The character of the ideal man has been a point of contention since the dawn of man's on sense of self. In my own humble opinion a man should foremost, possess the quality of wisdom, meaning a collection of knowledge and information on humankind's triumphs and feats. A man should also possess bravery to face societies ills, with a pen or a sword. A man should be compassionate, all of his actions should be guided by feelings of love. He should be healthy, hardworking, and a master of his trade(s), whatever it (they) may be. A man should achieve dominion over his appetites, a clear understanding of his goals. Last but not least, he should love himself.

While some of these qualities are not applicable to the context of the play, several of them can be explored through the characters of the play. Mainly Macbeth, and through his relationship with Lady Macbeth.

Being King is arguably the utmost position of manliness. Supposedly, it takes a real man to hold such power, and responsibility, as a king would. Yet, manliness is a trait that Macbeth comes into let in the play. It could be postulated that Macbeth and Lady Macbeth possess a certain degree of manliness between them, and that at the beginning of the play, Lady Macbeth has it all.

While Macbeth does have a repertoire in the department of humankind’s triumphs and defeats, he is not wise. Wisdom also pertains to the insight one obtains from such knowledge, yet Lady Macbeth determines how to make his fortune come true. She also formulates the plan to ensure Macbeth’s fate, which shows initiative. Even though Macbeth is destined to become king, Lady Macbeth knows what she wants, and goes after it. This is very a goal-oriented, male-like trait. Macbeth does not inherit this ability until after he kills Duncan. In fact, Macbeth’s first show of manliness is the moment when he kills Duncan. Before that, Lady Macbeth orchestrates everything, while Macbeth exhibits uncertainty and lack of initiative. By killing Duncan, Macbeth becomes brave, by being able to carry out an action, which terrifies him. After that Macbeth takes charge immediately. His second show of manliness is his lack of hesitation in killing the guards. Lady Macbeth shows that she has given up the trait to her husband, by being doubtful, and expressing remorse over hers and her husband’s actions. Even though she did not kill Duncan herself, she cannot seem to wash the metaphorical blood from her hands. Her perception of blood is a manifestation of her guilt. While she takes the backseat to manliness, her husband assumes full control of everything, in a whirlwind of ill-evaluated, spontaneous decisions.