Leadership In Macbeth

Thousands of leaders have come and gone, yet not all were true to their people and often chose a corrupted path full of absolute power and tyranny. Although determination and willpower helps people obtain a position of leadership, this same drive can lead to arrogance and an abuse of power. Hundreds of pieces of literature highlight this frequently seen concept of leaders and William Shakespeare was no different when he wrote the play Macbeth. Shakespeare wrote many tragedies to reflect humanity’s turmoils and shining moments and the tragic hero of the play, Macbeth, best displays such truths as the reader is led through his immoral path to overthrow King Duncan and assume the throne. The corruption of power is not that uncommon and Macbeth

Macbeth is first described as a war hero who led the final blow on Macdonwald by a captain: “For brave Macbeth… with his brandished steel/ unseamed [Macdonwald] from the nave to th’ chops”(I, ii, 18, 20-24). With his ambition, he is able to gain the upper hand and lead his army into a successful battle that was incredibly close to losing. Ultimately, his eagerness to lead these people not only because he is a thane, but also because of his loyalty to King Duncan reveals how he is an astounding leader who is successful. In turn, the audience is able to see Macbeth as a hero, more specifically a leader who is honest and loyal. Along with the battle comes the reward and Macbeth is given the new title ‘Thane of Cawdor’ from King Duncan who announces “What [Thane of Cawdor] hath lost, noble Macbeth hath won”(I, ii, 67) Through earnest motivation, Macbeth has now won a new title and trust from the king which in turn allows him to take a step closer into possibly obtaining the royal throne. Additionally, Macbeth’s new title confirms how his determination allows him power as a trustworthy and vigorous leader. Furthermore, the audience is able to connect to and applaud Macbeth because he is using his ambition to help succeed as a war leader and gain himself a much

In fact, he begins as a valiant leader only serving Duncan’s wishes to win a battle against a rebellious force. After this battle, he receives a new title which fuels his ambition and causes him to think of immoral ways to seize what he so passionately believes is his: the throne. Macbeth is then led to spin a web of lies to cover up his previous actions and ultimately becomes a deceitful tyrant. In total,, his strive for success got him very far, but it also revealed something in him that is universally human which is the desire for more power. Like Macbeth, not all of humanity is fit to serve since with great power comes incredible amounts of responsibility. Despite the responsibilities and duties present in positions of power, once people realize the amount of control they have and therefore abuse it to fulfill their own desires and ambitious actions. In the end, power is abused since humanity subconsciously desires after more and more