Beatrice is the representation of a modern woman who breaks free from the social norms, which preferred quiet and subdued women, only to be seen and not to be heard, like her cousin Hero. Beatrice is a strong character, she is witty, sometimes scornful, bold, sarcastic and amidst all this- emotional. She professes a stubborn malignity towards the opposite sex but also posseses a lurking fascination for her ‘enemy – Benedick. When we are introduced to Beatrice, we see her as the great lady, bright, brilliant, beautiful, enforcing admiration as she moves among fine ladies and accomplished gallants of her circle. She has a quick eye to see what is weak or ridiculous in man or woman.
Shakespeare uses Lady Macbeth’s persuasion and the witches’ charm, both in act 1 to show the influence of others. Lady Macbeth uses different techniques to persuade Macbeth to kill the king. She accuses Macbeth of being “green and pale” like a coward. He is also accused of being “afeard to be the same in …act…as thou…desire”, telling us he might be weak or fearful. The witches are possibly linked as the “charms” seem to influence Macbeth and he begins to echo “foul and fair”.
Despite all these changes, the free- thinking, independent woman has proved to be a durable stereotype. The concept of the disobedient women that opposed any male authority was worked into many different adaptations of the original play and used in other texts. Even though slightly changed and modified through the ages to relate to different societies, the Kate character has survived. The “shrew” idea became a major challenge for any actress offered the role of Shakespeare's Kate and attempt to develop it in an appealing way to the audience of their time. The word shrew as used in the concept of Shakespeare's original play, means a woman with a violent, scolding, or nagging temperament (TCM, fact sheet).
Discuss how the characters of Macbeth, Lady Macbeth, and Duncan are established in Act I by using textual evidence to support your points. Macbeth: “return to plague the inventor” Macbeth is a person that knows what he must do but is doubtful of it. He is the war hero and got news of his promotion by the witches, who also said he would be promoted further. To make their prophecy come true he must kill Duncan. Lady Macbeth: “unsex me here, and fill me, from the crown to the toe, top-full of direst cruelty” Lady Macbeth is the “true” evil.
An old lady has just told me that I speak exactly like Queen Victoria. (Shaw67)” This is a key moment in the play, because the reader can see Eliza’s true desire to ultimately fit in with the elegant women of the higher social class . Before this moment, Eliza wanted to be compared to the queen, but now she realizes she sticks out for, in her mind, the wrong reasons. Prior to her metamorphosis Eliza was alienated by society for her barbaric nature, but after she learns the importance of phonetics she is once again alienated for being exceedingly eloquent. This is ironic because the once poor uneducated flower girl has surpassed the social status of the women she once envied.
By having Lady Macbeth imagine herself as queen already, before it has even happened, the audience is able to see that she is a very self-determined, independent individual. This quote is important to Lady Macbeth's character because it shows the audience her cruel side and determined side. The most important dramatic devices used in this quote are a soliloquy and foreshadowing. The soliloquy is obviously important because it shows the audience Lady Macbeth's characteristics without having the complication of other characters around. When Lady Macbeth is by herself, it is absolutely her true character.
In their day and age these characters would be judged by many factors including social and cultural backgrounds, crimes committed and personal traits. Both of these writers seem to conjure their audience into a state where it compels them to relate to certain characters. Lady Macbeth certainly loses or suppresses her feelings of cowardice. Throughout her appalling invocation to the spirits of evil to “unsex her”, proving her ambition to attain her goal. In Jacobean times women were seen as inferior and even in the Victoria era, thus she required external forces to crush her conscience to allow her to fulfil her ambition.
Macbeth's and Lady Macbeth's relationship changes throughout the course of the play. In the beginning we see Lady Macbeth playing the more superior, more dominating role of the two. She lays all the plans and all Macbeth has to do is obey her commands. She comes across as a woman, who is persuasive and manipulative. Macbeth on the other hand is easily persuaded and unsure.
Lady Macbeth also plays and evil role beside him. She mocks him, if he frets over her instructions, saying that he will be less of a man if he does not follow the plan. She gives Macbeth a lecture of deceptiveness when planning the murder of King Ducan. She had also prepared a dagger for Macbeth to kill the King in advance. Though Macbeth still had doubts, she was ready to do this blood thickening job, herself.
Angustias, the eldest of Bernarda’s daughters is the richest and seeks to obtain freedom from Bernarda’s grip. Magdalena and Amelia which are the two middle sisters have a minor voice in the play but remain submissive to Bernarda and her rule by mostly gossiping amongst themselves. A character which forms a number of the reactions throughout the play is Martirio, who may have been married off but was not due to her mother’s destructive nature. She also cares and loves Pepe el Romano, of whom Angustias is engaged and Adela having an affair. Adela is the youngest daughter and the rebel of the family.