Examples Of Manhood In Macbeth

In The (Tragedy of Macbeth) Written by William Shakespeare there is many scenes with manhood. Manhood is often questioned by the other characters to get someone to do something. Many characters in this play say they are men when sometimes they really aren’t. Such as when Macbeth was not going to kill Duncan so she had to question his manhood. In Acts 1-5 of this play the theme of manhood is often questionable for Macbeth. First, Macbeth believes that he is a man already but Lady Macbeth does not think this. Macbeth is often not very manly is these scenes. He already thinks that he is a man but he really isn’t. “I dare do all that may become a man; Who dares do more is none.”(1:7 46-47) Macbeth is telling Lady Macbeth that he will do anything to become a man. Although, his statements are very false because he was not going to Murder Duncan until she questioned him saying he wasn’t a man. Howayda sais,” Culture and society alone do not shape identity” Culture and society can shape someone on the outside. Macbeth may look like a man from the outside to some people but lady Macbeth knows that he was never going to kill king Duncan.

She questions him so that Macbeth will do things he usually wouldn’t do. When he went to kill Duncan he was not going to do it unless someone questioned him about his manhood. If you have to be questioned about your manhood to do something then you are not truly a man. Lady Macbeth infers, “When you durst do it, then you were a man;”(1:7 49) Lady Macbeth is questioning his manhood here, and saying that he has not yet become a man. She is saying that once he kills Duncan then he becomes a