Witch-Slapped
4. How does the values of manhood differ in modern times? What do you think it takes to be a good man? Explain how your views are like or unlike those in the play, using examples from the text.
First I want to start off the response with MEN ARE TRASH!!! And I 100% do not want the few boys of IB (another piece of evidence that infers men are trash) to comment that "no we aren't" and "im not like the rest", because you ARE(except if your name is Danny). Okay to actually see my answer, keep reading!
In the play, masculinity is determined by one's stature and role in their society. Macbeth is seen as a great man, war hero (who faced an entire army), and (up till this point in the play) a loyal Thane. This is what makes up a valued man. Their ability to succeed requires them to be of royal stature, and to keep their name as king for a substantial amount of time. This is why Macbeth is so eager to kill Duncan, Banquo, etc.; he wants his legacy to reign on. These characteristics are what men strive to be and become. Man who were admired and adored by women were also of a higher class. This, again, emphasizes the importance of strength and valor that a man possess. The perfect, powerful man is also almost alway accompanied by a woman in their life. That woman doesn't have a substantial amount of power in their society, but they are always looking out for their man that does. This is seen through Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, and their relationship as Macbeth is starting to go INSANE!!!! Lady Macbeth is always shown comforting her husband and giving him encouraging words that keep him sane or strong.
This is a bit different from today's society. In modern times, "manhood" isn't determined by who you are with (and it most definitely isn't determined by just a woman #gayrights). Men succeed in the modern dating world without a military background, and without loyalty (JAY-Z), unlike Shakespearian times. As a girl myself, when I imagine a "guy of my dreams", I don't automatically think of someone who is built with a capital B or someone of a high social status. I imagine a guy who is respectful and just appreciates me and my aspirations. I also believe that modern society doesn't (or at least shouldn't) label a man based on their strength or ability to fight off anything in their path. Another difference between the time periods is the social class factor. In Macbeth a man of a higher class would be more attractive towards women. This is different is today's society, because women don't gravitate towards the snobby, rich men (and if they do, they don't have respect for themselves). Overall, masculinity is a noun that doesn't completely have the same ideas as previous decades.
However, despite the differences, there are a lot of similarities between the two eras. In both time periods, men are of a higher rank than women (causing a substantial amount of masculinity for the man). This shows that throughout history, men have always been the most important in a family or relationship. I also believe that even in different time periods, a man's manhood is important to them. Manhood is meaningful aspect of their life, and losing one's "manhood" is hard for them.
Once again, MEN ARE TRASH, and my girlies that are reading this you don't need a man to be happy! (However I am biased, my ex is a lunatic f**k boy)
You're really taking this personal blog to heart, wow. Anyways, I have to disagree on your point on Lady Macbeth, I felt like she was controlling Macbeth and had much more power in the relationship. I agree with your legacy portion of Macbeth, he definitely wanted to the prophecy to come true, so his name would be remembered, not simply for being loyal to Duncan, so he tried everything to make it come true (with plenty of help from Lady Macbeth). Finally, Some people tend to follow money in relationships, as they believe money will lead to happiness and an easier life.
ReplyDeleteI really appreciate the way that you connected the blog to your experiences without detracting from the meaning of your response. I think that you analyzed the ways in which Macbeth is portrayed very well and very in depth. I also think that your comparison of this portrayal to that of modern times via the concept of relationships is very powerful and accurate. I appreciate your comment on the similarities of men in the past and men now because it is true that men are always seen as superior to women by the vast majority of people, and this is evident based on things such as a lack of female representation in political settings. Overall, great response.
ReplyDeleteI like your overall message that we, as females, do not need the validation of a man, a message presented at the beginning and end of your blog. I really liked when you discussed what it means to be a man today, and how the ideals have evolved throughout centuries. I also liked how you ended the paper with the idea that the times are not that different, as many similarities are still present. Great work!
ReplyDeleteOverall this blog post was great! I loved how you connected the ideal values of manhood in today's society with Macbeth. This clearly shows that although there are many differences, Macbeth still portrays similar characteristics to how men act today. Moreover, I agree with your personal beliefs on what being "manly" means. Being a man means that he is honorable, trustworthy, and humble. Unlike Lady Macbeth's beliefs, showing emotion is not a sign of weakness.
ReplyDeleteI LOVE IT! READING THIS THE SECOND TIME AROUND WAS SOMEHOW BETTER THAN THE FIRST HAHAHAH!! But foreal, I really enjoyed your honesty in this post and how you channeled your passion into this without allowing your emotions to take over. Your point about how a man's role has evolved from Shakespearean times is so true. Not only has social status and its subsequent appeal changed, but from long long ago, when surviving was difficult, people looked to reproduce with others with good teeth, child bearing hips (for the women ((lol)) )), broad shoulders and more. Although this deviates from the Macbeth theme, the evolution of 'what is considered to be attractive' is still there. Again, i #loved reading this. #YGG
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