Unparallel Balance of Roles (Macbeth Essay Sample)

One's drive and ambition are frequently used to determine power and social status. Leaders who are effective are defined by their ability to make compromises in order to attain desired goals. Emotions are frequently ignored in order to make tough moral decisions more quickly. While this dismissive attitude might be beneficial in achieving objectives, it could also be harmful to others' well-being. The emotional difference is encouraged in male positions of authority; while women are supposed to be empathic and warm even in the workplace, men are commended for their disinterest. Masculinity in this culture is defined by the control of emotions and a positive mindset. Characters in Macbeth's society place a high value on political power. They are power-hungry and ruthless, eager to go to any length to maintain their dominion. Characters try their hardest to be the toughest and most powerful amongst all. The amount of power a person has and how honorably they use it determines their legacy. Other aspects, such as compassion, may be disregarded as a result of this selective memory for dominance. In the pursuit of achievement, personal relationships and loyalties are ignored. One's ability to feel and express emotions is often dictated by the value they place on power and masculinity. 

Macbeth’s masculinity and power grows more and more throughout the play. His relationship with his wife, Lady Macbeth, is extremely strong at the start of the play. They are truly partners in crime, as both plot King Duncan's assassination together. Lady Macbeth stands with the responsibility for Macbeth's crime, experiencing anguish in order to achieve his personal success. She feels that as a couple, they will succeed. Macbeth, on the other hand, begins to deny his wife's love when he becomes king. He plans the assassination of a lifelong friend, Banquo, and his son while keeping it hidden from Lady Macbeth. He gets more withdrawn and cold, killing unsuspecting individuals without hesitation. His rise to prominence corresponds with his emotional distance from his wife, emphasizing the common theme that power corrupts and isolates. This isolation reaches a climax when Macbeth discovers that his wife has died in one of the final scenes: “She should have died hereafter; there would have been time for such a word” (Shakespeare 5.5.16) Macbeth is so concentrated on the forthcoming war that he can't stand feeling sad or mourning right before the battle. Despite the fact that he adored Lady Macbeth, he entirely forgets about her in his pursuit for power. Macbeth can't mourn his wife with a clear conscience because he knows his selfishness is to blame for her death. As he realizes the value of the throne over which he abandoned his wife, he is filled with regret: “Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player That struts and frets his hour upon the stage” (Shakespeare 5.5. 19-27)Just after the death of his wife, Macbeth realizes the vanity of his title; he battled fiercely to become king, but only realizes the true cost after it is too late. In Macbeth, power and masculinity go hand in hand; as Macbeth rises to the ultimate political position, he becomes increasingly manly. Instead of relying on his wife and sharing his authority with her, he pressures her to conform to the image of a quiet and passive wife. His power blinded him to the immense love he once had for his wife, and he focuses all of his attention on fighting and protecting his throne.

This twisted concept of masculinity is further displayed by the character Siward. Siward is the commander of the English army, and despite his desire to defeat Macbeth, he matches many of his characteristics. He is completely concentrated on the battle and will go to any length to destroy anyone who wishes to go against him. He sets a strong value on courage and honor, and when he learns that his son has died at Macbeth's hands, his major worry is that he died fighting. Siward's son's death is okay as long as he never gave in to the enemies and surrendered his honor. This contributes to the notion of exaggerated masculinity; Young Siward's aggression in battle is all that can be recognized after his death. His death is described in terms of his manhood: “Of all men else I have avoided thee. But get thee back. My soul is too much charged With the blood of thine already” (Shakespeare 5.7.40). Siward's death is not viewed as a sorrowful war casualty, but rather as an exciting transition into adulthood. Siward found no reason to memorialize him because he died honorably. As Siward's immediate response to his son's death demonstrates, bravery and loyalty are clearly appreciated above all else. “Thou Liest Abhorred Tryant: with my sword ill Prove the lie thou speak’st” (Shakespeare 5.7.13-15)Siward feels that his son has completed his mission and that he's also a good soldier. He sees his son as nothing more than a tool for consolidating his authority, someone who can be used and then abandoned once his mission is fulfilled. Siward emotionally neglects his own son in his desire for dominance. Siward's reaction is comparable to Macbeth's in that they both utilized their loved ones for political advantage and ignored their personal connections as a result. Both Siward and Macbeth's characteristics are in strong contrast to Macduff’s. He decides to fight Macbeth despite the fact that he knows Macbeth is bigger and stronger than he is, and Macbeth believes Siward should be afraid of him. The quote implies that Siward wishes to prove Macbeth wrong, that he does not, and neither should anybody else. Since Siward is facing his worries and battling Macbeth to show it, this statement is about bravery.

Macduff is the play's sole character who exhibits a true balance of masculinity and femininity, refusing to be governed by his period's dominating masculine society. He maintains his masculine fearlessness while still enabling himself to experience feminine feelings such as loss and grief. He is heartbroken after he hears of his wife and children's terrible murders. Macduff feels terrible about not being able to defend his family. Macduff believes it was his fault because Macbeth's goal in killing Macduff's family was largely to harm Macduff. Unlike Macbeth, who denies any involvement in their murder, Macduff accepts whole responsibility for their deaths. This burden is too much for him to take, and it drives him to enact revenge for their killings. Macduff kills Macbeth to punish Macbeth's wrongdoings, not for his personal benefit. He is a strong military hero who opposes damaging masculinity ideals, and his portrayal highlights the necessity of gender role balance in success. As Macduff finds out about Macbeth and what he has done, Macduff says “Either thou, Macbeth, Or else my sword with an unbattered edge I sheathe again undeeded.” (Shakespeare 5.7.20-25) Hereafter, Macduff summons Fortune to assist him in finding and killing Macbeth, reflecting the play's use of fate, as portrayed by the Witches elsewhere. 
                                            
Characters in Macbeth, such as Siward and Macduff each have their unique experiences with death, emphasizing how difficult it is to grieve in a world that discourages male displays of emotion. Masculinity was defined by power and domination in the historical period when the play was written, as well as the showing of any emotions that showed weakness. Macbeth attempts to rule alone, exaggerating his manhood and dismissing his wife's caution. As a result of the extreme gender role imbalance, he meets his fate. On the other hand, Macduff, also regarded as the play's hero, demonstrates that masculinity and femininity must cohabit and collaborate for the play to succeed. If Macduff had suppressed his grief over his wife and children, he wouldn't be able to pursue revenge against Macbeth. His emotional stability provides him with the strength and determination he requires to assassinate King Macbeth. Siward and Macbeth are emotionally weak and unable to appropriately grieve their loved ones due to their exaggerated ideas of masculinity. The dismissal of traditional male beliefs allows one to express passion and emotion freely and honestly. For success, an individual's masculine and feminine traits must be balanced; one cannot exist without the other.