Macbeth

Men and Women Are women actually weaker, or is this a play by generations of male-dominated rule?

Women are strong, powerful, independent people. They can play the same roles powerful males have. In society we down play woman and their rights. For example if there was an interview both had the same qualities fit for the job; however, studies show men and more likey to recieve a job faster then a women. Since the late 1800s woman roles were to take care of the home and family. We didn't have many rights. The problem is society has a mind set that believes a women's job is to be the "houshold maid". there are many powerful men that down plays women authority and their rights, Women aren't weak and society should accept them and treat them as they treat men.

Quote: Glamis thou art, and Cawdor; and shalt be What thou art promised: yet do I fear thy nature; It is too full o' the milk of human kindness To catch the nearest way: thou wouldst be great; Art not without ambition, but without The illness should attend it: […] Hie thee hither, That I may pour my spirits in thine ear; And chastise with the valour of my tongue All that impedes thee from the golden round, Which fate and metaphysical aid doth seem To have thee crown'd withal. (1.5.1)

Lady Macbeth felt thats her husband Macbeth is ambitious, She felt that his kindness would cause him not to follow through will the killing of Duncan. This killing would make Macbeth king of cawdor. Lady Macbeth chose to critize her husband and pressuring him into killing the king.In this Line Lady Macbeth was looked as the person who wears the pants in their relationship aka the dominant force in their marriage.In 17th century man were the dominant one in the relationship. The husbands were supposed to "rule" their wives in the same way that kings ruled countries.Lady macbeth questioned macbeth's manhood she felt he was acting like a woman.

Quote: Come, you spirits That tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here, And fill me from the crown to the toe top-full Of direst cruelty! make thick my blood; Stop up the access and passage to remorse, That no compunctious visitings of nature Shake my fell purpose, nor keep peace between The effect and it! Come to my woman's breasts, And take my milk for gall, you murdering ministers, Wherever in your sightless substances You wait on nature's mischief! Come, thick night, And pall thee in the dunnest smoke of hell, That my keen knife see not the wound it makes, Nor heaven peep through the blanket of the dark, To cry 'Hold, hold!' (1.5.3)

In this Line Lady Macbeth asked the spirts to unsex." Unsex" in lady macbeth case met to replace her female traits and turn her into a male figure.lady Macbeth wanted to get rid of her kindness ways and replace it with evil ways.

Quote: Was the hope drunk Wherein you dress'd yourself? hath it slept since? And wakes it now, to look so green and pale At what it did so freely? From this time Such I account thy love. Art thou afeard To be the same in thine own act and valour As thou art in desire? Wouldst thou have that Which thou esteem'st the ornament of life, And live a coward in thine own esteem, Letting 'I dare not' wait upon 'I would,' Like the poor cat i' the adage? MACBETH Prithee, peace: I dare do all that may become a man; Who dares do more is none. LADY MACBETH What beast was't, then, That made you break this enterprise to me? When you durst do it, then you were a man; (1.7.3)

Lady Macbeth said that killing Duncan is like "doing" what a man does in the bedroom. Lady macbeth asked macbeth if he was afraid of killing the kng as macbeth is during sex Macbeth said that he can "do //all// that may become a man," Quote: 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 pluck'd my nipple from his boneless gums And dash'd the brains out had I so sworn as you Have done to this. (1.7.3)

Lady Macbeth pressured her husband murdering the king, if she would have killed the king she promised to do so, she'd tear her nursing child from her breast and "dash" its "brains out.this line goes back to Lady Macbeth's earlier remark about "the milk of human kindness" signs with femininity and evil ways which are parellel to males traitsQuote: Bring forth men-children only, For thy undaunted mettle should compose Nothing but males. (1.7.6)

Macbeth understands his wife's strength and power by stating that it would be fitting if she gave birth to "men-children only." Her "undaunted mettle" suggests that she has all the makings of a strong and brave man. Lady Macbeth won't be giving birth to //any// children after this. which is one of the play's most important points from this point on, Macbeth's marriage is empty. Unlike Banquo who will beget kings, Macbeth will never have heirs that will be monarchs and this is deeply upsetting to him. Quote: O gentle lady, 'Tis not for you to hear what I can speak: The repetition in a woman's ear Would murder as it fell. (2.3.12)

When Lady Macbeth enters the room and demands to know what's happened. she acted as if she has no idea her husband just murdered the king. Macduff refuse to tell her. He assumes that women are far too delicate for such matters. Not only but Macduff assumes that Lady Macbeth, being a //lady//, is above suspicion.

Quote: What's to be done? MACBETH Be innocent of the knowledge, dearest chuck, Till thou applaud the deed. (3.2.6)

This is a major turning point in the relationship between Lady Macbeth and her husband. It's the first time Macbeth, who seems to have taken all of Lady Macbeth's talk about his manhood to heart, He excluded his wife from the decision making. Macbeth planed to have Banquo murdered pleading Lady Macbeth be "innocent," that is, until he decides to let her in on his secret. Macbeth wanted Lady macbeth to be, "his "dearest chuck," can be cheerleader to his heroic "deed." This is where the two are beginning to seperate apart.

Quote: Are you a man? […] O proper stuff! This is the very painting of your fear; This is the air-drawn dagger which you said Led you to Duncan. O, these flaws and starts, Impostors to true fear, would well become A woman's story at a winter's fire, Authorized by her grandam. Shame itself! Why do you make such faces? When all's done, You look but on a stool. (3.4.59)

Macbeth assert himself as the dominant figure in the marriage (3.2.6), Banquo's ghost is taken as a sign of weakness.It appears that Macbeth is the only one who sees shadow of Banquo during the banquet. Lady Macbeth says her husband has seen something terrifying to an old lady's ghost story. Quote: MACDUFF He has no children. All my pretty ones? Did you say all? O hell-kite! All? What, all my pretty chickens and their dam At one fell swoop? MALCOLM Dispute it like a man. MACDUFF I shall do so, But I must also feel it as a man. I cannot but remember such things were That were most precious to me. (4.3.26)

Macduff learned that his wife and children have been murdered, Malcolm wanted Macduff to fight Macbeth for the murder "like a man." Malcolm encourages Macduff to kill Macbeth > this is a sign of man power. Macduff's actions are very different then how Lady Macbeth and macbeth described showing no remorse/ emotion. Macduff said he's going to pay back Macbeth but first, he's going to "feel" the loss of his family "as a man." According to Macduff, the capacity to "feel" (grief, love, and regret) are the things that make one a man, not cold-blooded apathy.

Macduff's said Macbeth has no human emotion. He's unable to feel or express any grief over the death of his once beloved wife (5.5.3) and says he no longer feels any sense of "fear," despite his impending death (5.5.2). Macbeth, essentially, goes numb, which makes him seem like a mere shell of a man.