To what extent is masculinity associated with evil and violence in Macbeth?

Evil is a theme widely explored by Shakespeare in his plays and “Macbeth” is no exception. This play demonstrates violence in relation to evil and evil in turn is a reflection of the desperation and anxieties of the characters in “Macbeth.” The question of whether masculinity is associated with evil and violence is easily answered as the main character in this horrific tragedy is Macbeth himself, who commits a range of heinous crimes from murder to dabbling with witchcraft. However, the extent to which masculinity is related to evil is more obscure. In this essay I am going to show that evil and violence in “Macbeth” is not monopolised by masculine characters. To show this I will be analysing female characters who demonstrate strong evil qualities and personalities such as Lady Macbeth, The Witches and Hecate. I will also discuss Banquo, Macduff and King Duncan because these characters represent chivalry, nobility and honour of human characters, even though they are male.

The first character I will be looking at is Macbeth himself. This is because he is the central character and focus of the entire play. From the outset Macbeth is depicted as a fierce war hero: “Till he unseamed him from the nave to the chops, And fixed his head upon our battlements.” (Act 1: Scene 1: Lines 22 – 23)
The captain using the word, “Unseamed…….nave to the chops,” gives the impression that Macbeth has an evil side to him which he is struggling to control as no admirable man would commit an attack like murder in such a heartless way. It also shows how bloodthirsty and gory Macbeth is on the battlefield. Shakespeare has used this vivid imagery of the brutal battle that Macbeth has won for King Duncan in order to show Macbeth’s raging ferocity.

Although he is violent, Macbeth is still portrayed as a heroic and noble character. He is described by King Duncan as a, “Worthy Gentleman!” (Act 1: Scene 2: Line 24)
The captain who reports the brave battle says, “Brave Macbeth, well he deserves that name.” (Act 2: Scene 2: Line 16)
Upon hearing these comments, Shakespeare has presented Macbeth to the audience as a patriotic and well- born character.

When Macbeth is told his fate by the three witches he can’t believe that such a thing could happen to him because in the time when Shakespeare wrote “Macbeth” witches were seen as a sign of evil and had close relations wit the devil, this is why I believe that deep down, Macbeth knew the witches were there to manipulate him, and not to help him reach his heart’s desire.
Nevertheless, Macbeth is still intrigued by what the witches have to say and yearns to find out more:
“But how of Cawdor” (Act 1: Scene 3: Lines 71). Macbeth then questions the witches on how they know of such events. By Macbeth tampering with evil forces makes him look like he wants to believe in such fate, by craving to know more of what is in plan for him.
When Rosses declares, “Call thee Thane of Cawdor,” ( Act 1: Scene 3: Line 104) Macbeth realises that the first prophecy of the witches has come true, this gives Macbeth reassurance that if he is now Thane of Cawdor then maybe there is still a chance of being king.

This is when Macbeth begins to have thoughts of killing Duncan: “My thought, whose murder yet is but fantastical.” (Act 1: Scene 2: Lines 139). Macbeth finds these thoughts disheartening as he convinces himself that having these formidable thoughts of committing such deeds is not within his nature, but we notice the word, “ yet.”

In Act 1 Scene 7, Macbeth still seems buried under and overwhelmed by his thoughts on deciding whether or not to murder Duncan. He makes a decision not to go ahead with the act, but he then goes back on his decision by persuasion from Lady Macbeth. He seemed quite easy to manipulate as shown by the witches and qickly comes around to her way of thinking. However, his decision not to kill Duncan may not have been from his heart or wasn’t a final thought.

At the beginning of Scene 4 we find Macbeth putting on an act as the time draws nearer to the moment of the sin. He does this by behaving as a caring and loyal person, who is indepted to his, “ Doing everything safe towards your love and honour,” (Act 1: Scene 4: Lines 26 – 27). Macbeth then reveals a slight clue to his evil plan towards the end of the Scene, “ Stars...........let not see my black and deep desires....... which the eyes fears, when it’s done, to see.” (Act 1: Scene 4: Lines 50 – 53). Although Macbeth is desperate to be king, he wishes he didn’t have to watch the fiendish act he has planned. Yet again, Shakespeare has used this imagery to show that Macbeth is a loyal person, but he has a constant battle with his conscience to keep his dark and devilish nature under control. Macbeth now knows that his villainous side is slowly taking over his mind by planting evil thoughts within him.

If we look at Act 2 Scene 1, the famous ‘dagger’ speech, this is when Macbeth finally swallows the last good in him and murders King Duncan. He begins to hallucinate which maybe shows that he thinks of it all as a dream and he isn’t really doing it. “ Mine eyes are made the fools o’ the other senses, or else worth all the rest.” (Act 2: Scene 1: Lines 45 – 46).

At the beginning of Act 2 Scene 2, Macbeth returns from killing Duncan and feels very guilty. This shows that he still does have a heart and deep down, he knows that he has just signed himself an early death by someone else who’s ambition takes over them like it has done to Macbeth.

“List’ning their fear, i could not say ‘Amen’ when they did say ‘God bless us.’”
(Act 2: Scene 2: Lines 28 – 29)
Macbeth felt that he was too evil to even say prayers, therefore i think he knows that what he has done with is own hands is loathsome and will not be accepted by God as he has gone against natural order. He has done this by changing the way God out everyone in their places.
When Lady Macbeth orders Macbeth to return to Duncan’s chamber and smear the blood from his dagger on the servants, he refuses as he doesn’t want to face what he has carried out.
“ I’ll go no more. I am afraid to think what i have done – Look on’t again, I dare not.” (Act 2: Scene 2: Lines 50 – 52).
Here Macbeth admits that he is not courageous enough to look at what he did again.

Lady Macbeth is a remarkable character who displays a strong character at the beginning of the play. The status of their relationship is looked into through her immediate reaction when the letter arives, which was cheeriness and delight. In the beginning of the play her character traits begin to become obvious to the audience. She is dominat, subjective and mostly ambitious. These qualities make her into a menacing character. Firstly, when Lady Macbeth is reading a letter from her husband, we notice right away that she plays an important part in her relationship with Macbeth, showing the forceful side to her.
“Yet do i fear thy nature, it is too full o’th’milk of human kindness to catch the nearest way,” (Act 1: Scene 5: Lines 14 – 16) showing that she knows Macbeth’s character too well and knows that it is not in his heart/ nature to do such a thing.

Lady Macbeth invokes the evil spirits to ‘unsex’ her and by saying this, shows that she is implying she doesn’t want to be female anymore. This is so she can be filled with cruelty and be left with no feminine qualities (i.e removing all emotions of guilt or remorse).
“ Stop up th’ access and passage to remorse.” (Act 1: Scene 5: Line 42).

Lady Macbeth cleverly learns how to prey upon Macbeth when he feels weak and doubtful. She would use the things that would hurt Macbeth most such as his masculinity and courage. The questioning of whether he is a man or not quickly subdues him into going along with her plan.

In Act 1 Scene 7, he almost turned his back on the idea of killing Duncan when she bullies Macbeth into doing as she wishes and talks all the goodness out of him.
“ I have given suck and know how tender ‘tis to love the babe that milks me:
I would, while it was smiling in my face, have plucked my nipple from his boneless gums and dashed the brains out, had i sworn as you have done to this.”
(Act 1: Scene 7: Lines 54 – 59).
These lines present the image that she isn’t totally invoked by evil and did once love someone very much. Also, that under all that hatred and rage she does have a glimpse of light waitng to surface.

This is showing that she is a woman who knows how to get what she wants using psychology. Ironically, this is what causes her to loose her sanity later on in the play, her mind ultimately pushes her to commit suicide proving that her sense of reason got the better of her. Lady Macbeth is a good example of why masculinity has no gender as female characters can have strong evil qualities.

The witches are the first characters that we see when the play opens. At the beginning of the play, they already plan their meeting with Macbeth.
“There to meet with Macbeth.” (Act 1: Scene 1: Line 8).
This shows that they already know of Macbeth and Shakespeare leaves the suspense for the audience as they all await for the reason behind it.

When they do meet with Macbeth he and Banquo are told by the weird sisters that, “.... Macbeth that shalt be king hereafter.”
(Act 1: Scene 3: Line 49).

The witches make a huge impact on Macbeth as he is eager to know his fate. When everything begins to fall to pieces, he runs back to the witches, showing that he feels that they know what awaits him in the future, when in actual fact they are part of the reason of what leads him to his destruction.

The witches show the abnormal and weird goings on in the play by the ‘supernatural’ powers they possess.
“ Fair is foul, and foul is fair, hover through the fog and filthy air.”
(Act 1: Scene 1: Lines 11 – 12).

This indicates that they believe that good is bad and bad is good. This is probably how they refer to Macbeth. That good can become bad in seconds and vice versa.

At the beginning of Act 1 Scene 3, they discuss unnatural acts that go on as if to show the audience how evil and macabre they are, which is how Shakespeare has portrayed them.
“ But in a sieve i’ll thither sail, and like a rat without a tail.”
(Act 1: Scene 3: Lines 7 – 8). In those days people believed witches could turn into animals ( one without tails) and sail in sieves.

Also, the gender of the witches is a matter of confusion because they appear to be women, “ And yet your beards forbid me to interpret that you are so.” (Act 1: Scene 3: Lines 45 – 46).

Hecate, the goddess of all witches and isn’t a very significant character but she shows that femine charactars can also be totally evil. She appears in Act 3 Scene 5, when she is annoyed that the witches didn’t involve her in their mind games on Macbeth.

To make up for it she tells them she will be making a spell where Macbeth will find his destiny.
“ As by the strenght of their illusion shall draw him on his confusion. He shall spurn fate, scorn death, and bear he hopes ‘bove wisdom, grace and fear.” (Act 3: Scene 5: Lines 28 – 31).

This shows the spitefullness of her attitude towards Macbeth and his death would not faze her at all. Also, she mentions before she leaves that she knows what would lead Macbeth to his destruction.
“ And you all know, security is mortals’ chiefest enemy.”
(Act 3: Scene 5: Lines 32 – 33).
This means that she knows Macbeth’s over confidence will lead to his destruction.

Macduff, King Duncan and Banquo are characters in “Macbeth” who present masculinity in a positive light. Macduff, the Thane of Fife was patriotic and loyal. When he realised something was not right, he went to get help, meanwhile leaving his family behind. This proves he places greater importance on the greater good by leaving his family for the sake of his country. King Duncan was the rightful King of Scotland, but was murdered by his beloved friend/ cousin, Macbeth. Duncan at first seemed a very pleasant caharacter who has the traits of everything good. He seemed very upset when the former Thane of Cawdor betrayed him. This made him look very naive at the fact that he puts his trust in almost everyone, and was betrayed twice.

Banquo is the very noble and chivalry character. He was a good friend of Macbeth and was the first to become suspicious of Macbeth after the murder of King Duncan. When the witches told him his ‘fate’ he was aware of their falsehood and didn’t believe them. While Macbeth was interested to know more, Banquo was very doubtful and weary of them and seemed to fascinated by their appearance.
“What are these, so withered and so wild in their attire, that look not like th’inhabitants o’th’earth, and yet are on’t?”(Act 1: Scene 3: Lines 38 – 41).

Yes, men in “Macbeth” are the ones that commit the murders. They are shown fighting in battles and it is ultimately Macbeth who goes and kills Duncan. Furthermore, when the issue of murder arises ideas of cowardice are associated with someone not committing murder:
Art thou afeard to be the same in thine own act and valour, as thou art in desire?” (Act 1: Scene 7: Lines 39 – 41).
“Like the poor cat i’th’adage?” (Act 1: Scene 7: Line 44).

Lady Macbeth taunts Macbeth’s masculinity in order to strengthen him. Similarly, when Macbeth hires Murderers in Act 3 Scene 1 he, like Lady Macbeth, queastions their manliness as a form of persuasion.
“Do you find your patience so predominant in your nature that you can let this go?” (Act 3: Scene 1: Lines 84 – 86).

However, it is not entirely correct to say that evil is only related to, or stems from a masculine source. What contrasts this newpoint is that we see certain characters such as Duncan, Banquo and Macduff who present masculinity a positive light.

It is not fair to say that evil is only associated to masculinity. Both the Witches and Lady Macbeth are portrayed as crude and evil are female! Hecate, the only divine being shown in the play, is the goddess of witches. Perhaps suggesting that ultimately women are the forces of evil.

However, there is also another side to this arguement. The fact that evil appears to be present im both some men (Macbeth, the Murderers) and women (Lady Macbeth, the Witches and Hecate) in the play suggests that it is not enough to caegorise evil as masculine or feminine.
E.g The gender of the witches is a matter of confusion because they appear to be women and: “Yet have beards.”
Lady Macbeth invokes the evil spirits to “unsex” her. Rather that evil can exist in both sexes. Evil is force that transgresses gender.