Lady Macbeth's Masculinity

Masculinity - Lady Macbeth

Lady Macbeth is a woman with masculine traits who wants to have her femininity removed. She attacks Macbeth's masculinity at various points in the play.

‘Unsex me here...

‘Come you spirits / That tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here / And fill me from the crown to the toe topfull / Of direst cruelty’ (1,5).
Lady Macbeth wishes that she could be more masculine and have the qualities that people thought belonged to men.
These included strength, courage and ruthlessness, as can be seen in this quote.
She uses many imperative (ordering) verbs here to show she is in command.
She orders the spirits to ‘unsex’ her because she wants to be less feminine.

Illustrative background for <b>‘Pale and green’</b> (1,7)

Illustrative background for <b>‘Pale and green’</b> (1,7) ?? "content

‘Pale and green’ (1,7)

This is one of the ways Lady Macbeth attacks Macbeth’s masculinity when he shows doubts about going through with the murder.
She asks him if he would rather live in fear than take action for the things he wants: ‘Art thou afeared / To be the same in thine own act and valour, / As thou art in desire?’
By questioning his bravery, she suggests that he is weak. Men were supposed to be strong.

'Are you a man?'

When Macbeth sees Banquo’s ghost, Lady Macbeth says: 'Are you a man?' (3,4).
Madness was seen as a disorder that only affected women.

‘Bring forth men-children'

‘Bring forth men-children only, / For thy undaunted mettle should compose / Nothing but males’ (1,7).

When Macbeth says these words to his wife, it reflects the value of bravery at the time. He is saying that her bravery – ‘undaunted mettle’ – is so praiseworthy and masculine that the only children she will give birth to will be males.
Again, this suggests that Lady Macbeth has some masculine traits in the play.

1Literary & Cultural Context

1.1Context

1.1.1Tragedy

1.1.2The Supernatural & Gender

1.1.3Politics & Monarchy

1.1.4End of Topic Test - Context

2Plot Summary

2.1Act 1

2.1.1Scenes 1 & 2

2.1.2Scene 3

2.1.3Scenes 4-5

2.1.4Scenes 6-7

2.1.5End of Topic Test - Act 1

2.2Acts 2-4

2.2.1Act 2

2.2.2Act 3

2.2.3Act 4

2.3Act 5

2.3.1Scenes 1-3

2.3.2Scenes 4-9

2.3.3End of Topic Test - Acts 2-5

2.3.4Diagnostic Misconceptions - Ambiguous Ending

2.3.5Diagnostic Misconceptions - Jacobean

3Characters

4Themes

4.1Themes

4.1.1Power & Ambition

4.1.2Power & Ambition HyperLearning

4.1.3Violence

4.1.4The Supernatural

4.1.5Masculinity

4.1.6Armour, Kingship & The Natural Order

4.1.7Appearances & Deception

4.1.8Madness & Blood

4.1.9Women, Children & Sleep

4.1.10End of Topic Test - Themes

4.1.11End of Topic Test - Themes 2

4.2Grade 9 - Themes

4.2.1Grade 9 - Themes

4.2.2Extract Analysis

5Writer's Techniques

5.1Structure, Meter & Other Literary Techniques

5.1.1Structure, Meter & Dramatic Irony

5.1.2Pathetic Fallacy & Symbolism

5.1.3End of Topic Test - Writer's Techniques

6Recap: Main Quotes

6.1Characters Quotes

6.1.1Macbeth

6.1.2Macbeth 2

6.1.3Macbeth 3

6.1.4Macbeth 4

6.1.5Lady Macbeth

6.1.6Lady Macbeth 2

6.1.7Banquo

6.1.8Banquo 2

6.1.9The Witches

6.1.10King Duncan

6.1.11Macduff

6.2Text Structure - Quotes

6.2.1Violence

6.2.2The Supernatural

6.2.3Ambition

6.2.4Armour, Kingship & the Natural Order

6.2.5Appearances & Deception

6.2.6Lady Macbeth's Masculinity

6.2.7Madness & Blood

6.2.8Men, Children & Sleep

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