Macbeth

In the entertainment world, portraying women as evil forces is very popular. By doing so it adds entertainment value to the film and or novel. After reading the play Macbeth by William Shakespeare it has become evident that women are portrayed as dangerous forces that emasculate and ruin men. Lady Macbeth questions the manhood of Macbeth, convinces and manipulates him into doing things, and her actions lead to Macbeth’s eventual death, proving the point that she is the most evil female force in the whole play. Firstly, Lady Macbeth questions the manhood of Macbeth while also putting him down. For example Lady Macbeth questions the manhood of Macbeth during the time when Macbeth starts to be questionable about going through with the plan of killing king Duncan. Her strong words towards him would be taken to heart by any man if he were to receive them. This becomes obvious when she says, “When you dorst do it, then you were a man, and, to be more than what you were you would be so much more than the man” (I, vii, 54-56). Lady Macbeth is simply saying and questioning Macbeth of even being a man because he is starting to question and get nervous about going through with their plan to kill king Duncan. Another example that shows this would be that Lady Macbeth literally calls Macbeth a woman to his face. She calls him out, luckily for him however it is not in front of his fellow noblemen. Still she calls him a

woman and even says how shameful it is. Lady Macbeth says “A woman’s story at a winter’s fire, authorized by her grandma, shame itself” (III, iv, 78-79)! Lady Macbeth calling him a woman and telling him how shameful it is does nothing but put him into a deeper hole than he is already in and makes him feel even worse. Lastly, just after Macbeth freaks out about Banquo’s ghost, she tells everyone that is in attendance at their dinner not to worry because he is usually like this. However as soon as she goes to