Manbeth Macbeth, a play by William Shakespeare, deals with a byronic hero’s violent attempts to gain control of his fate and his struggle with the weight and repercussions of those actions. Although a prophecy from a set of witches provides milestones of the play, it also serves as a catalyst for Macbeth’s slew of murders and quest for power. While fate and madness are large themes in this play, the question of manliness and attempt to seize it serves not only as many character’s mortal flaw, but is treated as a psychological weapon to manipulate characters into action when questioned. This alteration of manliness affects not only the villainous Lady Macbeth, Macbeth, and the murderers that Macbeth employs, but even the supposed hero MacDuff.
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After abandoning his family in attempts to save his beloved country of Scotland by convincing Malcolm to return and fight for his throne, MacDuff is informed that his family has been slaughtered by MacDuff. While the question of the abandonment of his family versus dedication to country is related to the theme of manliness and contemporary definitions, those are overlooked as Malcolm’s attempts to rally MacDuff into a fighting state. Obviously breaking down over the news of the deaths of his wife, son, and household, Malcom is quick to tell MacDuff to “dispute it like a man”(IV.iii.219). Similar to the current phrase of “act like a man”, Malcom seeks to stifle this apparent “feminine” emotion of sadness and grief. Finally adding depth to a reply and in turn, the works treatment of manhood, MacDuff cries out “I shall do so. / But I must also feel it as a man”(IV.iii.221,222). Instead of the mere reactions of opposition, which only solidified action for other victims of the works manliness, MacDuff manages to eloquently address his manhood as a dimensional characteristic that spans across multiple fronts. Connecting more than just anger, cruelty, and revenge to his manhood, his ability to recognize that his mettle is human and in turn allows emotion is truly manly. Arguably the closest recognition of manliness as defined today, MacDuffs ability to both feel rage and sadness let manhood finally become more than just the weapon it had been used
After abandoning his family in attempts to save his beloved country of Scotland by convincing Malcolm to return and fight for his throne, MacDuff is informed that his family has been slaughtered by MacDuff. While the question of the abandonment of his family versus dedication to country is related to the theme of manliness and contemporary definitions, those are overlooked as Malcolm’s attempts to rally MacDuff into a fighting state. Obviously breaking down over the news of the deaths of his wife, son, and household, Malcom is quick to tell MacDuff to “dispute it like a man”(IV.iii.219). Similar to the current phrase of “act like a man”, Malcom seeks to stifle this apparent “feminine” emotion of sadness and grief. Finally adding depth to a reply and in turn, the works treatment of manhood, MacDuff cries out “I shall do so. / But I must also feel it as a man”(IV.iii.221,222). Instead of the mere reactions of opposition, which only solidified action for other victims of the works manliness, MacDuff manages to eloquently address his manhood as a dimensional characteristic that spans across multiple fronts. Connecting more than just anger, cruelty, and revenge to his manhood, his ability to recognize that his mettle is human and in turn allows emotion is truly manly. Arguably the closest recognition of manliness as defined today, MacDuffs ability to both feel rage and sadness let manhood finally become more than just the weapon it had been used