Two pieces of work we have been working on throughout this year are Things Fall Apart and Macbeth. Specifically-- we have been working with these novels/plays in correlation with gender roles, masculinity, religion and other topics. Chinua Achebe is the author of "Things Fall Apart" which is a piece of literature set in Nigeria in the late 1800s that explores the detrimental effects of colonialism on traditional African society. This novel focuses on the story of Okonkwo, a respected and influential member of the Igbo tribe, and his struggle to maintain his cultural identity and traditional values in the face of European imperialism. William Shakespeare's "Macbeth" is a tragedy set in medieval Scotland, following the ambitious and power-hungry Macbeth as he murders his way to the throne;fed by the prophecies of the three witches and his own intense thirst for power. When Macbeth becomes increasingly paranoid and tormented by guilt, his actions ultimately lead to his downfall.
As we can see, there is a pattern with these characters leading to their own downfall due to their behavior. In this essay, I will be focusing on how masculinity has affected the main male characters, their actions, and behavior in these pieces. Macbeth and Okonkwo both share a rigid, traditional perspective on masculinity that emphasizes strength,
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Macbeth feels pressure to prove his masculinity to Lady Macbeth, who questions his courage and manhood when he hesitates to murder King Duncan for the throne. This pressure drives Macbeth to kill not only Duncan--but also his closest friends and allies in his pursuit of power. As the play progresses, Macbeth's increasing paranoia and guilt over his actions further entrench his belief that he must maintain his masculinity at all costs. This would ultimately be Macbeth's