Gender’s ___ in Macbeth
In Macbeth, William Shakespeare challenges the traditional definitions of genders as two polarized ends of masculinity and femininity. Although Macbeth commits heinous acts to achieve his goal of taking the throne and appears masculine, his mind is in fact tormented by his inner femininity. Similarly, Lady Macbeth’s mental wellbeing is threatened as she shifts chooses to become a masculine figure with unbridled violent thoughts. By assigning Macbeth and Lady Macbeth conflicting gender roles, Shakespeare suggests divergence from gender expectations can cause tremendous distress.
Macbeth’s indecision and submission to fear reveals his femininity, an attribute he represses so much that harms his mental stability. After …show more content…
Shakespeare conveys the expected behaviors for a man through Lady Macbeth’s speech. The stereotypical masculinity is upheld by courage, reservation of emotion, and confidence. Perceiving Macbeth’s cowardice and breakage of his promise as a sign of femininity, Lady Macbeth devalues Macbeth to a “beast”, something not even a human being. She then tells Macbeth that, in order to defend his masculinity, he should be more daring and continue to carry out the act. Lady Macbeth’s reproach shackles Macbeth’s behavior with her expectations for a man and oppresses any expression of his inner femininity, putting him under great mental pressure. Compelled by Lady Macbeth, Macbeth proceeds towards Duncan’s room and sees the illusion of a dagger: “A dagger of the mind, a false creation/ Proceeding from the heat-oppressèd brain?” (act 2. 1). Macbeth’s hallucination of the dagger is a …show more content…
She wishes to diverge from her gender expectations by attempting to “thicken” her blood, meaning being stolid to emotions, and suppressing “remorse”, which she considers a womanly feeling. As much masculine as she would like to be, the fact that she needs to solicit the imaginary ghost for masculinity proves her true mind is feminine. After the murder of King Duncan, Lady Macbeth reveals her misgivings: “‘Tis safer to be that which we destroy/ Than by destruction dwell in doubtful joy” (3.2). Lady Macbeth starts to shed her masculine cloak as she discloses her anxiety. She confesses that she now would rather be the victim of the murder so as to avoid suspicion and the accompanied apprehension, implying her inner self is more passive and feminine than she assumes to be. Her great fear and remorse is a result of her decision to play masculine which in turn motivates her to take part in the cruel assassination of Duncan. Also, since she reveals this feeling only when Macbeth is not around, she is bearing all her remorse and anxiety to herself, which further overburdens her mental wellbeing. Later in the play, Lady Macbeth sleepwalks and bewails over the bloodstain left from the murder: “Here’s the smell of the blood still. All the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand” (5.1). The blood on Lady Macbeth’s
In Macbeth, William Shakespeare challenges the traditional definitions of genders as two polarized ends of masculinity and femininity. Although Macbeth commits heinous acts to achieve his goal of taking the throne and appears masculine, his mind is in fact tormented by his inner femininity. Similarly, Lady Macbeth’s mental wellbeing is threatened as she shifts chooses to become a masculine figure with unbridled violent thoughts. By assigning Macbeth and Lady Macbeth conflicting gender roles, Shakespeare suggests divergence from gender expectations can cause tremendous distress.
Macbeth’s indecision and submission to fear reveals his femininity, an attribute he represses so much that harms his mental stability. After …show more content…
Shakespeare conveys the expected behaviors for a man through Lady Macbeth’s speech. The stereotypical masculinity is upheld by courage, reservation of emotion, and confidence. Perceiving Macbeth’s cowardice and breakage of his promise as a sign of femininity, Lady Macbeth devalues Macbeth to a “beast”, something not even a human being. She then tells Macbeth that, in order to defend his masculinity, he should be more daring and continue to carry out the act. Lady Macbeth’s reproach shackles Macbeth’s behavior with her expectations for a man and oppresses any expression of his inner femininity, putting him under great mental pressure. Compelled by Lady Macbeth, Macbeth proceeds towards Duncan’s room and sees the illusion of a dagger: “A dagger of the mind, a false creation/ Proceeding from the heat-oppressèd brain?” (act 2. 1). Macbeth’s hallucination of the dagger is a …show more content…
She wishes to diverge from her gender expectations by attempting to “thicken” her blood, meaning being stolid to emotions, and suppressing “remorse”, which she considers a womanly feeling. As much masculine as she would like to be, the fact that she needs to solicit the imaginary ghost for masculinity proves her true mind is feminine. After the murder of King Duncan, Lady Macbeth reveals her misgivings: “‘Tis safer to be that which we destroy/ Than by destruction dwell in doubtful joy” (3.2). Lady Macbeth starts to shed her masculine cloak as she discloses her anxiety. She confesses that she now would rather be the victim of the murder so as to avoid suspicion and the accompanied apprehension, implying her inner self is more passive and feminine than she assumes to be. Her great fear and remorse is a result of her decision to play masculine which in turn motivates her to take part in the cruel assassination of Duncan. Also, since she reveals this feeling only when Macbeth is not around, she is bearing all her remorse and anxiety to herself, which further overburdens her mental wellbeing. Later in the play, Lady Macbeth sleepwalks and bewails over the bloodstain left from the murder: “Here’s the smell of the blood still. All the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand” (5.1). The blood on Lady Macbeth’s