Macduff views men as creatures with sentiment and ardor. He openly shows his emotions with ease for he was the first person to express his suspicion of Macbeth. When the ambitious noblemen murdered the chamberlains, Macduff questioned, “Wherefore did you so (II.iii.103)”. Macduff knew immediately that Macbeth had killed King Duncan. Even so, he candidly inquired about Macbeths incentives without fear. He was encouraged to hide his heart. When Lady Macduff was murdered, Malcolm ordered Macduff to, “Dispute it like a man (IV.iii.225).” The sensitive character retorts that, “[He] shall do so,/ But [he] must also feel it as a man (IV.iii.226-227).” Before, being a man it meant cutting all attachments to human feelings. In this scene, Macduff redefines what constitutes a man.
Early on in the play, Malcolm is proclaimed the heir to the kingdom. Only males can be successors to the throne. The crown is his birthright but he also proves himself worthy of the position. His father was a great man for he, “Was a most sainted king (VII.v.111).” He was intelligent enough to learn from his father’s mistakes; Malcolm tested Macduff’s loyalty before he joined the fight against Macbeth. King Duncan misjudged the people around him and Malcolm is clever enough to avoid that mistake. Intelligence and benevolence comprise a man. Malcolm endeavored to follow King Duncan’s foot steps and he succeeded by remaining, “unknown to a woman…” and, “At no time [did he break his] faith (IV.iii.128, 130)…” Being pure of heart and body showed his strength because he resisted temptation and sinful acts. Malcolm is a man of power and virtue for he exemplifies the best qualities in a man.
Together Macbeth, Macduff, and Malcolm represent masculinity. Each individual does not equal a whole but combined, they form one man. Macbeth is one third of a man for he was blatantly manipulated by Lady Macbeth. She seemingly commits suicide later on which is the most cowardly way to die. So in actuality, Macbeth was controlled by a coward. Even though Macduff and Malcolm embodied noble and manly qualities, they also epitomized feminine traits. Macduff was openly emotional while Malcolm treasured and guarded his purity. As individuals they have no worth, but united they define masculinity. (needs some work yet)
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From childhood, little girls always wore pink and little boys always wore blue; that was how their gender was defined. Later in life, those little girls grew up to be intuitive thinkers and the little boys transformed into deductive thinkers. Women were born feminine while men were born masculine. Society defined women as submissive, emotional and domesticated whereas men were born to be the exact opposite. Sociologist Janet Saltzman Chafetz determined that there are seven specific masculine characteristics: physical, functional, sexual, emotional, intellectual, interpersonal, and other (either say what they are or don’ say it) personal traits. The notable play, “Macbeth” by William Shakespeare, portrays a variety of masculine characteristics through his characters. Each of them personifies or refutes virility, functionalism , sexuality, stoicism, practicality, leadership, and ambition.
The conventional definition of masculinity is uncomplicated; it is explained as having qualities appropriate to or usually associated with a man. However, the meaning of masculinity has changed over the ages. Prehistoric man showed their dominance with murder; it was the base of their survival. They were built to kill without remorse. As time passed, murder became the agent of man’s downfall.
Laws and morality now prevent man from killing one another. But, deep inside each individual is the capacity to take a life. They pretend the ability does not exist for they are afraid of how society would judge them. Although under certain circumstances, time turns back and they regain their ancestor’s abilities. Man is hard-wired with these characteristics, hence, for Macbeth, there is no escape from the inevitable return to man’s roots.
Macbeth’s understanding of machismo gradually transforms as the play progresses. He is When we first meet Macbeth, he is is strong and manly figure for he fought ardently for his kingdom. The hero “…unseamed him from the nave to th’ chops,/ And fixed his head upon [their] battlements (I.ii.22-23).” We take a deeper look into Macbeth’s character when he kills Macdonwald and discovers his hidden cruelty. Even though he is revered as a hero; we now see that Macbeth is capable of cold-blooded murder henceforth defining him as a real man, detached from emotions and sensitivity. However, this sense of manliness disappears when he is expected to murder the benevolent King Duncan. The thane expresses his newfound sense of masculinity by claiming, “[he dares] do all that may become a man;” and “Who dares do more is none (I.vii.46-47).” Macbeth does not think loyalty and love are manly traits for he defends his decision to refrain from assassinating King Duncan by masking it with excuses. There is a thin line from doing what it takes to become a man and daring to do too much in order to enter manhood. Macbeth chooses to justify virility as being powerful and aloof while others disagree.
Macduff views men as creatures with sentiment and ardor. He openly shows his emotions with ease for he was the first person to express his suspicion of Macbeth. When the ambitious noblemen murdered the chamberlains, Macduff questioned, “Wherefore did you so (II.iii.103)”. Macduff knew immediately that Macbeth had killed King Duncan. Even so, he candidly inquired about Macbeths incentives without fear. He was encouraged to hide his heart. When Lady Macduff was murdered, Malcolm ordered Macduff to, “Dispute it like a man (IV.iii.225).” The sensitive character retorts that, “[He] shall do so,/ But [he] must also feel it as a man (IV.iii.226-227).” Before, being a man it meant cutting all attachments to human feelings. In this scene, Macduff redefines what constitutes a man.
Early on in the play, Malcolm is proclaimed the heir to the kingdom. Only males can be successors to the throne. The crown is his birthright but he also proves himself worthy of the position. His father was a great man for he, “Was a most sainted king (VII.v.111).” He was intelligent enough to learn from his father’s mistakes; Malcolm tested Macduff’s loyalty before he joined the fight against Macbeth. King Duncan misjudged the people around him and Malcolm is clever enough to avoid that mistake. Intelligence and benevolence comprise a man. Malcolm endeavored to follow King Duncan’s foot steps and he succeeded by remaining, “unknown to a woman…” and, “At no time [did he break his] faith (IV.iii.128, 130)…” Being pure of heart and body showed his strength because he resisted temptation and sinful acts. Malcolm is a man of power and virtue for he exemplifies the best qualities in a man.
Together Macbeth, Macduff, and Malcolm represent masculinity. Each individual does not equal a whole but combined, they form one man. Macbeth is one third of a man for he was blatantly manipulated by Lady Macbeth. She seemingly commits suicide later on which is the most cowardly way to die. So in actuality, Macbeth was controlled by a coward. Even though Macduff and Malcolm embodied noble and manly qualities, they also epitomized feminine traits. Macduff was openly emotional while Malcolm treasured and guarded his purity. As individuals they have no worth, but united they define masculinity.
