Macbeth

  William Shakespeare play Macbeth

 

This blog is related to the blog task based on  William shakespeare play  'Macbeth 

Feminist Reading of Lady macbeth 

 

 In Shakespeare's play Macbeth, he presents the conflicting character of Lady Macbeth.  Upon receiving her husband's letter about the witches prophesies, she attempts to be like a man in order to exude the strength needed to gain additional social status as royalty.  Lady Macbeth appears to be very influential in planning - deciding when and chiding her husband for not acting more like a man; yet, despite these capabilities, she is the main reason for the revealing of the Macbeth's part in the usurpation of the throne.

According  to materialist feminism theory, despite her earlier show of strength, Lady Macbeth eventual weakness is a result of a patriarchal portrayal of her gender. 

A  popular speculation on why the oppression of women is not more commonly recognized than the oppression of certain ethnic or religious groups, is that "women's allegiance to men from their own always supersedes their allegiance to women from different classes." While certain social and economic factors separate people from different walks of life,  within these groups women are  also separated from each other. Women remain isolated which prevents them from making significant changes because they have no strength in size.

 

Similarly, Lady Macbeth, while being notably strong  compared to other members of her gender, gas no way to enact her schemes as she is kept isolated from other women during the course of the play. While her strength is great, she is not powerful enough alone to deal with a murder.  She does not reveal the secret of their murderous deeds because she is a woman and thus inherently weak,  but she reveals the secrets  because she is a woman and thus has been selectively isolated from finding strength in number. 

 From the very beginning of Macbeth, Lady Macbeth  is shown as a character is relents in creating rebellious plots.  According to Lois Tyson, " women  themselves..in the accomplishment of their husbands and  sons."  Lady  Macduff-  the epitome of  motherhood - does not concoct some evil plot because she invests all of her intellectual powers into the achievement of her husband and children. 

 

On the other hand, Lady Macbeth, not as bound to domestic duties as Lady Macduff, sharpens her intellectual capabilities for her own use. While intelligence form a male character would be seen as a beneficial trait, patriarchy defines Lady Macbeth intelligence as a flaw and as an indicator that she is unnatural and "unfulfilled " as a woman. 

Patriarchal society encourages Lady Macbeth to invest herself in the role of mother.  Lady Macbeth is seen as selfish and abnormal when she confesses that there is a situation when she would "brains out," a very unnatural statement according to patriarchy beliefs that women's desire to have and protect children is a part of "their natural  biological makeup." Though intelligent and strong at the beginning of Macbeth, Lady Macbeth is reduced to an insignificant person haunted by nightmares and guilt as a result of a patriarchal portrayal of her gender.

This video of character analysis of Lady Macbeth 

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