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Macbeth: Gender Roles In The Elizabethan Era

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In the Elizabethan Era gender roles were strictly defined and maintained by those in high society. Throughout Macbeth, both Lady Macbeth and Macbeth have a slow demise to insanity as they attempt to . In addition to motifs like blood, hands, and nature, Shakespeare uses gender reversals to convey the importance of congruency within genders. William Shakespeare’s Macbeth uses gender role reversals to show the character’s progression to insanity, this is to inforce the notion that men and women need to stay within their predetermined roles. Men are typically viewed as ruthless and carouse, but the men in Macbeth are seemingly gentle and value life; however, the women, especially Lady Macbeth, are the opposite of demure and very headstrong. …show more content…
Macbeth expresses guilt over Banquo’s death, and even wishes well for Banquo. Men are supposed to be final in their decisions and not show weakness, but Macbeth’s hopes for Banquo’s salvation shows a side of femininity in him that is inappropriate. After Macbeth has killed Duncan, and now Banquo, he steadily starts to lose parts of himself and his humanity; his show of femininity conveys that loss of humanity to the audience. On the other hand, Lady Macbeth’s psychotic demeanor is more subtle to modern readers. Women were expected to be perfect hostesses in the Elizabethan Era, so Lady Macbeth’s behavior towards the guards is unseemly. She says to herself, “That which hath made them drunk hath made me bold./What …show more content…
Women throughout history have been seen as especially indecisive whereas their male companions are more final in their judgement. Lady Macbeth early on in the play trades away her remorse in exchange for strength. She calls to nature, “Make thick my blood./Stop up the access and passage to remorse” (33). Fortitude is a characteristic found in men that is essential to most hero archetypes. Lady Macbeth is a surprising leader as she is the mastermind behind her’s and Macbeth’s attempt for the crown. By exchanging her remorse for cruelty, she is gaining a deadly strength that results in her loss of humanity. This exchange is an abnormality in nature, with its effects being unable to control. In contrast, Macbeth’s illusions of Banquo show his mental instability and his incapability of making peace with his actions. During dinner in Act 3, Macbeth sees Banquo’s ghost at the table. This startles Macbeth and he begins to rant to his guests about his shortcomings. After Lady Macbeth instructs the guests to leave the dinner, Macbeth says to her, “ I am in blood/stepped in so far that, should I wade no more”(109). Banquo is Macbeth’s guilt manifested in the form of an illusion. This should be enough to convey to the audience of Macbeth’s insanity, but Shakespeare goes further, and uses the motif blood to illustrate the pain in Macbeth’s heart. Macbeth is experiencing the build up of remorse

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