So... it's time to answer the question. Was Shakespeare a feminist because he subverted gender stereotypes?
Or was he another sexist pig who found a way to blame women for a man's mistakes?
Samson and Delilah
The fact that Lady Macbeth dies first proves that Shakespeare actually believed that women WERE weaker than men.
Review
How are Eve and Lady Macbeth alike?
Review
So far, how could you argue that Shakespeare WAS a feminist (ie. subverted stereotypes)?
Today, we are going to focus on the other side: how we could argue that Shakespeare was kind of sexist.
Making women a scapegoat
What is a scapegoat?
How do the following pictures show this being done?
Act 5, Scene 1 of Macbeth
Lady Macbeth loses her mind...
Discussion Task
I am going to put a statement up on the board. Then, we will discuss as a class whether or not it is true.
Troy
Pandora's Box
The tragedy is mostly Lady Macbeth's fault, just like Eve.
By giving the play a tragic ending, Shakespeare is saying that bad things happen when women have power.
Macbeth's failure was in letting his wife tell him what to do... he's the one who should be in charge!
Macbeth, like Adam, is just unable to accept his own responsibility for his actions.
Was Shakespeare a feminist?