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The Power of the Feminine in Macbeth In the play and both film versions of Shakespeare's Macbeth, women are given a fairly large amount of agency or power. Interestingly enough, the women control not only their own destiny, but also that of our hero himself, Macbeth. Femininity, particularly that of the maternal, is a very widely used theme in the play and films. However it represents not only the nurture and support of a mother, …

…power over Macbeth, yet it was also denied in her barrenness. Her power was also eventually taken away by her insanity, showing that their deed took away all power either could have over their lives. Both were equally convincing due to Shakespeare's genius in leaving so much to interpretation. Although Shakespeare did leave much to the imagination, it is apparent that he gave the women in Macbeth the ability and power to control his destiny.