The qualities that make a man a man haven't really changed much in the course of human history. Although technology has advanced, cities have grown, masculinity remains a constant. There is a reason that the works of William Shakespeare are still so widely taught and valued and that is because the way Shakespeare portrays the human condition remains accurate in modern times. This includes his representations of manhood, particular in Macbeth. Macbeth is as much a tale about masculinity as it is about the struggle for power. In Shakespeare's time and our own, these pursuits are one and the same. Shakespeare conveys the values of manhood mainly through the character of Lady Macbeth.
In the beginning of the play, Lady Macbeth views her marriage to Macbeth as leaning to her side in terms of power balance. She lacks respect for him because she views him as weak-willed. When he sends her the letter informing her of his heightened status she muses, "Yet I do fear thy nature; It is too full o' th' milk of human kindness To catch the nearest way." She desires more power and wishes for Macbeth to gain more titles so she can taste it at least indirectly. Lady Macbeth views his human kindness as weakness and thus not manly. This is mirrored in modern society as well. We do not view men who show emotion or kindness as real men, nor men who are not overtly ambitious. Men are instead expected to desire promotions and 'make the bacon.' In modern times we would probably see Lady Macbeth as the provider and Macbeth as more of a homemaker, which wouldn't give him value as a man either.
Another truth Shakespeare reveals about manhood is the negativity associated with mental illness. At the banquet Macbeth is haunted by the ghost of Banquo and begins behaving erratically. Embarrassed and concerned that the noblemen will suspect them of foul play, Lady Macbeth dismisses Macbeth's behavior as something trivial. She then turns her attention to Macbeth about his behavior and asks him, "Are you a man?" in hopes of shaking his strange behavior. The implication is that it is not suitable for a man in this time to suffer from mental illness. Illnesses of the mind are considered womanly. Modern times also see this stigma. It's bad for both genders but particularly nuanced for men.
I really like how you approached this question by examining Lady Macbeth. I think her character is probably the most interesting or telling of the play. I would agree with the associations you connected to manhood and that they have persisted in to modern times. I would also argue that Macbeth's physical strength and ability are a big part of his manhood. This too is still seen as a central part of masculinity, though to a lesser extent than 500 years ago.
ReplyDeleteYou go Mitra!! This is such a good blog post. I agree with Kaylee in that you were smart to approach the question by examining Lady Macbeth. She does reveal a lot about the gender roles in their society. All of the comments you made about manhood are completely accurate, but I believe our society is slowly but surely drifting away from these distinct views of manhood. I personally think men who show emotion and kindness are still real men and actually the better men.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with your views on masculinity. The way you explained Shakespeare's portrayal of it through Lady M and Macbeth is absolutely the impression i got during our reading as well. In Shakespeare's time the importance of masculinity is made even more apparent by Macbeth's lack of it in his relationship. Great post Mitra.
ReplyDeleteThis is awesome!! I really enjoyed reading this post and found the way you went about this question by examining Lady Macbeth very fascinating because she is one of the most complex characters who questions gender roles within the play. I like how you showed the importance of masculinity in the period that Shakespeare wrote this through Lady Macbeth questioning Macbeth's manhood and power. Great job!!
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