Unlike most desires, prestige is one that is shared by all of humanity. For people, prestige is incredibly important in terms of individual and social success. People act on their desire in order to gain prestige. Through stories reflecting the human condition and examples in the modern age, we can see how far people will go for personal success. In life, people are motivated by greed, power, and jealousy to acquire prestige through any means necessary. A common drive that often leads people to do anything for prestige is greed. Greed affects people universally In Psychology of Ambition, Brim writes that people will always aim for more, regardless of possessions. Citing a study measuring how much more people desire using money as a …show more content…
This study illustrates how universal the idea that people always desire more. In Macbeth, Macbeth kills Duncan in order to be king not out of anger or revenge but when his greed to be king overtakes his self-control. Macbeth’s actions over his greed and our study concluding that people always want more displays how far humans will go to gain more. In The Governor's Wife, we see a near parallel to Macbeth’s wife’s situation when her greed led her and her husband to sell official government seats. Both Shakespeare’s tale and this situation in recent history show how greed has been around for hundreds of years. This article and Macbeth’s similarities heavily support our theory that greed is a driving force in people’s behavior. This greed for more also seems to be unending not only through Macbeth’s constant search for more power but in the article, Thought of acquiring power. The article …show more content…
Jealousy is a common emotion that everyone experiences and draws out some of the worst characteristics of humanity. In a study presented by the article How Jealousy Works, it presents the idea of power jealousy, which refers to the idea of being unhappy by a missed work or power related promotion. The article also writes about a study on adolescent jealousy which stated, “jealous adolescents studied were more inclined to become either physically or passively aggressive”. This supports the idea that jealousy could very well be prime fuel for aggressive acts. This is also presented in Shakespeare’s Macbeth when Macbeth kills Duncan believing he should be king. This is a clear example of power jealousy and this play and study reflect how people would have acted in that time versus present and shows how these human emotions have not changed over the years. In addition to this, Much Ado About Nothing presents a similar villain, Don John whose motivation for ruining marriages seems to be jealousy of other members of the group and their influence and power. In an article on school shooter’s motivation titled, Envy and Murder the author explains that the students were not driven by revenge but, “ shooters are more likely driven by envy than by revenge. This seems most true among those shooters” (Langman 7). The
Those with advantages that make them seem prestigious tend to ultimately abuse their status, destroying many aspects of their personal life as a result. For example, Mark Water’s film, Mean Girls, portrays a simple girl who is overwhelmed with the typical American high school social structure. According to Helen Kirwan-Taylor’s article on the Wealth Fatigue Syndrome, the sudden luxurious lifestyle will eventually lead to her loss of happiness and relationships. Both Waters and Kirwan-Taylor shine light on the fact that even though most people crave the deluxe life, they fail to realize the consequences that come along with it. Kirwan-Taylor’s article and Water’s film collaborate on the addiction of obtaining superiority.
Other examples of the motivations such as bullying and tormenting which led to revenge are referenced in Dedman’s report. He
Whether it be happiness, success, money, or even love. People will try their hardest to get what they have and will do anything to get it in their possession. Abigail Williams in the Crucible had the most animosity for John Proctor's wife. Abigail went through all the trouble just to convince the town that their was some sort of witchery going on. Abigail did this just so people could get punished and have Elizabeth hanged so she can have Proctor all to herself.
Another emotion that jealousy can spark is lust. If you see somebody that has more money you want to be like them, you work hard to get to that point in life. In, The Great Gatsby, Tom wanted a different woman because she had better looks than his wife. So he cheated on her with another married woman. Jealousy pushed them to cheating on their spouse, which is what leads to the decay of marriage and a whole lot of
Both greed and power, if not controlled, can lead to destruction. Throughout William Shakespeare’s play Macbeth, Shakespeare uses both characters Macbeth and Lady Macbeth to demonstrate how ambition can change one’s personal relationships. As in the beginning of Act 1, Scene 7 Macbeth and Lady Macbeth do not share the same ambition, and it is because of this that their relationship lacks love and affection however through the use of persuasion and other means, Lady Macbeth is able to get Macbeth to pursue her ambition. This not only changes their relationship drastically but it also changes Macbeth’s attitude towards ambition. Throughout the play, Shakespeare shows us through Macbeth, the possibility for ambition to eventually turn into greed and how the lust for power may corrupt us.
“Radix malorum est cupiditas” translated from Latin into “Greed is the root of all evil.” (Chaucer 125) Throughout the Pardoner’s Tale, written by Geoffrey Chaucer, this is the story of three men that treat people lower than them and they end up finding a whole pile of gold, but they end up killing each other to get the gold to themselves. The entirety of the three men end up dead and not even one gets the gold. There are many topics involving greed, this essay will involve what it is about, the dangers, and the benefits of controlling the desire to gain.
It is human nature to want power, to be at the top of the pyramid, to be king/queen, but that comes at a price as shown in Macbeth. In the play, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth will do anything to have absolute power and nothing stands in their way. From killing to going completely mad, they will become the next king and queen at all costs. The ambition and the want for power is so high that they kill many, they do whatever they can to be one step closer, and they go completely insane, all because they want that absolute power.
Blind Ambition and Greed The play “Macbeth”, by William Shakespeare illustrates many themes through the characters from the beginning to the end of the story. But the main central theme introduced is Ambition and Greed. As the play goes on we read how Macbeth permits his Ambition and Greed to dictate the outcomes and tragedy’s that occur to himself and others.
Killing someone for the throne? Is this Envy? Pride? Greed? Greed is the desire for material wealth or gain.
People are very different in what they are, and what they want. Those same differences pull humans together, proving that to the core, humans are not so distinct. People are driven to satiate the need to fit in, and due to this necessity, they assign values to those things that make you valuable in someone’s circle. Time and time again, society shows that they would go to great lengths to attain the value, regardless of cost. That pursuit is not a new thing, remnants from the past show that these customs live deeply ingrained in our way of thinking.
“There is a sufficiency in the world for man 's need but not for man 's greed.” This quote was spoken from a wise Indian activist, what he says is a correlation towards the rising greed aspect of the character Macbeth. This play Macbeth was about a soldier who became greedy with power. It is about Macbeth’s Tyrant display when he kills Duncan and orders Banquo to be killed and other violent acts.
Power is always coveted in any society and the world of Shakespeare’s Macbeth is no different. In the play, Macbeth, a noble lord, shows his hunger for power with thoughts to remove an heir to the throne from power. Macbeth’s impatience to be king leads him to stain his honor by using murder. Macbeth travels further down the path of evil by arranging the assassination of a friend.
The reader is able to see this through Macbeth’s contemplation on whether or not he should kill Duncan, Lady Macbeth's lust for power and Macbeth’s final yet selfish decision. The overall comparisons are able to demonstrate the harmful physical and psychological effects of power throughout a community. As a result, the reader can learn from both Queen and Shakespeare that one's evil pleasure and desires can be a result of one's destruction all
An esteemed position in society should be valued above all other qualities, justifying that individuals desperate enough will risk all their redeeming traits for a prestigious status. How can what others think, affect a person? Significantly it does, a reputation or the way one is perceived as, can be a practical asset. Day in and out, through social media or physical interactions, people are always aiming to get their name out.
Power. It is the world’s most dangerous asset anyone can hold on to. It can be used for prosperity or for a complete destruction depending on the person. As the famous Lord Acton 's quote says, “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” Animal Farm stands for the best example that can display this matter in a clearer and funnier version.