Masculinity And Femininity In Macbeth Act II
In Shakespeare’s 1609 play Macbeth Act II Scene II Lady Macbeth is portrayed to the audience as the leader, leading and giving orders to Macbeth and being the greatest contributor to their plan. For instance, Lady Macbeth being the leader when she orders Macbeth to wash his bloody hands after killing the king "Go get some water and wash this filthy witness from your hand". This emphasises her clasp on Macbeth, making him subservient. Compared to Macbeth, Lady Macbeth is calm and collected while Macbeth, after killing Duncan, realises the consequences of his actions and becomes frantic and afraid. Macbeth argues "I won’t go back." I’m afraid to just think about what I’ve done. I don’t dare to look at it again” with Lady Macbeth retaliating saying
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During the act Macbeth initially embodies traditional masculinity through his bravery in battle, but in this scene, he displays vulnerability and guilt after committing murder. Lady Macbeth, on the other hand, defies traditional femininity by calling on evil spirits to "unsex" her and fill her with cruelty to carry out the murder. When Lady Macbeth says “Go get some water and wash this filthy witness from your hand. Why did you bring these daggers from the place? They must lie there, too. Go carry them and smear.” It exhibits how Lady Macbeth has fearlessness and valour to be able to go back and take the daggers, and even though Macbeth did kill the king he was too "cowardly" as said so my Lady Macbeth to finish what he had started. The characters do take on traits traditionally associated with the opposite gender. Lady Macbeth exhibits ambition, ruthlessness, and a desire for power typically associated with masculinity, while Macbeth shows signs of weakness, indecision, and emotional distress often associated with femininity. The audience of Shakespeare's time would have been intrigued by the reverse of gender norms, as it challenges society’s perspective on traditional gender roles. Shakespeare uses these representations to provoke thought and discussion about the nature of power, ambition, and the consequences of pursuing them regardless of
During the act Macbeth initially embodies traditional masculinity through his bravery in battle, but in this scene, he displays vulnerability and guilt after committing murder. Lady Macbeth, on the other hand, defies traditional femininity by calling on evil spirits to "unsex" her and fill her with cruelty to carry out the murder. When Lady Macbeth says “Go get some water and wash this filthy witness from your hand. Why did you bring these daggers from the place? They must lie there, too. Go carry them and smear.” It exhibits how Lady Macbeth has fearlessness and valour to be able to go back and take the daggers, and even though Macbeth did kill the king he was too "cowardly" as said so my Lady Macbeth to finish what he had started. The characters do take on traits traditionally associated with the opposite gender. Lady Macbeth exhibits ambition, ruthlessness, and a desire for power typically associated with masculinity, while Macbeth shows signs of weakness, indecision, and emotional distress often associated with femininity. The audience of Shakespeare's time would have been intrigued by the reverse of gender norms, as it challenges society’s perspective on traditional gender roles. Shakespeare uses these representations to provoke thought and discussion about the nature of power, ambition, and the consequences of pursuing them regardless of