Most people in power in the world are corrupt due to money and political positions. Not so unlike in Macbeth, a play by William Shakespeare, where the main character Macbeth after three witches give him, a prophecy saying he would be king and his friend Banquo’s sons would be king Macbeth begins his ascension to the throne through unnecessary means of which lead to his own downfall. Ultimately the pursuit of power not only led to the downfall of Macbeth but to those around them. From the beginning of the play, we can immediately see the cycle of corruption taking hold of the characters, mainly Macbeth. In the first scene Macbeth is in battle and is fighting the rebel traitor who is the thane of Cawdor. After which Macbeth and Banquo leave …show more content…
This clearly illustrates the corruption of power negatively affecting those without power. Especially considering it wasn’t until after Macbeth was king, he hired people to kill Banquo who’s son was only twelve and had less power than Macbeth. Another example of this is the blatant slaughter of Macduff’s family. While Macduff was out of the castle trying to plan a way to defeat Macbeth, Macbeths forces went to Macduff’s castle and killed everyone in it. Due to Macbeths paranoia that Macduff was going to take his power Macbeth felt it necessary to send solider to Macduff’s castle and not only murder his soldiers but also everyone else in it. But I guess jokes on Macbeth, Macduff wasn’t even there and in turn this act just fills Macduff with rage and even more resolve to kill Macbeth, the one who killed the people he loved, Macduff then remarks to … that “O, I could play the woman with mine eyes and braggart with my tongue! But, gentle heavens, cut short all intermissions! Front to front Bring thou this fiend of Scotland and myself. Within my sword’s length set him. If he scape, heaven forgive him to.” (4.3.233-238). This is clearly a turning point in the play Macbeth showing how power can take you to far and ultimately cause your
“Earth provides enough to satisfy every man’s needs, but not every man’s greed” (Mahatma Gandhi). Although wanting and having greed for power may be a motivation, it can fill one’s heart with dissatisfaction and unappreciation. Similarly, in William Shakespeare’s Macbeth, Macbeth wants to gain and sustain power, as he thinks that it was a necessary need. In William Shakespeare’s Macbeth, attaining and holding power is the ultimate reason for Macbeth’s downfall. The witches' prophecies spur Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s greed for power, Macbeth’s jealousy and his wife’s persuasion convince Macbeth to commit evil to gain power, and finally, the threat to his power secures his ultimate downfall.
In life, power has a way of leading and misleading people. It can also be said that once an individual receives power there is an overall shift in their character. This specific shift can lead to detrimental decisions and obsessive emotional and intellectual distress for a person. It is apparent in the play, Macbeth that gaining access to power unfairly leads to corruption in the mind, actions, and daily life. In the beginning of the play, Macbeth is seen as noble and loyal Thane to Scotland.
In the story, Macbeth becomes nervous that Banquo will over power him. “But to be safely thus. Our fears in Banquo Stick deep, and in his royalty of nature Reigns that which would be feared. ' Tis much he dares, And to that dauntless temper of his mind To act in safety. There is none but he Whose being I do fear.”
This tells us that for his protection and continued power he would do anything no matter how evil. It is not long after this that he kills Macduff’s innocent family for he felt Macduff was a danger to his power. Therefore, desperation for power leads to the development of an askew moral compass that is demonstrated by Macbeth and Napoleon’s oppressive rule. Not only do they now live in constant vigilance for threats, they will resort to anything to rid themselves of said
Because Macbeth’s and Lady Macbeth’s decision to murder Duncan, Both face the guilt of the power they abused portrays on the shadows that reflect on them as well as the natural consequences they will face. During the first half of the play, Lady Macbeth expresses her unnatural feelings and this is demonstrated through the corruption of power when she want’s to hire people to kill Duncan because she thinks that Macbeth is too scared. At first, when Lady Macbeth hinted “Their drenchèd natures lies as in a death”(1.7.78). This demonstrates that Lady Macbeth is characterizing corruption of power due to the fact that she want's to kill Duncan, therefore she can be queen of cawdor while Macbeth is king.
Lady Macbeth, who through her hospitality, appears to be of no threat to king Duncan, uses her “false face” (1.7.82), to “hide what the false heart doth know” (1.7.82), so that the king is mesmerized into a false sense of security. She, through her courtesy, appears only to be entertaining king Duncan and his grooms with a fine fest, but in reality is using the “wine and wassail” (1.7.64), as an instrument in the dastardly drugging of Duncan's grooms. She too, herself, makes it look as if "she is nothing but “th' innocent / flower” (1.5.56-57), when in reality she is nothing but the “serpent under’t” (1.5.58). Lastly, Banquo presents himself with a mirage of forever lasting loyalty towards Macbeth, but in reality he too wants the witches prophecies to come true for him and bare kings as children. Banquo, who did not fail in suspecting that Macbeth might have “played’st most foully” (3.1.3), for such a prestigious title, takes on the role of “chief guest” (3.1.11).
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.
A common theme in Macbeth is that power and corruption come hand in hand. Frequently, people with power lie and go against the better welfare of their people. Tragic hero, Macbeth, and political mastermind, Joseph Stalin, end up corrupted by trying to control and obtain power. They both wanted power and superiority so they did everything they could to get higher and higher on the totem pole.
Many people make big mistakes while under bad influence in power. Some become corrupt, some cave into the pressure, and some just straight up ignore their problems and run away. Macbeth on one hand caved under pressure and killed a man's family in fear of losing the throne and on the other hand completely corrupted himself to become king. People are probably wondering what possibly could have caused him to go mad. The answer is clear.
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
Their thoughts and actions are clearly influenced by this desire for power. In the play Macbeth, by William Shakespeare, both characters, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, harm other people for power which illustrates that power has the ability to corrupt. In the beginning of the play, Macbeth is a very compassionate and timid character. Macbeth is resistant to do anything morally wrong.
It truly reveals the lack of morals that he has, compared to Banquo. Being that Banquo was predicted to be father of kings (his sons), while Macbeth will be a king himself, one would think that Banquo would be the one complaining, since he is the only one not serving as a king. However, he is satisfied that, at least, his legacy through his three sons will live on. This reveals that he is humble and fair spirit. Macbeth does not want any competition.
21-22). Because the murderers failed to kill Banquo's son, it’s possible that the witches' saying may still come true. Because of Macbeth's extreme drive for power it causes him to go too far and causes problems for him mentally. Since he sought out to kill Banquo, during the dinner, he continues to hallucinate the ghost of Banquo sitting among them which really disturbs him as he tries to get Banquo's ghost to go away by saying “Avaunt, and quit my
Power can not only bring ambitious people honors, but also make them lose everything. In the play, Macbeth, written by William Shakespeare, it demonstrates that the immoral power influences the life of Macbeth dramatically. Macbeth’s abuse of power destroys his relationship with his cousin, friend, and wife, which shows that Macbeth’s wild ambition causes him to be isolated. Macbeth’s abuse of power destroys his relationship with his cousin, Duncan.
Macbeth’s Moral Deterioration Throughout the years where ruling and power took place everyone has always wanted to feel powerful and wouldn't stop at any lengths to have it even if it means hurting others along the way and choosing the wrong path . For others not so much, but some will choose anything to have power for instance in the tragedy of Macbeth. This is a story of an unsuccessful ruler who became king by murdering and manipulation. He chose to kill and lie in order to have power. His immoral decisions eventually lead him into extreme feelings of guilt and remorse later on in the tragedy.