Ambiguity Of Gender In Macbeth

Patrick Malicki
Eng107
04/23/2015
Professor Rose
The Ambiguity of Gender in Macbeth
In Shakespeare’s play Macbeth, gender is visibly out of its normal order. By being a man, you are seen as strong and dominant. On the other hand, women are seen as fragile and dependent on men. This is not the case in this play. Lady Macbeth playing the dominant role in the Macbeth’s marriage mostly represents the disorder of gender roles; on many occasions, she decides what Macbeth will do and controls his actions. The three witches also represent the disorder of gender roles. The trio is perceived, as from a sacrilegious nature, and despite them being described as sisters, the gender of these characters is also ambiguous.
To be a man in Macbeth’s time meant to be bloodthirsty and violent. Patriotism was also seen as very masculine and to …show more content…
He was pleased by the knowledge that his son died an honorable man: By fighting for his cause and that his son’s injuries were on his chest. This lets Siward know that his son was not killed running away from battle, yet bravely facing the enemy. (5.8.39-53)
Furthermore, Lady Macbeth keeps challenging and ridiculing Macbeth’s manhood. She says, “Yet do I fear thy nature; it is too full o' th' milk of human kindness to catch the nearest way: thou wouldst be great, art not without ambition, but without the illness should attend it.” (1.5.3-8) Lady Macbeth believes Macbeth is too kind hearted to do what requires to achieve the crown. Macbeth lacks the ambition and merciless mentality Lady Macbeth is so full of. Macbeth has honor and he knows this murder is unjust. He is uncertain if it is the right thing to do or not. His manliness is put to question when Lady Macbeth says that he lacks ambition and points out a contradiction in Macbeth’s logic. She says, “What thou wouldst highly, that wouldst thou holily; wouldst not play false, and yet wouldst wrongly

Show More

Related Documents: Ambiguity Of Gender In Macbeth

Essay on Feminist Theory Of Macbeth Ahmadiah