Manliness In Shakespeare's 'Macbeth'

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Macbeth acts solely upon what he believes is his fate- to him, killing Duncan was his destiny. Shakespeare’s Macbeth is a tragedy that demonstrates the lengths people will go to in order to have a high status is society. Macbeth is the Thane of Glamis, the soon-to-be Thane of Cawdor, and also in line for the throne. He has a wife; Lady Macbeth. The troubled Thane of Glamis’s actions are a direct effect of the importance of manliness and the self worth of a man. Lady Macbeth pushes and taunts her husband about his manhood. To Macbeth, manliness and self worth go hand-in-hand; the more manly one is, the more they are worth as a person. Being a man is substantially essential in society and holds high honor. Lady Macbeth persistently questions her husband’s manhood. She taunts Macbeth when he starts to have second thoughts about their scheme. She tells him that when “[he] [dared] do it, then [he] [was] a man,’ and that acting on their schemes…show more content…
After Lady Macbeth mocks him, the soon-to-be-king quickly defends himself, telling her that “[he] dare do all that [will make him] a man” (I.vii.51). He is willing to do anything to prove that he is a man, just to prove himself to others, his wife, and himself, because manliness is vastly crucial to him. After Duncan’s body is found, Macbeth suggests that the men “briefly put on manly readiness” (II.iii.157). This implies that men are superior and better at handling situations, This also implies that they should be in control. The married couple are sitting at supper with many guests, when Macbeth believes he sees Banquo’s ghost, but in fact, he is hallucinating. When Lady Macbeth asks her spouse if he’s a man, he tells her that he is, “and a bold one, that dare look on [Banquo’s ghost] / Which might appall the devil” (III.iv.71-72). He wants to believe that he is more of a man, and braver than the devil. Manfulness is critical to Macbeth and his self

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