Gender/Macduff

Question 1

“​grief convert to anger​”

Answer 1

Macduff differs from the other male characters in the play; he publically
exhibits ​emotional​ ​behaviour​, something which was considered a​ femenine trait​ at the time. Macduff’s violence is not dangerous like Macbeth’s as it comes from love for his country and family; it is “​grief convert to anger​”. This is demonstrated through the ​very emotional reaction​ to the death of his family.

Question 2

“All my pretty ones? / Did you say all? O hell-kite! All? / What, all my pretty chickens and their dam / At one fell swoop?” (4.3)

Answer 2

A ​revelatory moment​ in the presentation of masculinity in Macbeth is when Macduff learns of the slaughter of his children and wife. He cries,​ “All my pretty ones? / Did you say all? O hell-kite! All? / What, all my pretty chickens and their dam / At one fell swoop?” (4.3).​ The ​repetitive questions, exclamations, and broken speech ​convey his extreme emotional distress, making him appear unmasculine in the ​traditional ​sense. The phrase “my pretty ones”​ expresses ​deep paternal love​, suggesting masculinity can be​ tender and loving

Question 3

“Dispute it like a man,” (4.3)​,
“make us med’cines of our great revenge / To cure this deadly grief,” (4.3)​
​“I shall do so; / But I must also feel it as a man; / I cannot but remember such things were / That were most precious to me,”​

Answer 3

Malcolm tells Macduff,​ “Dispute it like a man,” (4.3)​, planning to​ “make us med’cines of our great revenge / To cure this deadly grief,” (4.3)​ suggesting the appropriate ​manly response would be to wage war on his enemy. At this point, Malcolm’s idea of masculinity seems to be ​close-minded​, in line with his society’s. Macduff’s reply, ​“I shall do so; / But I
must also feel it as a man; / I cannot but
remember such things were / That were most precious to me,”​ marks a moment of ​learning both for Malcolm and Shakespeare’s audience. Macduff implies that ​repressing his grief would be a denial of his love​, and would be unfair to
his family’s memory. Shakespeare suggests the stone heart of masculinity is unnatural.