Macbeth Downfall In the first act of Macbeth, we find out that Macbeth is a well-respected soldier who works for King Duncan. As the novel progresses, Macbeth turns into a dark, sinister figure who commits several murders, either himself or through other people. To be fair to Macbeth, there is more to the story than just him murdering people. The first murder he commits is of his beloved king Duncan in cold blood. He does this because the witches gave Macbeth a prophecy that he would be king. To do this, he must kill the current king, Duncan. He originally didn’t want to do it, but Lady Macbeth convinced him and made fun of his masculinity, resulting in Macbeth committing the murder. With all this being said, Macbeth is ultimately still responsible. …show more content…
He caves to this, and because of his insecurity, he listens to what she says. One example of this is when he gets convinced by Lady Macbeth to commit the first murder. After Lady Macbeth insults Macbeth’s masculinity, he says, “I dare do all that may become a man. Who dares [do] more is none”(Shakespeare 1.7.50-51). This shows Macbeth’s insecurity about his masculinity. He immediately gets defensive and tries to prove his masculinity. Another example of his insecurity is the banquet scene. Lady Macbeth insults his masculinity again, and he says, “Ay, and a bold one, that dare look on that which might appall the devil.” (Shakespeare 3.4.70-72). This shows him again trying to defend his masculinity. He ends up frightening everyone at the banquet and creates suspicion towards himself. Macbeth’s masculinity is a recurring motif in the play, which is one of Macbeth’s biggest insecurities. His insecurities result in him caving to things he doesn’t want to do. The second reason is Macbeth’s arrogance. Throughout the play, Macbeth is arrogant about many things. This arrogance is one of the main reasons people get so suspicious of him, such as Macduff and
Lady Macbeth challenges Macbeth’s masculinity by stating that Macbeth is not a man if he does not carry on the murder. Lady Macbeth demonstrates strong pathos because she targets Macbeth’s ego. This proves effectiveness because when a male’s ego is challenged his testosterone kicks in, so in Macbeth’s case, he feels obligated to assert his dominance over his wife. To further elaborate, when Lady Macbeth says “when you durst do it, then you were a man” she demonstrates subconscious, but powerful use of rhetoric because it is Lady
Masculinity can be defined in many way and is interpreted by many different people. Some characteristics of masculinity are bravery, courage, intelligence, and even some negative characteristics like arrogance. Throughout Act 1, Macbeth is talked about in a very high manner as can be seen as a marvelous war hero. The Captain even says, “For brave Macbeth - well he deserves that name - Disdaining fortune, with his brandished steel, which smoked body execution, like valour's minion carved out his passage.” (1.2.15-19) This reveals how respected and highly Macbeth is seen after winning some major battles in the war. This is an example of Macbeth’s bravery because it illustrates a god like image of him crashing though the enemy lines destroying
In Macbeth, originally written by William Shakespeare in the 16th century, masculinity is a reoccurring theme in the play. Shakespeare tells the story of a man whose ambition overpowers his loyal qualities and later causes him to fall as a leader. Throughout the play, Macbeth and his wife, Lady Macbeth both question what it is to be a man and to what extent masculinity should be played out in order to achieve success. Shakespeare shows the negative progression of Macbeth from being an innocent thane who would one day like to become the king, to a power hungry and evil leader who is willing to terminate anything that gets into his way of the throne. In Macbeth, stereotypical ideas about masculinity determine the fate of the characters because
Macbeth was also affected by Lady Macbeth when she questions his manhood in, “When you durst do it, then you were a man// Be so much the man.” For a male at the time, to be questioned of their masculinity was the ultimate insult, especially from a woman. This emotional blackmail device from Lady Macbeth clearly worked, because Lady Macbeth was able to take full control of Macbeth hereafter. In the same manner that Lady Macbeth goads her husband, Macbeth then provokes the murderers by questioning their manhood, “Ay, in the catalogue ye go for men”. Both of these acts show that both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth equate masculinity with naked aggression, and whenever they converse about manhood, violence soon follows. Their understanding of manhood allows the political order depicted in the play to descend into chaos.
He falls pathetically in cowardice when faced with a real man, who he knows he is no match against, but also exclaims that he is feeling fired up and ready to take on MacDuff. Perhaps this is true for an individual like Macbeth who is so pathetic and confused. He has no consciousness of himself as he squanders his
Blood stains his hands, Macbeth races into battle slaughtering every Norwegian in sight, selflessly risking his own life for the people of his country. Macbeth demonstrates these traits as he is a male in power; he must stop at nothing to prove his masculinity and serve his country. Furthermore, the play Macbeth by William Shakespeare is guided by how people perceive stereotypical masculinity, and how you must act as a male. Therefore, in Macbeth common masculine traits such as violence and selflessness is used to manipulate in order to feed one’s ambition to gain ultimate power.
She insults his manhood, his honor, and even tries to say she is more of a man than Macbeth.“When you durst do it,” she says, “then you were a man” (1.7.49). She completely comes at Macbeth's manhood in this line. In this time period, especially to a nobleman, manhood means everything. No true man would sit idly by as his wife insults him by calling him weak, Lady Macbeth new this and used it to her advantage to push Macbeth over the
Lady Macbeth’s desire to become more manly and kill Duncan is against her assigned roles as a woman in this time period and continues to be highlighted throughout the play. Another character who frequently goes against his gender’s typical nature is Macbeth. After he decides he must kill Duncan to ascend to the throne, Macbeth questions his new murderous idea and nearly backs down. His wife, Lady Macbeth, determined Macbeth was not acting as a brave man should, exclaims “are you a man” when she learns of Macbeth’s doubts (3:4:61-62). By not always displaying manly bravery or courage, Macbeth goes against society’s expectations of him as a man.
While struggling with conscious his wife, Lady Macbeth challenges his masculinity. Throughout the play masculinity is challenged as a way to motivate men to commit horrible crimes. For instance, when Macbeth confides to Lady Macbeth that he no longer wishes to kill King Duncan, Lady Macbeth denounces his masculinity, shouting "What beast was't, then,/That made you break this enterprise to me?/When you durst do it, then you were a man" (I.VII.53).Lady Macbeth's denouncing of Macbeth’s
At the beginning of the play, and throughout, Macbeth displays feminine qualities such as being weak willed, contemplative and doubtful. He feels both remorse and guilt, stereotypically womanly attributes. While it is obvious these characteristics are what make him a well-rounded individual, they provide a sense of insecurity to Macbeth as he feels ‘unmanly’. In his relationship and interactions with his wife we see this insecurity. Firstly, Lady Macbeth clearly controls the relationship and although seemingly all of Scotland acknowledges his manhood, Macbeth still feels the need to prove himself to his
He is easily swayed by the opinions of others and influenced by his wife. I think the author is really saying that people will go to great lengths just to be able to be superior over another. At first I thought that Macbeth would back out and decide killing the king was not the right thing to do but now I think that he has other intentions and just wants to please himself. I think that he feels as if he needs to do things to feel manly because his wife continuously tells him that if he backs out he will be less of a man and he cherishes his manhood. I feel like in the future acts of the book that Macbeth will make this a reoccurring theme. Lady Macbeth seems as if she is very masculine and challenging and loves to be in a place of power
In ‘Macbeth’, masculinity is presented as a driving force to Macbeth’s crimes, making it a vital theme. The essay’s focus is masculinity’s presentation through Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. Primarily, Shakespeare portrays Macbeth as “valiant”: a prized, respected masculine quality in their society. However, this trait becomes warped along the play. Furthermore, Lady Macbeth yearns for masculinity but she fails to acquire it. Shakespeare thus displays masculinity in two different lights.
In the play Macbeth, gender roles seem to be more reversed, for ambition is deemed a masculine trait. The theme of gender roles and power is very evident and essential to Lady Macbeth’s character. She is responsible for breaking the gender roles in her moral society by manipulating her husband to do something that he is unsure of committing to. Lady Macbeth manipulates Macbeth by questioning his masculinity, she says, “Art thou afeared to be the same in thine own act and valor as thou art in desire? Wouldst thou have that which thou esteem’st the ornament of life and live coward in thine own esteem” (1.7.39-43).
The conformity to gender roles that Macbeth and Lady follow leads to the destruction of their relationship. At the beginning of the play, Lady Macbeth is more masculine than Macbeth and holds the power in their relationship. Lady Macbeth is aware that she is the assertive one in their relationship and uses that to manipulate Macbeth. In act 1, scene 7, Lady Macbeth questions Macbeth’s masculinity saying, “When you durst do it, then you were a man; / And, to be more than what you were, you would / Be so much more the man.”(54-56) in saying this, she is using Macbeth’s fragile masculinity against him because she knows Macbeth will prove his masculinity by killing Duncan. After they succeed and get away with the murder, Macbeth becomes more assertive and decisive. Macbeth begins to hide things from Lady Macbeth, like his plan to kill Banquo, this causes a strain on their relationship. In act 3, scene 2, lines 50 and 51, Macbeth says to Lady Macbeth, “Be innocent of the knowledge, dearest chuck, / Till thou applaud the deed.” about his plan to kill Banquo because he doesn’t want her involved. This furthers the strain in their relationship because Macbeth thinks he, a man, should handle these kinds of things where Lady Macbeth, a woman, should not concern herself with such problems. Furthermore, by excluding Lady Macbeth he has pushed a wedge between them by keeping secrets from her, losing her trust and leading to the downfall of their relationship. Closer to the end of the play, Macbeth assumes his role as a hypermasculine man and becomes violent, killing any possible threat to him. In becoming king, Macbeth becomes obsessed with having power because of the lack of control he had in his relationship with his wife. To Macbeth Macduff appeared as a threat,
Macbeth uses his manhood to portray his solider like qualities, but Lady Macbeth’s masculinity manipulates Macbeth’s actions, however, in the end it is Macbeth who uses his masculinity to do heinous actions.