Ambition and masculinity in MacBeth illuminate MacBeth’s thirst for the crown, and how his Wish to preserve his manhood inhibit his actions making many question his masculinity due to his indecision. Constantly defending his masculinity to his wife. MacBeth actually commits more unhonorable acts in an attempt to protect his ideal of being a man. Shakespeare’s detail in MacBeth shows how MacBeth thought that his action were wrong. something a man would never do. yet he continues in these acts under the pressure of his wife to commit these acts becoming less of a man in the views of the audience all in an attempt to maintain his image of masculinity to society. Claiming, “we will go no further in this business,” MacBeth clearly states his intentions to do the honorable thing and cease his schemes. but under his Wife‘s question of are “thee not a man?” MacBeth feels obligated to show her the complete untruth in her Words.
MacBeth is unable to feel secure in his manhood and powers as a husband if his own Wife is willing to question his manhood Feeling the need to prove his manhood MacBeth is Willing to do the fell deed almost as a “dare” to prove his manliness, “Bearing his powers With such meekness.” Duncan was a just king that was honorable and portrayed most of the characteristics that a man should have. Being lust and noble Duncan ruled With a lair hand. and MacBeth felt as that he should have this power due to his manly defense of the nation: that if he should accept the fact that an untested youth should be in line for the crown. that it would be an insult to his manhood if he stood idly by and allowed this to happen. Although feeling that a man would not kill a man in his sleep. MacBeth is pushed to the deed by his wife’s tauntings and her claim that if he should propose something he should do it as his word is his bond and that only a weak infidel would do anything less.
The playwright uses point of view to highlight how ambition for power along with the desire to prove his manhood leads MacBeth down a dark bloody trail. Boldly defending the nation cleaving the enemy commander from “groin to chops.” and being “not dismayed” upon the fresh assault of the opposing forces. forces eh audience to see MacBeth as a noble man who may harbor dreams for greater power. is still a great honorable man. MacBeth has a thirst for power and is Joyful when he gains more power by become thane of the rebels land. Wanting the crown he thinks of murdering Duncan but knows that a real man would never do such a thing. All he needs is an excuse to do it and still hold his image of masculinity intact. When his wife says that a real man would do it and that since he said he would he would be lowly and weak if he did less and he is Willing to “commit every corporal agent to the terrible deed.”
He murders Duncan and We see how his ambition and masculinity lead to his rise to power. but We view him significantly lower in the moral ladder due to his cold-blooded murder. By the end we see MacBeth desperately defending his manhood and yet We view as not a man. He becomes so much the tyrant Duncan Was not as to inspire “minutely revolts” in his people. By attempting to protect the crown for his descendants as a man would MacBeth kills his friends and innocent Woman and children Once MacBeth had power. he tried to maintain his image of a man. yet to society and the audience he becomes something less. a human Without moral standards. Willing to fight to the death in order to preserve his self delusion of being a strong honorable human. The organization in MacBeth starts out with rewards then moves to scheming and finally to revolution.
In the beginning the playwright rewards the manly characters for the service to the nation and punishes those unloyal also the ones portraying unmanly traits. By being men. loyal and noble. they received praise and the play had shown the value in continuing such behavior, The conflict between gaining power and remaining chivalrous is apparent in the play, Shakespeare points out that to gain power one must become unnoble and unchivalrous, MacBeth plots and schemes to gain power becoming less and less the man in the audience eyes while all the while he is attempting to keep his own sellrimage as a man, He yields to his wife’s accusations whiles a true man would stand fast by what he deemed right. Finally in the bloody revolution that follows MacBeth‘s rise to power. MacBeth‘s attempts to stay a man lead to his death. A true man would not be captured and lead through the street as entertainment for the people so MacBeth fights.
He sees this as maintaining his manhood. while the audience sees this as a pointless attack against a superior foe, The playwright stresses the fact that to gain power one must forsake masculinity and MacBeth does exactly that. In MacBeth we see the main character go from that of a noble honorable man to a tyrant. Through desire and the holiness of preserving his manhood. MacBeth commits countless atrocities lowering the audience view of him to seeing him almost as nonhuman. We see that to gain power We must forsake What We hold dear and We question il it is worth it. MacBeth lost everything he held dear in his pursuit of power. from his Wife to his own sell-image of being a man one of the most important things he had. Shakespeare shows us the folly of craving power, and the pointlessness of attempting to gain it through “unmanly efforts.” We truly begin to question the pursuit of power.
