While Macbeth appears to be the picturesque image of manliness – known by his peers as a successful soldier and respectable leader – his behavior proves to be the exact opposite of what is expected of men during the Elizabethan era. In depicting the constant power struggle between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, Shakespeare questions not only Macbeth’s manliness but the effect that traditional gender roles can have on a person’s mental development. In Act I.vii.45-46, before Lady Macbeth gives her opinions concerning manhood, her husband declares, “I dare do all that may become a man; / Who dares more is none.” It is obvious here that Macbeth is well in-tune with his own ideas of what constitutes a man. However, the reader soon realizes that Macbeth, while manly in appearance, is actually easily manipulated, as evidenced by how defensive upon being accused by his wife of showing cowardice “like the poor cat i’th’adage” (I.vii.47). Although Elizabethan men were expected to be independent and fearless, Macbeth, overcome by his own greed, fails to express either of these qualities, thus prompting him to lead a tyrannical, immoral lifestyle characterized by murderous actions and deceit.
Macbeth Act I.vii - A Conversation Concerning Manhood
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1PVWR4N-dA (1:10-2:05)
Macbeth Act I.vii - A Conversation Concerning Manhood
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1PVWR4N-dA (1:10-2:05)