William Shakespeare's, Macbeth, is a play full of betrayal and deception. ... From the opening scene, we begin to see the role that women play in Macbeth. ... In Macbeth, responsibility rests solely on the shoulders of the women in the play. ... Throughout Shakespeare's play, we see that Macbeth is the victim of evil seduction by women. ... At the end of the play, however, when Lady Macbeth kills herself, he shows no sympathy...

• Word Count: 1235
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School

The fact that Shakespeare made all three of the witches female illustrates the patriarchal nature of the culture in which the play was written. ... MacBeth's defeat at the end of the play represents the defeat of the other; the other is manifested in female characters within the play. Even though the witches have the power to see the future, they are still subject to male characters in the play. ... His transformation is obvious by the end of the play. ... The women in the play are portrayed as evil influences and mechanisms of the other. ...

• Word Count: 840
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

Shakespeare broke new ground in the late 1500s by playing with the unheard idea of the reversal of gender roles. ... In Macbeth, the author, William Shakespeare, uses the reversal of gender roles to show the demise of both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. In the play Macbeth, Lady Macbeth portrays many traits that would not be considered feminine at the time such as being dominant and ambitious. ... At one point of the play, Lady Macbeth goes as far as to reject her own gender. ... Throughout this play, both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth struggle with their gender roles. ...

• Word Count: 1246
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School

" This classic saying may as well have been inspired by the role of Lady Macbeth in Shakespeare's "Macbeth." Arguably the most powerful woman in literature, Lady Macbeth sets all that transpires in the play into motion. ... However, it is the repression of her emotions that leads to her demise and makes Macbeth into the villain of the play. ... She succumbs to the very thing that she was in denial of the entire play: guilt. ... It is through Lady Macbeth that Macbeth gets his first taste of blood. ...

• Word Count: 616
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: High School

In the first act of the play, Macbeth is awarded a new title from King Duncan. ... Macbeth says in the play, "He hath honored me of late"" (1.7.32). ... Gender roles play a significant part in the violence of Macbeth. ... Macbeth and Lady Macbeth betray their gender roles throughout the entire play. ... The tragic play Macbeth is a clear example of people being who they are not. ...

• Word Count: 940
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

These doe-eyed, fragile women are puppets in a web woven by the dominant male characters within each of Shakespeare's plays. ... However, these women, as hated and immoral as they are, do exist within Shakespeare's plays. They are shown as powerful, evil and ultimately independent beings such as with the character of Lady Macbeth. Lady Macbeth, a prime example of a powerful, independent female faces rejection within her respective society. ... Above and beyond all other characters in classical English literature, I would wish to be Lady Macbeth. ...

• Word Count: 911
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

Though conventional patriarchal beliefs seem to perpetuate the dominance of men and subordination of women, Shakespeare and Sophocles seem to question the validity of those beliefs in their plays, Macbeth and Antigone, with their radically heterodox female characters-they neither conform with the loving tenderness nor the acquiescence and tendency to submit to authority commonly associated with women. ... Sophocles' counterexample against the conventional biases of women being tender and loving is the main character Antigone in his play, Antigone. ... Consequently, Lady Macbeth must diss...

• Word Count: 1748
• Approx Pages: 7
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

One play I found that in the literature world, where female critics have examined the most for its presentation of characters displaying their atypical thoughts on gender is Macbeth. ... Towards the end of the play, however, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth did not gain happiness, but rather it led to their death. ... Towards the end of the play, however, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth did not gain happiness, but rather it led to their death. ... Towards the end of the play, however, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth did not gain happiness, but rather it led to their death. ... Towards the end of the play, however, ...

• Word Count: 1855
• Approx Pages: 7
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

Once the play begins to take shape, he soon drops the proposed title and begins development of what we now know as Romeo and Juliet and it is within the casting of this play that he meets Viola. ... As their relationship takes shape, as does the play. Many of the actions of Will and Viola are then taken onto the stage to which develop the play before the audience's eyes. ... This theory is stabilised via many of his female characters such as Lady Macbeth and Gertrude in Hamlet, as according to Dall (2000): "Through Gertrude's marriage to Hamlet's uncle and also through Lady...

• Word Count: 1880
• Approx Pages: 8
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

Strong Women of Othello William Shakespeare often described the women in his plays as being strong, confident individuals, much different from the stereotypical roles of the time period in which he lived. ... Similarly, in Macbeth, {discuss role of Lady Macbeth} The women of Othello also displayed characteristics of strong, modern women. .... From the beginning of the play, we see that Desdemona is a courageous and decisive woman who pursues Othello, falling in love with his intrigued stories of adventure, seeing "Othello's visage in his mind, and to his honors and valiant ...

• Word Count: 655
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

William Shakespeare often described the women in his plays as being strong, confident individuals, much different from the stereotypical roles of the time period in which he lived. ... Similarly, in Macbeth, {discuss role of Lady Macbeth} The women of Othello also displayed characteristics of strong, modern women. .... From the beginning of the play, we see that Desdemona is a courageous and decisive woman who pursues Othello, falling in love with his intrigued stories of adventure, seeing "Othello's visage in his mind, and to his honors and valiant parts..." refusing the attempts of...

• Word Count: 645
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

Today there is an organization known as the Los Angeles Women's Shakespeare Company (LAWSC) with casts plays (not necessarily Shakespearean plays) with all female casts. ... In modern times we have seen very different actors play Hamlet, both male and female. ... I write this because I have also seen her read Macbeth's part and did an excellent job. ... As stated before, there is a long theatrical history of actresses playing Hamlet. The theatre audience may be asked to forget that a woman is playing a man. ...

• Word Count: 468
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: High School