Evelin Luna05/25/12Period: 3

Feminism in Macbeth.

Shakespeare says a lot about the nature of women when he wrote his play “Macbeth”.

In the play he shows the readers what he thinks women are naturally like. We see his point of

view portrayed in Lady Macbeth and other women in the play. From the book itself and other

articles it can be interpreted that Shakespeare tries to say the nature of women is that they are

weak, and they manipulate, some people may argue and say that because lady Macbeth was

the one who influenced Macbeth into murder she is more evil but Macbeth turned out to be

the real monster.

In Shakespeare play he first introduces Lady Macbeth as strong character. Lady Macbeth

attempts to act like a man to take position of the status as a royalty. She does this because she

knows men are known to be the stronger gender. “First shown as an iron-willed character,”

Davis. Throughout the play Lady Macbeth asks to get rid of her feminine weakness and be

changed with masculine strength. To take away her womanly nature so she won’t fell any

regret in the wicked plan of killing Duncan. Towards the end of the book lady Macbeth returns

to her natural role of a women and becomes pathetic. She is being constantly tormented by the

culpability of Duncan’s death, until she loses her mind. “Yet here’s a spot... Out, damned spot!

Out, I say! One. Two.” Act V Scene I. Lady Macbeth is being haunted by the “nightmares of

guilt” and regret. “Lady Macbeth’s eventual weakness is a result of a patriarchal portrayal of

her gender,” Davis. Even though she tried to be strong and take the lead to the throne she

couldn’t handle all of the responsibility and pressure that came along with it. Showing women

can’t deal with things men are comfortable with.

Evelin Luna05/25/12Period: 3

Besides women being weak Shakespeare also says they manipulate. Lady Macbeth was

the one who introduced Macbeth into the murder of Duncan. “When you durst do it, then you

were a man; and to be more than what you were, you would be so much more than man,” Act I

scene VII. Lady Macbeth tries to manipulate by questioning Macbeths manliness. If he backs out

he will be less than a man. When Macbeth is having second thoughts about killing Duncan, Lady

Macbeth persuades him so he can take the opportunity to become the king. Lady Macbeth acts

on the witches prophecy and leads him into royalty. She was the one who controlled him and

persuaded him into killing and taking the throne.

Others may argue that lady Macbeth was the most evil in the play but even after

Macbeth had the throne he still continue to murder who ever got in his way. Macbeth didn’t

stop after obtaining what he wanted but he went further on. Killing Banquo, lady macduff, and

her children. “Both of you know banquo was your enemy,” Act III Scene I. Macbeth tells the

murderers banquo is their enemy and they need to kill him. That is not really the reason but

Macbeth had become a monster and hungry for power. Macbeth was scared that the witches’

prophecy of Banquos sons being kings will be true. Lady Macbeth had nothing to do with this

and he acted upon his self. Then when the witches warned him about macduff, Macbeth went

and killed lady macduff and her children to hurt macduff. By this time lady Macbeth was already

mentally ruined and did not influence Macbeth to do this.

Evelin Luna05/25/12Period: 3

Lady Macbeth tried to be as strong as a man, but failed. She tried to take control of

Macbeth but her efforts were unsuccessful because of her weaker gender. She had lost her

mind, she couldn’t take it and that eventually led to suicide. Her emotions and weakness didn’t

let her succeed and that is what we can assume Shakespeare is saying in his play. The role of

women would be to support men but not to try to overcome them or take away their power. To

stand behind them and not pretend to have their role, Lady Macbeth is the most obvious

example of this.