The theme of manhood and womanhood is prevalent throughout the play of Macbeth. Macbeth's distorted concept of manhood, coupled with Lady Macbeth's distorted concept of manhood and womanhood, ultimately leads to Macbeth's downfall and Lady Macbeth's suicide. Shakespeare uses gender technique in Macbeth, where a woman possesses masculine qualities and a man possesses feminine qualities. This plays a major role in Macbeth. Minor characters such as Lady Macduff, Macduff, Malcolm and others deal with issues such as what manhood and womanhood are. Their responses determine the course of action they take in different situations. After the opening scene of the three witches, the play turns to the battlefield where a sergeant praises Macbeth. He says, “For brave Macbeth – well, he deserves the name – / Disdaining fortune, with his brandished steel” (1.2.16-17). Macbeth demonstrates courage, bravery, and loyalty, three traits associated with manhood in the traditional sense. Later, these traits will be disjointed from each other and perverted. (Ramsey 265) Then in scene 3, Macbeth and Banquo meet the witches. Upon meeting them, Banquo says: "You should be women, / And yet your beards forbid me to interpret / That you are." » (1.3.45-48). The Witches is the first example of Shakespeare using gender bending. Witches look like women, but they have beards, which is a manly quality. This seems to mean that they are of both sexes, but they are not of either sex. They are supernatural beings, not human. Witches can only prophesy and manipulate with no other goal than to deceive anyone they choose. Later in the act, Lady Macbeth is introduced, and it is she who advances Macbeth's... middle of paper ... ...manhood as "naked aggression", they left no room to morality or reasons. So Macbeth went on a killing spree, for his manhood. This piece shows how a perverted definition of a concept can cause chaos. Works Cited Dash, Irene G. The Worlds of Women in Shakespeare's Plays. Np: University of Delaware Press, 1997. Print. Gerwig, George William. Shakespeare's ideals of womanhood. Np: Kessinger Publishing Company, 1995. Print. Rackin, Phyllis. Shakespeare and women. Np: Oxford University Press, 2005. Print. Ramsey, Jarold. “Gender and sex roles”. 1973. Shakespeare for Students. Np: Thomas Gale, 1992. 263-269. Print.Shakespeare, William. MacBeth. Ed. Alan Durband. Np: Barron's Educational Series, 2004. Print. Shakespeare Made Easy. “Themes, motifs and symbols”. SparkNotes. NP, 2009. Web. December 12. 2009. .