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Masculinity in Shakespeare's Macbeth

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Masculinity

Masculinity - macbeth.

At the beginning of the play, Macbeth is viewed as an honourable and masculine character. He starts to be viewed as evil when he goes against the idea of the honourable man and lets women control him.

Start - masculine

• Macbeth behaves like a fearless warrior at the start of the play. The Captain tells King Duncan about his bravery in battle.
• Macbeth acts how people expected men to act at the time. They expected men to behave with honour, which meant fighting for their king. It was their duty.
• Men were also supposed to be fearless.

Goes against the idea of an honourable man

• He lies to Banquo (his best friend), which is dishonourable.
• He brings his friend and leader (King Duncan) into his home and then kills him.
• He also goes against fighting rules when he kills Duncan. He waits for the king to fall asleep and kills him whilst he is defenceless. This also goes against honour because Duncan trusted Macbeth to keep him safe whilst he was a guest in his home, but Macbeth goes against this.

Controlled by women

• Macbeth also shows his lack of traditional masculinity when he allows women to control and manipulate him.
• The witches tell him he will be king, so he starts to plot against King Duncan.
• Lady Macbeth tells him he will be a coward and a weak man if he does not kill the king, and so he kills King Duncan.

Threatened by events

• The witches control and manipulate him – helps to cause his downfall.
• Lady Macbeth controls and manipulates him – encourages him to murder King Duncan, which helps to cause his downfall.
• He has visions of ghosts (Banquo) – shows his people that he is mentally unstable.
• His increasing mental instability (apparently feminine trait) causes him to murder more and more people – helps to cause his downfall.

Masculinity - Lady Macbeth

Lady Macbeth is a woman with masculine traits who wants to have her femininity removed. She attacks Macbeth's masculinity at various points in the play.

Wants to be more masculine

• Lady Macbeth wishes that she could be more masculine. She wants to be masculine to have the qualities that people thought belonged to men.
• These included strength, courage and ruthlessness: ‘Come you spirits / That tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here / And fill me from the crown to the toe topfull / Of direst cruelty’ (1,5).
• She uses many imperative (ordering) verbs here to show she is in command.
• She orders the spirits to ‘unsex’ her because she wants to be less feminine. She wants to be cruel and feel no remorse (regret).

Attacks Macbeth's masculinity

• Lady Macbeth attacks Macbeth’s masculinity when he shows doubts about going through with the murder in Act 1, Scene 7.
• She calls him a coward, saying he is ‘pale and green’ . She asks him if he would rather live in fear than take action for the things he wants: ‘Art thou afeared / To be the same in thine own act and valour, / As thou art in desire?’
• By questioning his bravery, she suggests that he is weak. Men were supposed to be strong. She shames him by seeming stronger than he is.
• When Macbeth sees Banquo’s ghost, Lady Macbeth says: 'Are you a man?' (3,4). Madness was seen as a disorder that only affected women.

Has masculine traits

• Lady Macbeth persuades Macbeth to go ahead with the plan. When she does, he tells her: ‘Bring forth men-children only, / For thy undaunted mettle should compose / Nothing but males’ (1,7).
• This reflects the value of bravery at the time. He is saying that her bravery – ‘undaunted mettle’ – is so praiseworthy and masculine that the only children she will give birth to will be males.
• Again, this suggests that Lady Macbeth has some masculine traits in the play.

1 Literary & Cultural Context

1.1 Context

1.1.1 Tragedy

1.1.2 The Supernatural & Gender

1.1.3 Politics & Monarchy

1.1.4 End of Topic Test - Context

2 Plot Summary

2.1.1 Scenes 1 & 2

2.1.2 Scene 3

2.1.3 Scenes 4-5

2.1.4 Scenes 6-7

2.1.5 End of Topic Test - Act 1

2.2 Acts 2-4

2.2.1 Act 2

2.2.2 Act 3

2.2.3 Act 4

2.3.1 Scenes 1-3

2.3.2 Scenes 4-9

2.3.3 End of Topic Test - Acts 2-5

3 Characters

3.1 Macbeth

3.1.1 Hero vs Villain

3.1.2 Ambition & Fate

3.1.3 Relationship

3.1.4 Unstable

3.1.5 End of Topic Test - Macbeth

3.2 Lady Macbeth

3.2.1 Masculine & Ruthless

3.2.2 Manipulative & Disturbed

3.3 Other Characters

3.3.1 Banquo

3.3.2 The Witches

3.3.3 Exam-Style Questions - The Witches

3.3.4 King Duncan

3.3.5 Macduff

3.3.6 End of Topic Test - Lady Macbeth & Banquo

3.3.7 End of Topic Test - Witches, Duncan & Macduff

3.4 Grade 9 - Key Characters

3.4.1 Grade 9 - Lady Macbeth Questions

4.1.1 Power & Ambition

4.1.2 Power & Ambition HyperLearning

4.1.3 Violence

4.1.4 The Supernatural

4.1.5 Masculinity

4.1.6 Armour, Kingship & The Natural Order

4.1.7 Appearances & Deception

4.1.8 Madness & Blood

4.1.9 Women, Children & Sleep

4.1.10 End of Topic Test - Themes

4.1.11 End of Topic Test - Themes 2

4.2 Grade 9 - Themes

4.2.1 Grade 9 - Themes

4.2.2 Extract Analysis

5 Writer's Techniques

5.1 Structure, Meter & Other Literary Techniques

5.1.1 Structure, Meter & Dramatic Irony

5.1.2 Pathetic Fallacy & Symbolism

5.1.3 End of Topic Test - Writer's Techniques

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The Supernatural

Armour, Kingship & The Natural Order

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The Values of Masculinity in William Shakespeare’s Macbeth

2017, Advances in Language and Literary Studies

The theme of gender plays a vital role in William Shakespeare’s famous political play Macbeth. From the very beginning of the play the dramatist focuses on the importance of masculinity in gaining power and authority. Lady Macbeth along with the three witches are as important characters as Macbeth. Because they influence Macbeth profoundly. And Shakespeare very carefully draws the character of Lady Macbeth who being a female sometimes exhibits more masculinity than Macbeth. Similarly is the case of the three witches. Though they look like women they are also bearded which prove the presence of masculinity in their nature. Throughout the play several times the exposition of masculinity is demanded from the character of Macbeth. So the value of masculinity plays an important part in the drama.

Related Papers

Saman A Mohammed

William Shakespeare‟s Macbeth was most likely written in 1606, three years into the reign of James I, James VI of Scotland since 1567 before he achieved the English throne in 1603. Macbeth is Shakespeare‟s shortest tragedy yet it is one of his most influential and emotionally intense plays. Macbeth portrays “the paralyzing, almost complete destruction of human spirit” (Shanley 307). Like most of Shakespeare‟s plays, Macbeth deals with the question of kingship and portrays the “problems of legitimacy and succession” surrounding serious political power that belonged to the monarch, the court and the royal councils (Hadfield 27). Numerous historical and literary studies have been conducted about various topics in Macbeth such as human desire, cruelty, and guilt. Gender role and its relation with power also have a great significance to the interpretation of the play. Shakespeare substantially emphasizes the male-female relationship and gender dynamic and does not seem to treat gender simply as binary example of male/female. Shakespeare shows the relationship between gender and power which can be related to the patriarchal discourse of early modern England. He portrays women as major determinants in men‟s actions but “their function varies throughout the canon” and also in distinct categories of either “good or evil, victims or monsters” (Berggren 18, 11). Men are portrayed as strong willed and courageous, but female character like Lady Macbeth is also given a ruthless, power-hungry personality, which is typically, in the period, more associated with masculinity. Lady Macbeth, one of the main characters in Macbeth, is deeply ambitious and her role is essentially important to further understanding Shakespeare‟s presentation of female characters. In this paper, I will provide a brief context of Macbeth in terms of contemporary issues about sovereignty. I will closely examine the role of women in Macbeth, precisely Lady Macbeth, in Macbeth‟s downfall, particularly focusing on how and why Lady Macbeth is an unsettling and disruptive force to the order of the sovereignty. The paper will cover the contemporary issue of witchcraft, to suggest that Lady Macbeth‟s gender can be associated with supernatural subversion, as well as sexual temptation and the period‟s perspective about it. The paper discusses masculinity in relation to Lady Macbeth and the relationship between the plays actions and the natural order to suggest that natural order better reveals Lady Macbeth‟s disruption as well as the notion of monster in Macbeth. This essay will end by discussing the significance of the events that happen to both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth after the murder act and a conclusion.

Cornelia Feraru

Mohammad Jashim Uddin

Feminism is the most common term nowadays as since the 19th century women have been struggling for their rights and for banishing the patriarchal dominance. Women are more united and aware to establish the equity and equality in society, but men in the name of social and religious behaviour always try to enchain women and use how they wish. For these, they change their strategies frequently. As feminism is a discourse and academic discipline, people have attempted to know why and how men have started dominating women. Consequently, reading Shakespeare is important as he creates a lot of women characters in his tragedies. And a deep reading of Shakespeare's Macbeth from a feminist perspective shows how technically Shakespeare introduces Lady Macbeth as a criminal and the so-called fourth witch. Even nowhere does Shakespeare mention what Lady Macbeth's real identity is. That's why, the paper aims at reading the text from a feminist perspective to search the treatment of Shakespeare towards Macbeth and Lady Macbeth and to know why Lady Macbeth's identity is ignored here. To fulfil these, the paper briefly describes the nature of patriarchy and feminism, then the textual analysis critically with these features. Finally, it shows its findings and proves that Shakespeare is not also free from patriarchal tendency.

Published at the conference proceedings of The Kristeva 2017, University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA

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The aim of the paper is to address instances of violence in William Shakespeare's masterpiece Macbeth (1606) and in Rupert Goold's 2010 TV adaptation, starring Sir Patrick Stewart and Kate Fleetwood. Set in an unidentified Soviet regime, the director ingeniously represents on and offstage violence by placing emphasis on gruesome details and raw animalistic instincts. Firstly, I will shortly elaborate on the nature of violence in Elizabethan drama and then, I will extensively discuss specific instances of violence in Shakespeare's tragedy by referring to scholarly works on the topic. Finally, based on the key terms of film analysis, I will provide my own interpretation of Goold's TV film.

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Grade 9 Maculinity and Gender in Macbeth Essay (whole play)

Subject: English

Age range: 14-16

Resource type: Unit of work

Last updated

16 January 2024

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Marked by an experienced examiner and secondary school teacher. A top band, Grade 9 essay on the question of: How does Shakespeare present masculinity in ‘Macbeth’?

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AQA and Edexcel suited, and written specifically for the AQA GCSE English Literature mark scheme. Key quotes, thesis statement, top tier context, and multiple supporting quotes are included.

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Home > STUDENT_RESEARCH > ETDS > 68

Theses and Dissertations

The paradox of masculinity in shakespeare's macbeth.

Howayda Elenany

This thesis analyzes the ambivalent definition of manhood in Shakespeare's Macbeth. It explores the normative cultural constructions of masculinity carried forth from ancient times to the Renaissance to situate the character of Macbeth in the realm of heroic masculinity. By applying the framework of Freud's psychoanalytic theory, particularly in its interpretation of gender and the role of the unconscious, Shakespeare's male hero's struggle to establish, maintain and defend his masculinity becomes comprehensible. The societal and cultural expectations that define masculinity appear at odds not only with the world of the play, but with the world in general. Culture and society alone do not shape identity; deeper and more complex psychic structures explain human motivation and behavior. Studying the character of Macbeth in the light of the influences of the cultural and psychoanalytic, the notion of masculinity gains new meanings.

English & Comparative Literature Department

Degree Name

MA in English & Comparative Literature

Graduation Date

Submission date, first advisor.

Kolb, Justin

Committee Member 1

Shoukri, Dorris

Committee Member 2

Nimis, Stephen

Document Type

Master's Thesis

Library of Congress Subject Heading 1

Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616. Macbeth.

Library of Congress Subject Heading 2

Macbeth, King of Scotland, active 11th century -- In literature.

The author retains all rights with regard to copyright. The author certifies that written permission from the owner(s) of third-party copyrighted matter included in the thesis, dissertation, paper, or record of study has been obtained. The author further certifies that IRB approval has been obtained for this thesis, or that IRB approval is not necessary for this thesis. Insofar as this thesis, dissertation, paper, or record of study is an educational record as defined in the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) (20 USC 1232g), the author has granted consent to disclosure of it to anyone who requests a copy.

Institutional Review Board (IRB) Approval

Not necessary for this item

Recommended Citation

Apa citation.

Elenany, H. (2015). The paradox of masculinity in Shakespeare's Macbeth [Master's Thesis, the American University in Cairo]. AUC Knowledge Fountain. https://fount.aucegypt.edu/etds/68

MLA Citation

Elenany, Howayda. The paradox of masculinity in Shakespeare's Macbeth . 2015. American University in Cairo, Master's Thesis. AUC Knowledge Fountain . https://fount.aucegypt.edu/etds/68

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Mr Salles Teaches English

Kingship in Macbeth

(a grade 8 essay, improved to grade 9).

Hi again Mr Salles - I hope you are well,

Here is an essay I have written on the theme of kingship, tyranny and natural order.

If you have a spare few minutes, please let me know what mark this would get and how I can improve it to get full marks :)

Shakespeare cleverly crafts the themes of kingship/tyranny/natural order through the devolution of Macbeth. By contrasting morality and corruption within Macbeth and Banquo, Shakespeare cautions against ambition and associates it with the supernatural - a very disturbing idea for the contemporary audience, contributing to Shakespeare’s overall purpose of trying to flatter King James I and warn the nobility against rebellion.

Shakespeare constructs Banquo as a foil to Macbeth by illustrating their contrasting reactions to the same evil force - the supernatural and temptation. Banquo represents the route that Macbeth chose not to take: the path where ambition does not lead to betrayal and murder. Thus, it is Banquo’s ghost, rather than Duncan’s, that haunts Macbeth and conveys to the contemporary audience that restraint will lead to a fruition of power as Banquo’s lineage stays on the throne for the longest.

The witches’ equivocation: “ Lesser than Macbeth, and greater ” paradoxically suggests the drastic difference between Banquo and Macbeth, foreshadowing character development as the witches' prophecies come true. Banquo will never be king, but he does father a line of kings. Macbeth, on the other hand, will become the King of Scotland which is commendable in terms of the Divine Order; Macbeth’s reign of power will be one of selfishness and greed as he fulfils his cruel desire for power, eliminating all obstacles that stand in the way of his kingship.

As a result, Macbeth holds the shorter end of the stick in this paradox, facing paranoia, insomnia, guilt, and a tragic demise, therefore proving its accuracy. Here, Shakespeare is flattering King James I, as he was descendant of Banquo and Fleance, in order to gain his trust and potentially patronage for his theatre. This also helps Shakespeare later in the play when he subtly warns James I not to be repressive and tyrannical in his rule.

Shakespeare ensures Banquo isn’t perfect as he is tempted on some level by the Witches’ prophecy, but his ability to reject evil is what makes him a moral character and an antithesis to Macbeth. He is less able to resist temptation when he sleeps “ I dream’d of the three weird sisters last night ”, but instead of trying to hide this, he confesses to God and asks for help in remaining moral and virtuous.

This references the Bible as Jesus was tempted three times by the devil and resisted: perhaps Shakespeare is attempting to draw parallels between Banquo and Jesus which would have been largely impactful to a Christian contemporary audience, further warning about the devastating consequences of temptation and tyranny by contrasting this with the holy and biblical ideas associated with resistance to temptation and ambition.

Shakespeare demonstrates how the acquisition of power invokes an irreversible change in character, subverting the audience’s expectations as he implies that a person’s poor qualities are amplified by the crown and personal desire - Macbeth becomes paranoid.

In the beginning of the play, Macbeth is conveyed as the epitome of a loyal and quintessential Scottish soldier when the captain recalls Macbeth’s noble actions as he “ carv’d the passage ” of the traitor Macdonwald. Specifically, the emotive verb “ carv’d ” carries strong connotations of combative expertise and nobility. Alternatively, it could allude to him carving his name famously in the beginning of the play and eventually notoriously at the end of the play, foreshadowing his drastic moral decline. The stark contrast between Macbeth murdering an enemy of the king (which would be seen as an enemy to God due to the Divine Right of Kings believed by the contemporary audience) and when he commits regicide - the ultimate sin.

Shakespeare explores the consequences of usurpation - for the nation it is a nightmare; an illegitimate king can only become a tyrant, using ever greater acts of violence to maintain his rule. However, Shakespeare is careful to emphasise how the tyrant himself suffers at his own hands - violence traumatises the violent person as well as the victims. Macbeth ‘ fixed [Macdonwald’s] head upon our battlements ’. The head is symbolic as a motif of Macbeth’s declining heroism. First he is at his moral peak as he beheads the King’s enemy, effectively God’s enemy in the eyes of the contemporary audience, then after having his moral endurance tested in the form of ‘ supernatural soliciting ’ he goes out to commit regicide, losing all virtue. Finally, Shakespeare uses this motif to highlight the negative consequences to his audience as the ‘head’ foreshadows Macbeth’s later disgrace as his own head becomes described as ‘ the usurper’s cursed head’ that is reminiscent of his previous morality before he was corrupted by ambition and the witches’ prophecies.

Supernatural

Shakespeare forces his audience to question whether the unlawful act of treason has a supernatural urge, whether there are malign witches and demonic forces working against the moral bonds of mankind. Macbeth’s growing inclination towards ‘supernatural soliciting’ leaves him in a perplexed self-questioning state " why hath it given me earnestness of success/commencing in a truth ?” Linguistically, the sibilance of ‘ supernatural soliciting’ is deliberately used by Shakespeare to raise his audience’s alarm, given the satanic connotations and reference to devastating sorcery in the form of ‘soliciting’.

Likewise, Macbeth’s rhetorical question is used by Shakespeare to create a self-doubting, unstable and malevolent fallacy created by the engagement with the ‘agents of the dark’.

This repeated motif of the supernatural was especially significant to a contemporary Christian audience as witches were believed to be women who made a pact with the Devil, but it also would have especially attracted the interests of King James I - Macbeth was first performed to him and his courtiers. James I hated witchcraft and wrote Daemonologie - a book about the supernatural. Here, Shakespeare is flattering the king by incorporating his interests into his play and is also warning the nobility who were unhappy with James as king at the time by suggesting their desire to overthrow James I was manipulated into existence by the supernatural and witches.

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This is a very ambitious title – normally you would have just kingship or tyranny set as the question. And then you are going to make it even more ambitious by introducing the supernatural!

This has led to a very convoluted thesis – having at least 3 ideas is excellent, but it has to make sense. You could simplify this:

Shakespeare contrasts the characters of Macbeth and Banquo to caution against ambition. Unchecked ambition is associated with the supernatural, which allows Shakespeare characterise ambition as inherently evil. Macbeth becomes a tyrannical king because he welcomes “supernatural soliciting.” The focus on the supernatural also contributes to Shakespeare’s overall purpose of trying to flatter King James I and warn the nobility against rebellion.

Notice how I have structured this differently in order to make one point at a time.

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