"The man, most man, works best for men: and, if most man indeed, he gets his manhood plainest from his soul." ~Elizabeth Barrett Browning. In the dramatic tragedy Macbeth by William Shakespeare, masculinity becomes a trait that is manipulated by Lady Macbeth and Macbeth. Lady Macbeth manipulates this trait in Macbeth by questioning his manhood and convincing him to murder Duncan, King of Scotland. The same way Lady Macbeth manipulates her husband, Macbeth provokes the murderers he hires to kill Banquo and Fleance by questioning their manhood as well. When the hallucination of Banquo's ghost plagues Macbeth, both Lady Macbeth and himself bring up the masculinity of Macbeth. Lady Macbeth questioning it, and Macbeth reinstating it.
             In the start of the novel, Lady Macbeth first appears to the reader as a selfish woman who is concerned solely with her own well being. She plays with others' emotions to get what she wants. Scornfully, Lady Macbeth provokes Macbeth's rage. She questions her husband's ability "To be the same in thine own act and valour-As thou art in desire [.]" (I.vii.40-41) Lady Macbeth twists her own wants around to make it seem that she is concerned with Macbeth's wants and also uses his devotion towards her to achieve her goals. Lady Macbeth knows her husband's feelings towards the crown and intelligently poses the question of "[having]that-Which thou esteem'st the ornament of life,-And live a coward in thine own esteem"(i.vii.41-43). Innocently Lady Macbeth states that "From this time-Such account thy love", knowing that Macbeth cannot refuse this allegation (I.vii.39). Macbeth is surprised at these rash statements. He fatefully promises to "dare do all that may become a man"(I.vii.46). This promise to boost his self-esteem and reassure his masculinity proves to be fatal for himself and his surroundings.
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