English poet and playwright, William Shakespeare, existed during the late 1500’s and into the early 1600’s, a period often referred to as the Elizabethan Era. The societal norms and ideas differ significantly to that of today’s society, particularly that of gender roles and association to power. During the Elizabethan Era, it was an expectation for men to possess brave and heroic qualities, unafraid to commit acts of violence. On the contrast, women were often subservient to the dominant male figures, stereotyped as weak, dependent and emotional. Shakespeare’s infamous tragedy, ‘Macbeth’ challenges the traditional gender roles of the Elizabethan era by incorporating various characters that possess qualities not normally associated with their biological gender. Through various bodies of …show more content…
Many of his characters often adopt opposite societal gender roles, represented by the characters of Macbeth, Lady Macbeth and the witches, enforcing the idea that gender is not a defining aspect of an individual. The incorporation of various characters throughout the play of ‘Macbeth’ disrupt the conventional gender roles. One particular character, who has crucial significance in the play, is the wife of Macbeth. Despite being a woman, Lady Macbeth is perceived as a relatively inhumane and cruel individual, who lacks any sort of compassion or emotion. Toward the beginning of the play, it is apparent that Lady Macbeth holds great dominance over the relationship between her and her husband, highlighted by her ability to manipulate and provoke him into committing acts of murder and treason. The influence Lady Macbeth has is most prominent in Act 1 Scene 5, following the receiving of Macbeth’s crowning as Thane of Cawdor. Although receiving a