In Shakespeare's Macbeth, he uses the theme of manhood to create motivations for the characters to act like a man. This is seen in many instances in Macbeth where the characters attempt to act like men for certain reasons. The characters who apply this action are Macbeth, the first murderer, Macduff and Young Siward. These actions are visible throughout the play and play a key role in the development of the show. Macbeth tells himself to act like a man in the following lines: “Peace! / I dare to do everything that can become a man; / He who dares to do more is no one” (I, VII, 45-47). This quote from Macbeth shows how much he wants to become a man by killing King Duncan, but he does not think it would be an act of righteousness. Macbeth is in complete controversy with himself in this situation. If he does not kill the king, his wife, Lady Macbeth, will not think he is a man, but if he kills the king, he will betray his leader's trust in him. Betrayal would not be considered an act of manliness. Jarold Ramsey explains the situation in the following sentence: “And, striking him more mercilessly, she scornfully implies that his very sexuality will be called into question in her eyes if he refuses regicide” (288). This quote from Jarold Ramsey explains how Macbeth's manhood will be determined in Lady Macbeth's eyes when he makes the decision whether or not to kill the king. Lady Macbeth shows her desire to be queen in the following lines: “What a beast was she not then / That made me break off this company? /When you dared to do it, then you were a man” (I, VII, 47-49). This quote shows how she wants Macbeth to kill the king. In this situation, Macbeth calls himself a man and kills the king to please Lady Macbeth. Maria Howell exp...... middle of paper ......cduff when he tries to act like a man, but fails in Malcolm's eyes when he mourns the death of his family. The last character is Young Siward; he tells himself to act like a man and tries to fight Macbeth so his father will be proud of him. Manliness in Macbeth is evident throughout the play and also plays a key role. Works Cited Coles, Blanche. Shakespeare Studies. Macbeth. New York: Richard R. Smith, 1938.Print.Howell, Maria. Virility and masculine identity in The Tragedy of Macbeth by William Shakespeare. Lanham, Maryland: University Press of America, 2008. Print. Ramsey, Jarold. “The perversion of manhood in Macbeth.” web.nsboro.k12.ma.us. Rice University, March 12, 2010. Web. March 30, 2014.Shakespeare, William. Macbeth. Literature: the British tradition. Eds, Kate Kinsella et al. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2005. Print.