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nature of women in Macbeth

            Revealing the Nature of Women Through Macbeth.
             Women as a whole are a very complex group of human beings. They can and have been .
             portrayed by society in many different ways, be they positive or negative. It is difficult to .
             accomplish a general representation of all women without instead stereotyping. However, there is .
             one known playwright who was able to achieve this. Shakespeare's Macbeth demonstrates a .
             complete view of women by showing all sides of women's nature through Lady Macbeth, Lady .
             MacDuff and the witches. This is subtly shown throughout the play in both the women's .
             personality and actions.
             First of all, Lady MacDuff represents the maternal nature of women. The word maternal .
             is defined as motherly and this is a characteristic that Lady MacDuff possesses as she has five .
             children that she loves. She lets one of her sons know that she cares when she calls himpoor .
             monkey? (IV.ii.57) which is a term of endearment. Lady MacDuff is so loving towards her .
             children that they in return love her a great deal. This is best shown when her son is stabbed and .
             with his last breath he calls out to his mother:He has kill?d me, / mother: Run away, I pray you!? .
             (IV.iii.86-87). This maternal bond with her son is an important aspect of the family life that Lady .
             Macbeth values. She is enraged when her husband leaves and is unable to comprehend why. .
             ?Wisdom? To leave his wife, / his babes?? (IV.ii.6-7). With her family together she can .
             maintain her role as mother and wife. Women crave to nurture and this is one of the sides of .
             women shown in Macbeth.
             Another side of women that is established in the play is the mysterious and manipulative .
             nature of women exemplified by the witches. They have the unique ability to manipulate fate. .
             Upon seeing Macbeth the witches declare: .
             All hail, Macbeth! hail to thee, thane of Glamis! .
             All hail, Macbeth! hail to thee, thane of Cawdor! .


Essays Related to nature of women in Macbeth

1. Influence of Women in Macbeth

From the opening scene, we begin to see the role that women play in Macbeth. ... Already, because of the women, Macbeth begins to entertain the idea of such power. ... In Macbeth, responsibility rests solely on the shoulders of the women in the play. ... Throughout Shakespeare's play, we see that Macbeth is the victim of evil seduction by women. ... "... her blood thickened, her milk changed to gaul - into the inhuman, the distortion of nature..." ...

  • Word Count: 1235
  • Approx Pages: 5
  • Grade Level: High School

2. Macbeth

Women at the time were inferior to men and witches were blamed for all unnatural events. ... Her ambitious nature and her willingness to see the witches prophecy come true for Macbeth sees her call upon the metaphysical world to rid her of her feminine qualities as she knows that Macbeths nature would prevent the prophecy coming true, with the words, Come, you spirits, that tend on mortal thoughts Unsex me here and fill me from crown to the toe topfull of direst cruelty She sees kind-heartedness and compassion as essentially feminine qualities and belive they are worthless when the t...

  • Word Count: 747
  • Approx Pages: 3
  • Grade Level: High School

3. Macbeth

Macbeth At times, women can have a great deal of influence over men, using language and emotions to control their thoughts and actions. Lady Macbeth, wife to the protagonist in Shakespeare's Macbeth, manipulates her indecisive husband into slaying the Scottish king. ... Lady Macbeth lacks the conscience which her husband is plagued with and says, "I do fear thy nature; it is too full o" th" milk of human kindness"(pg. 31). ... Unlike the typical woman, Lady Macbeth is cold hearted and cruel, putting her own prosperity before the moral integrity of Macbeth. ... However, once Macbe...

  • Word Count: 563
  • Approx Pages: 2
  • Grade Level: High School

4. Macbeth (Fate vs. Freewill)

MACBETH - FATE VS. FREEWILL Throughout Macbeth, Macbeth makes many key decisions that impact on his destiny in the play. ... Upon the opening of Macbeth, we encounter these three supernatural women discussing Macbeth, we can assume that these women have an interest in Macbeth and are going to be involved later on in the play. The fate of Macbeth is first discussed upon Macbeth's first meeting with the three witches. ... --Our fears in Banquo Stick deep; and in his royalty of nature Reigns that which would be fear'd: 'tis much he dares; And, to that dauntless temper of...

  • Word Count: 617
  • Approx Pages: 2
  • Grade Level: High School

5. Macbeth

Shakespeare lived in an era where women possessed few political and private rights. Women in this time were to remain silent, avoid political discussions and to focus on their duties within their households. Women were subjected to the will of men as men were thought to be greater morally, physically and intellectually. ... Lady Macbeth herself notices a so-called female quality in her husband: "I do fear that thy nature is too full o' th' milk of humane kindness."" ... I found it very intriguing that this adaptation of Shakespeare's text appeared to show that the only way for...

  • Word Count: 1432
  • Approx Pages: 6
  • Grade Level: High School

6. Macbeth

Aspirations to Downfall William Shakespeare's fourth tragedy, Macbeth, involves a character whose ambitious nature is the cause of his tragic flaw. ... The three old women stir up an evil pensiveness by persuading Macbeth to become King. ... Also the evil sisters cause Macbeth to change his life. Macbeth's ambition converts the blessings of nature into a curse when he becomes King Macbeth as a result of the murder he committed (Bloom 166). ... "The play Macbeth was the culmination of a long development of tragic writing on the theme of the rise and fall of an ambitious prince,...

  • Word Count: 887
  • Approx Pages: 4
  • Grade Level: High School

7. Macbeth and Banquo

Macbeth and Banquo encounter three witches on a blasted heath. ... He cannot tell if they are real women or not by the sight of them wearing so much facial hair. ... He tries to convince Macbeth that they might "win us to our harm." ... However, Macbeth's integrity has already begun to be undermined. ... He feels elated but then begins to question if the predictions are good, "why do I yield to that suggestion whose horrid image doth unfix my hair and make my seated heart knock at my ribs, against the use of nature?" ...

  • Word Count: 375
  • Approx Pages: 2
  • Grade Level: High School

8. Lady Macbeth

She pleads, saying "Stop up the access and passage to remorse / That no compunctious visitings of nature / Shake my fell purpose nor keep peace between / The effect and it!" ... Lady Macbeth's ability to maneuver situations to her advantage without alerting the remainder of the court is an admirable, although it is seen as a somewhat negative quality for women of her time period. ... Although Lady Macbeth committed serious and unforgivable crimes against herself and her country, I feel that she is not only a model for women but for people in general. ... Lady Macbeth does both of th...

  • Word Count: 911
  • Approx Pages: 4
  • Grade Level: Undergraduate

9. Macbeth

It is a perversion of his nature to murder. ... Quite simply, it would be impossible for her or most other women to achieve a senior, influential position during the time period. ... He suspects Macbeth's involvement in Duncan's murder, as he mentions "That hast it now, King, Cawdor" just as how "the weird women promised." ... His aspirations come out further as he says to Fleance, his son, "Merciful powers, Restrain in me the cursed thoughts that nature" gives "way to in repose!" ... [S] Both Lady Macbeth and Macbeth experience sleeplessness. ...

  • Word Count: 2918
  • Approx Pages: 12
  • Grade Level: High School

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