es barrenness on her, depriving her of that which makes her female, the capacity to bear children. Lady Macbeth violates her womanhood by her rejection of children. In an utterly horrific speech, she asserts her absolute and unnatural capacity for evil:I have given suck, and knowHow tender 'tis to love the babe that milks me;I would, while it was smiling in my face,Have plucked my nipple from his boneless gumsAnd dashed the brains out, had I so sworn as youHave done to this. (I.vii.55-60).What becomes apparent through this theme of unnaturalness is the concept that in order for an evil deed to be performed by a woman, she must be seen to be an unnatural creature with masculine characteristics. That is, an evil woman is not truly a woman. This is reflected in King Lear when Albany says to Goneril, "See thyself, devil!/ Proper deformity shows not in the fiend/ So horrid as in woman." (IV.ii.60-62) and in Macbeth when Macbeth tells his wife "Bring forth men-children only!/ For thy undaunted mettle should compose/ Nothing but males." (I.vii.73-75). Both men are saying that evilness in women is not natural.1. While the masculine qualities of the evil women in the plays expand greatly on the theme of unnaturalness, the same is not true of the evil men. They could not possibly be portrayed as unnaturally feminine, as they would lack the ability to commit evil.The concept of manliness is emphasized in both Macbeth and King Lear. Lear says "And let not women's weapons, water drops,/ Stain my man's cheeks" (II.iv.279-280) and indicates that he would rather go mad than cry. Lady Macbeth spurs Macbeth to action by accusing him of woman's weaknesses, and of lacking what it takes to be a man and she says:When you durst do it, then you were a man;And, to be much more than you were, you wouldBe so much more than a man. (I.vii.50-52).The evil men are seen as being driven by greed and ambition. Macbeth continues his evil deeds out of fear and madness...
