beauty, sexuality and family. The female evil characters' violation of these attributes demonstrate a major theme in both plays: unnatural and weird behaviour, where "fair is foul, and foul is fair" (Macbeth, I.i.11). One such violation is the female characters' taking on of male characteristics. Whether masculine physically or temperamentally, the evil women emphasize the unnatural theme that runs through both plays. For instance, the witches in Macbeth have beards and Banquo is unable to interpret them as women. Also, Lady Macbeth asks the spirits to remove her feminine characteristics saying, "Unsex me here;/ And fill me, from crown to toe top-full/ Of direst cruelty!" (I.v.41-43) and "Come to my women's breasts,/ And take my milk for gall, you murd'ring ministers" (I.v.47-48). In King Lear, Regan and Goneril are female physically, but they are void of what are considered womanly characteristics. They pretend to be loving and caring but are hard-hearted and cruel. Instead of offering shelter to their elderly father who has given them what they wanted, they leave him unprotected in the storm.This rejection of their father is another type of violation of the standard view of women which renders their characters evil and reflects the theme of unnatural behaviour. Women, whatsoever their rank, were highly associated with the concept of family. However, the evil women in both plays defy this association. Regan and Goneril do so by their rejection and ill treatment of their own father, prompting his understandable outrage. Lear asks nature to "Dry up in her the organs of increase,/ And from her derogate body never spring/ A babe to honor her!" (I.iv.278-280). He goes on, asking that if she have a child:Turn all her mother's pains and benefitsTo laughter and contempt, that she may feelHow sharper than a serpent's tooth it isTo have a thankless child! (I.iv.285-288).Goneril's treatment of him is considered so vile and unnatural that he wish...
