Macbeth Gender Roles Essay

Throughout history, the notion of a “man box,” or the specific characteristic that define manhood, has existed to solidify gender roles. Gender norms play a steady role in society as it changes from generation to generation. For most parts of the world today, being a man does not always suggest masculinity. Men play their manly role and women, play theirs to meet the needs of their society. In Macbeth by Shakespeare, the stereotypical roles of men has influenced the plot. The qualities of what it is to be a man are used to justify their actions.
In the playwright, there are many instances where characters use the stereotypical roles of men to induce action. Namely, Lady Macbeth uses the “ideal” characteristics of men to turn her innocent …show more content…
One can claim that women are given much more freedom than they had before. But the characteristics of femininity such as, gentleness, sensitivity, and empathy still define most women. In many parts of the world patriarchy is still enact so the traits that make women submissive still influence those societies. Lady Macbeth breaks this gender barrier by displaying unwomanly conduct as she usurps Macbeth by ordering him around. In Macbeth, it seems that gender roles played a role in people’s lives to a greater extent than it does today. With time, rigid gender roles are fading away. Today, the roles of men are not tied to the traditional expectations of men. However, it still influences the lives of men today. An example of the influence of gender roles can be seen in Macbeth as Macbeth is tempted to murder the king to prove his masculinity. The language of the Man Box is used by Lady Macbeth, Macbeth, and Malcolm was to encourage others to be a man. Some male character such as Banquo, Macbeth, and Macduff also show the characteristic of men. As people are assigned to a gender at birth, they are limited to these characteristic their whole