How are the many definitions of manliness demonstrated in the play?
There are numerous times when manliness and its definitions are shown in the Macbeth play. There is the prevalent definition that Lady Macbeth keeps wanting to impose on Macbeth but there is also a contrasting view on manliness that Macduff has which is shown less as well as some other instances that are not as important as these two. In act 1 scene 7 Lady Macbeth tells Macbeth that he desires something but he is like a cat who wishes to eat fish but doesn’t want to get its paws wet. In this quote, you can see that Lady Macbeth views being a man as someone who is willing to get their hands dirty and do what’s necessary to achieve their goal, which is something Macbeth was currently having a dilemma with. Lady Macbeth also tells Macbeth “are you a man” when she and her husband had guests over and Macbeth was showing his emotions in front of the people. On the contrasting side, you have Macduff who believes one can still show their emotion and be a man. This is shown when Macduff learns about the death of his family. Macduff begins to weep and is reprimanded by Malcolm who tells him not to weep but instead to do something about it. This is when Macduff fires back and says “I could play the woman with mine eyes/and braggart with my tongue”4.3.230-231. With this quote, Macduff was telling Malcolm crying didn’t make him any less of a man and that he could still do what had to be done while mourning his family.

