Macbeth: Violence and Masculinity

Macbeth: Introduction

• Macbeth is the main character of the Shakespearean tragedy of the same name, and is considered a tragic hero
• A tragic hero starts from a place of high regard but falls due to errors in judgement
• Tragic heroes have a fatal flaw or hamartia; Macbeth's is unchecked ambition
• He cannot resist going after what he wants, regardless of the moral repercussions
• Macbeth is presented as the stereotypical hero and ideal warrior at the start of the play
• Shakespeare uses Macbeth's noble status to give him a high position from which to fall
• The tragic hero must start at the top, that they can fall
• Macbeth's journey from hero to villain, from brave warrior to coward allows Shakespeare to explore gender, power, and morality
• Macbeth's tense and passionate relationship with his wife allows Shakespeare to examine gender roles, marital relations, and power in society
• Macbeth allows himself to be overpowered by his wife which means that he takes on a more feminine role in their marriage
• He falls from a brave, masculine warrior to a passive feminine coward
• This change in gender expression could be the reason to his villainy
• Breaking norms and order of society makes characters vulnerable to corruption and temptation
• Macbeth's character is significant in terms of philosophy, religion, and morality
• His personality is defined by both his ambition and his guilt
• He focuses on the future he desires, but constantly looks over his shoulder and is haunted by his crimes
• Predestination is explored: is Macbeth's life controlled by fate, or is his destiny of his own making?

Character in Context

Gender

• Masculinity is explored, but the associated gender performance of Macbeth's character is ambiguous
• Macbeth symbolizes toxic and repressive masculinity, which associates manhood with violence
• Macbeth's fear of being emasculated and feminine traits means Shakespeare explores femininity

Manhood

• Macbeth is successful in battle, has a loyal wife, and is destined to climb the social ladder
• For Macbeth, masculinity is synonymous with valour, power, and violence
• He believes he will be seen as effeminate without pursing kingship
• Macbeth treats Lady Macbeth as his equal or superior and is manipulated by her
• Lady Macbeth has the power to strip him of his masculinity
• Ambition is Macbeth's weakness as challenges to his manhood are enough to convince him to commit crimes
• Macbeth strives to be indisputably 'manly'

Religion

• Jacobean England was deeply religious
• Mentions of faith are present in the play, full of sinners and treachery
• Macbeth rarely mentions God, but the idea of Heaven and Hell weighs heavily on his mind
• Macbeth is worried about the destination of his immortal soul
• Macbeth mentions sacrificing 'the life to come', sacrificing his eternal life in Heaven for power during his finite life on Earth
• A significant part of Macbeth's character arc involves how he copes with turning his back on God
• Heaven will object to plans
• Killing Duncan is a conscious choice to end his good ways and embrace corrupt temptation
• After the murder, Macbeth has a moral crisis and an identity crisis

Setting

• Scotland is constructed as Hellish and godless after Duncan's murder to match Macbeth
• Crops fail, strange cries fill the air, and the country lives in eternal darkness
• Macbeth's mental state mirrors state of his kingdom and suggests living without God is the worst fate for man

Homosociality & Male Friendship

• Male friendships comprised a large part of Jacobean Culture
• Jacobean society was patriarchal; the public domain was exclusively for men
• Men were business partners, colleagues, and school peers
• Men were emotionally and psychologically attuned to only each other
• Military standards influenced society as male solidarity and loyalty were important values
• Part of Macbeth's moral crisis comes from the ideal of male friendship
• Killing Duncan betrays a friend, and king, going against everything Macbeth values
• Killing Banquo is shocking as Macbeth is supposed to be his closest friend
• No one can suspect a man betraying another

Tragic Hero

• The concept of the tragic hero, a hero who is flawed, was a popular concept in Shakespeare's plays and Renaissance theatre
• Certain stages lead to a tragic hero's downfall
• The hamartia, or tragic flaw, which causes downfall
• The hubris, or excessive pride and disrespect for natural order
• The peripeteia, reversal of fate
• Anagnorisis, discovery
• Nemesis, unavoidable punishment
• Catharsis, where the audience can feel of pity and fear for the protagonist towards their undoing

Unchecked Ambition

• Macbeth's unchecked ambition is his hamartia
• Shakespeare uses the idea of a tragic hero to teach importance of morality and of respecting Gods will
• Tragic hero's cause audience to feel sympathy
• Shakespeare ensures we root for Macbeth and want wanting him to succeed and avoid detection
• A moral crisis is created for the audience as investment in Macbeth makes his turn pure villainy more painful to bear
• We relate to Macbeth's desires and are forced to admit that he goes against his desires
• Macbeth's death is deserved and just

Key Characteristics

Ambitious

• Macbeth's unchecked ambition is his undoing as he would have improved his position in society and kept his soul fit for Heaven if had been patient

• Macbeth gives into temptation when he falls under force of Lady Macbeth

• Macbeth ends the play in a lower position, and loses grace, favour, and respect

• The issue isn't desire itself, but how Macbeth allows himself to be controlled by it

• Other characters, like Banquo and Malcolm, show ambition, but know how to restrain it

• Macbeth is oblivious to morality and natural order

• Shakespeare shows audience that ambition is a sin when it foes against God's will for the way things are meant to be

• Killing Duncan to become king makes Macbeth fights his way up the Chain of Being

• Macbeth goes against the current, led by his ambition

• Shakespeare seems to want to teach the audience the importance of self-awareness, conscience, and self-restraint

• You should be content with God's plans for you and control our ambition

• Fear of espionage was relevant at the time

Guilty

• Macbeth becomes guilt-ridden and tragically remorseful after the murder
• Macbeth has to live with what he's done and the knowledge that there is no undoing it
• Macbeth's guilt makes a nihilistic figure, making him surrounded by blood, darkness, and death
• Guilt makes Macbeth's undoing unbearable for him and the audience
• What might have been a political or historical play, righteous uprising against a tyrannical king, Macbeth has become a psychological tragedy of his metal state
• Macbeth's ambition propels him into inescapable regret, guilt is the real punishment for regicide, not execution
• Macbeth is troubled to know what Christians believed lived on after death went to Heaven or Hell when no one suspects his play
• Our conscience ensures no crime or sin can go unpunished

Violent

• The play of Macbeth is filled with both internal and external violence and conflict
• The smallest range of conflict is internal, largest is between free will and fate
• Similar tensions are present between good and evil, natural and supernatural, and reality vs appearance
• Macbeth associates violence with manhood/masculinity

Key Moments: Beginning (1.1-2.2)

• Macbeth first meets the witches and their words catalyze his change in character

• Macbeth is portrayed with determination to defend Scotland, revealing bravery, loyalty and skill

• Opening scene, Macbeth struggles with internal consistency, suggesting 2 personalities fighting against differing destinies

• Each scene seems with a polarizing choice

• Macbeth's soliloquies reveal debate, deliberation and anxiety

• Glimpse of guilt which will plague Macbeth after Duncan's murder

• Macbeth seems heartless and determined to King regardless of circumstance

• Impossible that Macbeth could back out of Duncans murder

• Key defining trait in Macbeths character is weak will + easily manipulated

• Key element that relates to manipulation is fragile masculinity

• Macbeth prove himself, prove manliness = ambition ties to his deflated ego

• Title of king is a proof of manhood

Middle (2.3 - 3.4)

• Macbeth's crisis of character peaks

• Qualities known do not appear: cowardice indecisiveness- and is over taken by paranoia

• Conflict evolves into ambition vs ambition

• Regret and can't bear to face

• Descends to violence/betrayal

• Macbeth seemingly unstoppable descent related to paranoia

• Murdering has great toll with him

• Macbeth decides to embrace new violent life

• final dev is sacrificing peace

Relationships

Lady Macbeth

• Both Lady Macbeth and Macbeth equally powerhungry
• Majority sees marriage as plotting and conspiring- both weakened by guilt and isolated
• Biggest diff: confidence

Lady Macbeth power

• Int holds power and position = Relies Macbeth status but conttols mh as a puppet
• Eventually plotting without
• Duncan vs macbrth both kings but rightful to tryant

Macbeths side of Duncan

• Loyal thane of kings. Relies. On guide and Macbeth proud to serve
• Just like want to be king but rightful heir throne
• Macduff is macbeths foil as respects etc
• Banquo both but choses honor not temptated. Prood corruption
• "I have no spur / to prick sides and of my intent but valtuing ambitions / and falls and its own

Key Quotes

'what makes kill

• Macbeth knew arguments killed was selfish blind will disatster
• " o 'erlaps itself / and falcons" : ambiltiom makes I ink illigical
• " " the horse racing mimicking way pep le trest life
• All this Macbeth sees himself jockey horse
• " - he was" to sepeartae people

"For vrave macbet" well he deserves that a name disdaining / fortune with his smoked w/ bloody execution Like valor minion passage Thigh he faced slave bade till he his upon our" Macbeth is the great scotf need

• " brave" - w sword and violence is blood

' blood

• The met" smoked" violence is desterctve like fire
• Is Bible. Anges God with g sword

' mac Beth

• like" he minion"
• This is the events Macbeth his

(1:4)

• Quotes shows
• Duality in light or night
• ."" hand
• Hand

Out out brief candle and it for then is a sound but signy"

• Macbet is near ton change sadnes
• This emhphashes. the facade of life
• This are light

Beguille

Lady mac Beth is the queen, but may he is

• "i. That you

Relationships

• Lady and

Duncam

1.2 key quites, Thou what

Thou

Key Quites

the earths

• .The

"the

• This

is

• This is it

The quited

• Here.

Key

• Thinks.