Through out Macbeth, their seems to be a gender swap of the stereo typical woman and man. In Macbeth, Lady Macbeth is relentless and unremitting in getting what she wants. However, Macbeth always ends up agreeing to Lady Macbeth's ideas and terms even when he feels unsettled about something. Therefore, Macbeth is in a way "walked over" by Lady Macbeth. This swaps the typical gender "stereotypes", being that normally the male is the dominant one in a relationship who makes all the decisions and the wife is just the mother and house hold side kick. Lady Macbeth makes all the decisions and makes sure they follow through with it in their relationship, and Macbeth just follows what she says.
With this "gender swap", Shakespeare is saying a few things. First of all, Shakespeare wrote this during the Renaissance. During the Renaissance women's rights and how they were looked upon was tremendously decreased. This is the case because people started looking more into the bible, and in the Adam and Eve story, Eve is the temptress of Adam. Therefore, woman were seen as witches who brought evil to the world and were incapable of wisdom, thought, and mortality. In Macbeth, Lady Macbeth is the temptress to Macbeth. When Macbeth tells her that he does not want to kill King Duncan, Lady Macbeth does not care because she knows the task must be done.
While Shakespeare is showing that women are the temptress to men and the people who bring evil into this world (Macbeth being the "innocent" one who does not want to kill Duncan), I think this portrays something different. If Macbeth doesn't want to kill Duncan or does not want to do anything that Lady Macbeth is suggesting, then don't do it. Even if Lady Macbeth is being the temptress in this situation (which I agree she is), Macbeth is simply being a coward for not sticking up for what he wants or believes. At least Lady Macbeth is strong and adamant on what she wants, while Macbeth is a follower.
In a way this is related, but not directly. Do you think Macbeth is smart or stupid or does he go back and forth. My opinion is that Macbeth is stupid and can act very childish at times, yet he also shows moments of mental prowess. One example of him being stupid and short-tempered is when Macbeth has the three murder's kill Banquo and his Son. This is stupid in my opinion because Macbeth should have just killed the children of Banquo, not Banquo himself because the prophecy says that only Banquo's sons will be kings and not Banquo himself. So why would macbeth add extra risk to being discovered by adding another target. It just seems silly and Macbeth only does this because he is mad that Banquo will have airs to the throne but he will not. He fails to see the long-term affect this has and only makes designs on what he is feeling at the time being. One thing that I do disagree with you about Sasha is "Male Dominant" stereotype in relationships. Quite a few relationships are dominated by the female. One quote to support this is, "Happy wife, Happy life." Basically saying that if your partner isn't happy then you will be miserable. However this isn't always the case.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you about how Banquo can sometimes act stupid (to jacks point). I feel as if Macbeth acted out of anger when he sent three murderers to kill Banquo and Banquo's son. It seemed like a rash decision that he made just because he was angry about the prophecy. Furthermore, now that he has more power it enables him to continue to make rash decisions instead of thinking before making a quick decision just because he can. On Jacks last point, while now a days many relationships are dominated by the female I still believe their is a stereo type of male dominance.
ReplyDeleteI do agree with you that there is a definite male dominance stereotype. Also, Macbeth is very rash and he illustrates his rashness and childless again in act 4 scene 1. An example is when at first the witches do not give him what he wants Macbeth throws a tantrum and exclaims "I will be satisfied. Deny me this/ and an eternal curse will fall upon you! Let me know!"(4.1.104-105). Also after the witches leave Macbeth announces "The very firstlings of my heart shall be/The firstlings of my hand. And even now,/To crown my thoughts with acts, be it thought and done:/The castle of Macduff I will surprise,/Seize upon Fife, give to th' edge o' th' sword/His wife, his babes, and all unfortunate souls/That trace him in his line"(4.1.147-153). Basically saying that if he doesn't do something right after he thinks about him, then it will never get done. He also says that he will kill Macduff's Wife and Children (not very manly) even though the second Apparition told him that no one born from a woman (everyone) will harm him. He is only killing them because he is impulsive and brash, and in the end I think that's what will kill him
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