Gender Stereotypes in Shakespeare's Macbeth

Essay Instructions:

Format: Make sure your document is in doc or docx format only
Notating Acts and Scenes: Please use the system given in the syllabus:
III.ii.100-114 = Act Three, scene two, lines 100-114
Quoting Lines: If you quote a short passage from a play, there is no need to set it separately. But you must indicate, with a slash and by a Capital letter, where the line-breaks occur if they are in verse. Ex: As flies to wanton boys are we to the gods,/They kill us for their sport. If you are quoting a long passage, five lines or more, set it off from the body of the text by a double indented paragraph and quote it exactly as it appears in the text.
Citations-Footnotes: This is not a research paper which requires you to engage secondary material beyond the occasional readings given on Canvas. However, if you are quoting or borrowing an idea from an author, you are obliged to credit the source using proper citation of sources. (Review the plagiarism warning below.) Please use the Chicago Manual of Style: Author-Date system (look it up online).

Plagiarism Warning: If I suspect plagiarism in your essay I will hunt it down and I will confront you with proof of this violation of your integrity and others’ integrity. Don’t go there. Know yourself.

The final essay addresses the last three plays studied in our course: Macbeth, King Lear, and The Tempest.

Judicious selection and nuanced interpretation of specific lines and speeches in the plays are vital to your essay. Talking in a vague and general way has nothing to do with serious essay writing.

Write a five-page essay on one of the following topics. You can also write on a topic of your own invention but if you choose the latter, you must discuss your topic and thesis with me at least one week before the essay is due. No one has permission to write on their own without first discussing their idea with me.

9) Discuss Macbeth’s manhood in relation to Lady Macbeth’s womanhood. And discuss Lady Macbeth’s manhood with respect to Macbeth’s womanhood. Instead of seeing manhood and womanhood as properties that one possesses, here is a chance to see them as more fluid exchanges between persons in a relationship. (You have a great opportunity to look closely at the dialogues between Mr. and Mrs. Macbeth.)

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In the context of gender, stereotypes refer to the expected traditional roles, actions, and qualities given to men and women. Men, for example, are regarded to be superior, while women are those who must follow and be subject to men. Thus, in history, most leaders are men, and women are regarded to be supportive of their husbands. Furthermore, these prejudices might start early in a person’s life. Parents make decisions for their children; for example, if their child is a boy, they will choose colors that are supposed to be masculine, such as blue and black. They will also introduce the children to masculine activities such as ball games, playing with toy guns, and other activities. Meanwhile, if their child is a girl, they will choose colors that are expected to be womanly, such as pink and purple. They will also introduce the children to feminine activities such as playing dolls, role-playing, and other feminine activities. These upbringings have a tremendous impact on how a person perceives oneself and shape their future and adulthood. In most literary works, these gender stereotypes are evident. However, in William Shakespeare's "Macbeth," the roles of the main characters, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, break the gender stereotypes. Hence, the subject of gender roles and the relationship between masculinity and femininity in the Shakespearean play "Macbeth" are complex and significant to the storyline.
The primary characters, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth experience an intricate relationship that exists between masculinity and femininity. Lady Macbeth is viewed as a powerful and vindictive lady who has repeatedly challenged Macbeth’s masculinity. There are multiple instances throughout the play where Lady Macbeth’s statements imply that, while Macbeth is a man, he possesses the attributes of a woman. As a result, Lady Macbeth’s qualities have been given to a man. For instance, when she receives a letter regarding the witches’ prophecies, she uses the opportunity to seek power. However, she doubts that her husband can acquire the power to become a king. In her soliloquy,

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Updated on March 13, 2024

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Gender Stereotypes in Shakespeare's Macbeth

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