The Intertwine of Masculinity and Violence in Macbeth

There are many themes in Macbeth that are worth mentioning, for example, the sex and gender issue, the corruption of power, the theme of social class, to name but a few. However, the portrayal of masculinity should be the most obvious theme among all of them. "One of the organizing themes of Macbeth is the theme of manliness" (Ramsey 286). "In Macbeth, and elsewhere in Shakespeare, as in Elizabethan literature in general, to be 'manly' is to be aggressive, daring, bold, resolute, and strong, especially in the face of death, whether giving or receiving" (Kimbrough 177). This definition of manliness is very accurate as the linkage of masculinity and violence is prevalent in Macbeth. This paper argues that in Macbeth, the portrayal of masculinity always involves violence. Violence is regarded as an indispensable trait of masculinity. Committing violent deeds can show one's courage and valiancy, one will thus be viewed as a masculine person. Therefore, soldiers mercilessly and cruelly killed their rivals with a view to proving their manliness. If one's masculinity is doubtful, it is only because he fails to behave violently. The inability to behave in a violent manner is the implication of weaknesses of a man and thus he will not be considered a manly person.

Thanes and generals who fight against their enemies on the battlefield are considered masculine. At the beginning of the play, a bleeding sergeant comes to the camp and reports the situation on the battlefield to Duncan. Though he only plays a bit part, his appearance is the first depiction of violence and manhood in Macbeth. "The 'bloody man' of the first scenes, whose wounds, like Macbeth's, were public tokens of his manly courage and valor ... " (Ramsey 292). Initially, Macbeth is a general of the king's army. He is appointed and commanded by King Duncan to defeat Macdonwald. Shakespeare describes Macbeth as a courageous man who kills his deadly enemies without any hesitation. Duncan as well as other noblemen thus view Macbeth as a brave general. It is agreed that Macbeth is a manly character. Below is the vivid description of Macbeth killing Macdonwald,

Distaining Fortune, with his brandished steel,

Which smoked with bloody execution,

Like valor's minion carved out his passage

Till he faced the slave-

Which ne're shook hands, nor bade farewell to him,

Till he unseamed him from the nave to th' chops,

And fixed his head upon our battlements (Macbeth I, 2, 17-23).

This illustrates that violence or the result of it is the best proof of one's manhood. In the subsequent scene, when asked whether Donalbain, the king's younger son, is with his brother, Lennox replied that "and many unrough youths that even now/ Protest their first of manhood" (V, 2, 10-11). These lines display that the manifestation of masculinity of men is done by facing their enemies in the war. Even these young men who have no beards yet have to face Macbeth and get involved in the war. "But on the battlefield is Macduff, who is even more of a man-a soldier who fights only in a good cause, and in whose nature valor is not the sole virtue" (Waith 268). Macduff is known as a gallant real man. His violence and bravery are the traits of what a real man should have. This is another example showing that men who fearlessly fight against their enemies are regarded as masculine. All the above quotes from the play verify that the representation of masculinity in Macbeth is associated with killing foes in the battle. There is a close association between the two.

Masculinity will be questioned if men do not show violent behavior such as murder. This also infers that violence is needed when men want others to challenge their masculinity. Violence thus serves as a means to defend one's manhood. When Macbeth still remains indecisive about killing Duncan or not, Lady Macbeth prods him into murdering. At that very moment, she says "when you durst do it, then you were a man" (I, 7, 49). This implies that if Macbeth does not kill Duncan, he will not be considered a manly person. "All of his previous military conquests and honors in the service of Duncan will be meaningless unless he now seizes the chance to crown that career by killing the king" (Ramsey 288). According to Ramsey, "The more Macbeth is driven to pursue what he and Lady Macbeth call manliness-the more he perverts that code into a rationale for reflexive aggression-the less humane he becomes, until at last he forfeits nearly all claims on the race itself, and his vaunted manhood, as he finally realizes, become meaningless" (emphasis in original) (286-287). Macbeth, with a view to showing that he is in fact a manly person, succumbs to Lady Macbeth's caustic remark and murders Duncan finally. In the later scene,