thesis statement for masculinity in macbeth

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First page of “Signifying Nothing: The Masquerade of Masculinity in Macbeth”

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Signifying Nothing: The Masquerade of Masculinity in Macbeth

Macbeth’s sense of masculinity is tied up in Renaissance notions of heroic manhood, which Lady Macbeth, and her more (traditionally) masculine ambitions, use to agitate the King’s sense of male inadequacy. Notions of extreme masculinity and their implications run throughout the play, and have attracted the commentary of numerous critics, especially with the proliferation of gender studies in recent years. Critics such as Robin Wells, Phyllis Rackin, Bruce Smith, and Maria Howell have read the focus on masculinity as meaning a variety of things, such as an exploration of heroic masculinity, a platform for certain feminist inquires, and a reaction to King James’ policies. While such observations are astute in their own manner, “it can hardly be claimed that Shakespeare was specifically pandering to James’ interests; concerns about kingship, government and witchcraft were widespread in England during this period;” at the same time, the other readings of the masculine themes neglect to take a full treatment of masculinity as teleologically independent. In my view, masculinity in Shakespeare’s Macbeth is (de)stabilized through oppositional characters and groups to ultimately be revealed as a performative masquerade with no inherent reality.

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