saying he would be a better man, saying he is weak and was not a man