Macbeth Masculinity vs Femininity

Question 1

Quotes for masculinity vs femininity

Answer 1

“I fear thy nature: it is too full o’ the milk of human kindness.”- Lady Macbeth Act 1 Scene 5

“I have no spur to prick the sides of my intent, but only vaulting ambition which o’erleaps itself and falls on th’other” -Macbeth Act 1 Scene 7

“Go get some water and wash this filthy witness from your hand.” Lady Macbeth Act 2 Scene 2

” ‘tis the eye of childhood That fears a painted devil.” Lady Macbeth Act 2 Scene 2

“We will proceed no further in this business” then Lady Macbeth says shortly after “to look so green and pale” and “such I account my love” -Act 1 Scene 7

“when you durst do it, then you were a man” Act 1 Scene 7

“I would, while it was smiling in my face, Have pluck’d my nipple from his boneless gums, And dash’d the brains out.” Act 1 Scene 7

“unsex me here […] and take my milk for gall” Act 1 Scene 5

Question 2

“I fear thy nature: it is too full o’ the milk of human kindness.”

Answer 2

-Lady Macbeth Act 1 Scene 5

“fear”

• she is demonising goodness/kindness
• it is a strange juxtaposition as she does not fear evil

“too full” - there is no space for anything else e.g. evil for killing the King

“milk” -gives a maternal image of purity and innocence

• milk=”human kindness”
• his disposition is goodness and benevolence
• L. Macbeth sees his more feminine/maternal traits as a weakness
• ironic at the time
• gives the impression that L. Macbeth is more masculine than Macbeth at this point in the play

Question 3

“Go get some water and wash this filthy witness from your hand.”

Answer 3

-Lady Macbeth Act 2 Scene 2

• “go” and “wash” is an imperative verb
• taking control to stabilise him
• reverse on standard gender roles at the time
• “water” noun
• physically trying to remove the evidence
• suggesting that there is nothing psychological to remove
• pragmatic

“filthy witness”

• blood
• juxtaposition
• witness brings light to a situation and exposes the truth
• filthy = impure, tainted
• reminds us that she is immoral
• she sees crimes being exposed as dirty
• wants it to be disguised

Question 4

” ‘tis the eye of childhood That fears a painted devil.”

Answer 4

-Lady Macbeth Act 2 Scene 2

• “childhood”
• abstract noun
• suggesting that only a child should be afraid of seeing Duncan’s body
• trying to control his perception of the situation
• manipulating his thoughts
• making him feel inferior and emasculating him for feeling scared

"painted"
-suggesting that it only an image
-it isn't real
-this could also be revealing of her inner guilt.
"a"
-it's like she convinced herself that it actually isn't real
-only an image
-manipulating herself?

Question 5

“We will proceed no further in this business” then Lady Macbeth says shortly after “to look so green and pale” and “such I account my love”

Answer 5

-Act 1 Scene 7
“We will proceed no further in this business”
-Shakespeare showing the importance of morality
-you should check yourself
-links to what he wants the audience to do before engaging in attacks such as the gunpowder plot

• “no”
• first impression of shows that he is being decisive and patriarchal
• finally taking control

however the word “business” shows otherwise

• he is imitating L.Macbeth when she says “great business”
• he is already manipulated by her and he doesn’t even know it

adjective/hyperbole “green and pale”

• suggesting that he is weak and pathetic
• belittling him and emasculating him
• not manly enough
• inferior to her
• wants him to repress his fear and put on a facade
• never really giving him a chance to be the “man” in the situation
• ultimately she is always in control, no matter how assertive he tries to be with her

Question 6

“when you durst do it, then you were a man”

Answer 6

• Act 1 Scene 7

- really playing on his masculinity

Question 7

“I would, while it was smiling in my face, Have pluck’d my nipple from his boneless gums, And dash’d the brains out.”

Answer 7

-Act 1 Scene 7

• “smiling” and “boneless”
• amplifying the baby’s innocence
• at their most comfortable and relaxed
• highlighting how brutal/emotionless and merciless she really is
• alternatively:
• she is downplaying the murder of the king by saying that she could do much worse

“pluck’d” and “dash’d” and “brains”

• extremely violent and gory language
• aggressive

the enitre quote is disturbingly ironic
-she is trying to prove her loyalty and commitment to him by saying she would do pure evil

Question 8

“unsex me here […] and take my milk for gall”

Answer 8

-Act 1 Scene 5

• “unsex”
• trying to remove her femininity
• believes women are perceived as weak, inferior, submissive, out of control
• her gender is her limiting factor

“milk”

• wants to eradicate anything maternal e.g. empathy, feeling, care, love
• also acknowledging her humanity

ultimately, suggests that she is innately “feminine” since she is so desperately trying to remove these traits