Examples Of Archetypes In Macbeth

We hear how women are affected by archetypes set up for them, but have you ever heard about a masculine archetype? The archetype of a man constructs a view on how males should behave, and any male that doesn’t behave or follow the archetype is subject to emasculation. The pro-feminist take on Shakespeare’s Macbeth expresses that having masculine archetypes are harmful to men. Macbeth, a character who struggles to prove his masculinity, highlights how the masculine archetype is overall damaging to his life.
Macbeth displays how the masculine archetype easily manipulates his mind by performing actions to win approval from others. In the beginning of the play, Shakespeare introduces the audience to a “brave Macbeth” (1.2. 16) after the war ends. When referring to Macbeth as “brave,” Shakespeare comments on how he protects his country, a character trait found in the masculine archetype. Later in the play, Lady Macbeth wants Macbeth to kill the king, proclaiming that “[Macbeth] would be so much more the man” (1.7. 50-51). The archetype for a man is that he remains ambitious and chases after his dreams, she uses this against him to gain control of his mind. She then tells him to “screw [his] courage to the

When visiting the witches for the last time they make him believe that his bold actions are appropriate since “ none of woman born shall hurt [him]” (4.1. 94-95). Since everyone is born from a “woman”, then he feels as if nothing would happen to him, especially with his enemy and the king gone. He carries this attitude as Macduff, another enemy, approaches him with signs of vengefulness. Macbeth’s arrogance leads him to believe that he can beat Macduff who “opposed, being of no woman born” (5.7. 61-62). Though he knows that Macduff can hurt him because he’s not “woman born”, he continues to fight him. Ultimately it is Macbeth’s arrogance that leads to his