Macbeth: Jacobean Gender Struggles on Stage

This thesis proposes to read Macbeth in its specific cultural historical context of early seventeenth-century England. Whereas Jacobean age was conventionally perceived as an extreme misogynic era, recent studies on Jacobean women's writings suggest an alternative aspect of the history. The thesis begins with an investigation of the intricate gender struggles in the state of Jacobean England. For one thing, both contemporary conduct literature and James's works are scrutinized so as to establish the patriarchal atmosphere permeating throughout the era. For the other, Jacobean women's writings and their strategies to protest against the oppressive patriarchalism are also examined so as to demonstrate the resisting female voices. Notably, given that Christianity constituted the central part of Renaissance mentality, both sexes contested against each other by resorting to biblical authority. The subsequent discussions in turn explore both patriarchal and female traces in Macbeth. On one hand, Shakespeare endows Duncan's kingdom with Christian traits and Macbeth's women-tempted degeneration with antichristian features thus appearing to condemn the wickedness of female agencies in the plot. On the other, Shakespeare simultaneously portrays rather positive female characters in the play and models Lady Macbeth upon Renaissance patriarchal prescriptions to women thus indicating a defense of the blamed female sex. Similar to its context, whereas Macbeth appears to invite a patriarchal reading with its Christian framework, the knowledge of early Jacobean gender struggles illuminates the subtle female protest within the play.Abstract iii Acknowledgement iv Introduction 1 Chapter 1 Early Jacobean Gender Struggles 5 Chapter 2 Shakespeare's Macbeth: Microcosm of Early Jacobean Gender Struggles 26 2.1 The Sources of Macbeth 29 2.2 Patriarchal Reading of Macbeth 32 2.2.1 Christian Father-king 32 2.2.2 Serpentine Subversion within the Garden 40 2.2.3 Macbeth’s First Disobedience and Lady Macbeth 47 2.2.4 The Antichristian Matriarchal World 52 2.2.5 The Restoration of Patriarchal Order 67 2.3 The Defense of Women in Macbeth 71 Conclusion 91 Works Cited 9