Emotions: Good or Bad?

Since Shakespeare’s time the role of women in society has greatly changed.  The amount of women in leadership roles has had a steady rise in recent times.  In Shakespeare’s time, women had very few rights and were considered more of a piece of property as compared to an actual human being.  Although women today still face adversity, more and more people are considering women and men to be equal.   That however, doesn’t cover up the fact that there are still many men that believe that they are superior to women.

When planning the murder of Duncan, Lady Macbeth calls on the spirits to rid her of her feminine weakness.  “Come, you spirits that tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here, and fill me from the crown to the toe top-full of direst cruelty. Make thick my blood, stop up th’access and passage to remorse.”  This quote symbolizes the theory of some people that men are strong and have no fear and women are weak.  However, sex doesn’t determine the actions of a person.  Both females and males commit evil and good deeds and their sex doesn’t change this

            Many women have taken a leadership role in society. Just two of them are Hillary Clinton and Margaret Thatcher.  Being one of few women in a political role has its advantages.  Just one of these advantages is that they stand out from the crowd. However, because they standout the public eye is drawn to what they hope is their success, but what could end up being their failure.  With the attention of the public eye on them, women like Hillary Clinton could receive criticism for their actions.  For example, when the video of Hilary crying got out she was perceived by men as weak, but when women saw her they saw her as someone they could relate to and that understood their struggles.  This act by Clinton could be real emotions or just an act to play on the emotions of women across the nation.  No one will ever truly know the truth except for Clinton herself.  

I don’t agree with the statement that for a woman to be considered a legitimate leader, she seems required to dial down her emotions and act the part of a man. The emotions of women are sometimes seen as a downfall to men.  Women are known to feel their emotions, while men are more likely to lock away their feelings.  Women may be seen as weak because of their emotions, but these emotions play on the emotions of other women and give them inspiration and strength to do the same for themselves.  “People cry, not because they’re weak. It’s because they’ve been strong for too long.” This quote shows that the tears that may be shed by women are just a proof that women aren’t as weak as some people perceive, but are strong on the inside.