Gender Roles In Macbeth

Does being a man require you to be prideful angry, and dominant? In the play Macbeth, there are numerous ways Shakespeare shows how these traits affect the actions of people. Shakespeare demonstrates consistently throughout the play that gender roles can manipulate how people define themselves and others. Throughout the play, the expected roles can be demonstrated through pride amongst men.
Pride is one of the things that men have always strived for and everyone knows this about men. Lady Macbeth knew this too, and she planned to use this to her advantage. She uses this knowledge when pressuring Macbeth on how to proceed with the prophecy, calling him a coward to try and convince him to do what she wants. By doing this she knows she will get Macbeth to prove her that he is prideful, thus getting what she wants. “Wouldst thou have that which esteem’st the ornament of life, and live a coward in thine own esteem”(Act I.vii.44-48). This quote shows how Lady Macbeth shames Macbeth, calling him a coward for not wanting to kill the king and fulfill his prophecy. This shows how Lady Macbeth is accusing Macbeth of not being manly enough, proving that gender roles are prevalent in this play.
Although Lady Macbeth was able to convince Macbeth to murder Duncan by shaming him, Macbeth had power over Lady Macbeth …show more content…
Men are supposed to be shown as ruthless beasts who have no feelings. This gender role is consistent throughout history and is one of the largest gender roles men are constricted to. This is confirmed when Macduff finds his family is dead and becomes angry while Malcolm is amping him up. “Dispute it like a man!”(IV.iii.260). This represents when Malcolm is trying to stir the anger in Macduff, to take his anger out by killing Macbeth. Being ruthless has always been a manly feature in history and continuously is in the play. This issues the role that men have to be ruthless and cannot result in