Starting with this conversation, explore how far Shakespeare presents Macbeth as a male...

In Shakespeare's Macbeth, and this extract, Macbeth is depicted as a brave warrior who is loyal to King Duncan. He is a celebrated hero who 'unseamed' the enemy 'from nave to t' chops' which demonstrates his commitment and true following of King Duncan. However, he gives into his temptation and his hamartia: ambition. Shakespeare sends a stark message to the Jacobean audience about committing regicide, causing chaos across Scotland, and the consequences of his overarching ambition which leads to his downfall in Birnam Wood. As Macbeth is returning from battle, Duncan praises his heroic efforts. He refers to Macbeth as a 'valiant cousin' and a 'brave warrior' which demonstrates the respect and love Duncan holds for his most celebrated soldier. Howver, Macbeth's 'sword smoked with bloody execution' metaphorically uses colour imagery to suggest his violent tendencies. In the Jacobean era, these violent acts combined with a King celebrating them, would've been viewed as courageous therefore cementing Macbeth as a worshipped hero. Contrastingly, Shakespeare depicting Macbeth as a hero juxtaposes Macbeth becoming a tyrannical ruler later in the play and effectively demonstrating the how Macbeth's decisions lead to his downfall. Nevertheless, Macbeth meets the 'instruments of darkness' on the heath. To the Jacobean audience, a powerful supernatural influence, the witches posed immediate danger to Macbeths character. It could be implied that he is under the spell of the witches as he repeats their words 'foul and fair'. This fricative alliteration in which he would bare his teeth, signifies his aggression and violence yet to come. A clear indication that he will turn into an aggressive person. His further influnce from Lady Macbeth who chides him for being a 'coward'. She continues in her derisive nature 'when you durst do it, then you were a man'. Her influential nature in accusing Macbeth of being less than a man demonstrates her desire to achieve Kingship at any cost. She derides Macbeth and essentially initiates further change as he commits to regicide of the beloved King Duncan. Macbeth ponders the afterworld at the thought of drinking a 'poisoned chalice' which implies his soul being corrupted. The Jacobean audience wholly Christian would have taken this as a clear indication that Macbeth has 'damned' himslef and he will got to hell if he murders Duncan. This depiction of a man overcome by temptation for personal gain, alludes to the biblical character of Judas who betrayed Jesus for monetary gain, eventually leading to Jesus’ death and later, his own. This portrays Macbeth’s want for power as more of a betrayal of his king, whom he was once loyal to, and, as a result, God who, in Jacobean times, was thought to choose the monarch and be only slightly above them. This allusion also serves to foreshadow his death and show the Shakespearean audience the horrors of regicide. Shakespeare depicts Macbeth betraying the King as a result of his own ambition to warn them of the dangers of a want for power. Later, Shakespeare depicts Macbeth’s tyrannical reign, to present his fall from grace and how his horrific actions affected others.

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