Macbeth Imagination's Power Essay

Power and motivation can push people to do amazing things, good or bad. In Macbeth’s case, his power gave him potential to do good; Instead, his greed for recognition led him to commit horrifying acts of murder. Macbeth was just a normal person of royalty until the idea of becoming king and gaining power lead him to the point of no return. Literally.

In William Shakespeare 's play 'Macbeth ', Macbeth changes dramatically from Act 1 to Act 5. While in Act 1 Macbeth is seen as a noble and loyal warrior which contrasts to Act 5 where he is described as a "coward" and a "tyrant". While Macbeth 's actions are promoted by the witches, Lady Macbeth and his own desire lead them to choosing the actions they undertake which drives Macbeth 's undoing. If it wasn’t for the manipulative behaviour of Lady Macbeth and the impatient ambition Macbeth displays, Macbeth may have never engaged in the actions which led to his own demise.

At the beginning, Macbeth glorifies as a victorious soldier and crowns as The Thane of Glamis. But after hearing the three witches ' prophecies, “All hail, Macbeth! Hail thee, Thane of Glamis!, Thane of Cawdor!, that shalt be king hereafter”(Shakespeare I.iii.11), Macbeth 's ambition rises and transforms him into an evil character. In Macbeth by William Shakespeare, Macbeth 's quest for power causes him to become greedy, commit murders and experience guilt, which ultimately leads to his mental decline.

From the beginning, Macbeth’s intentions are made clear to the reader; he wants power and authority. After hearing that he will become king, Macbeth’s mind immediately turns to the thought of murdering Duncan as demonstrated in his aside where he says, “... Why do I yield to that suggestion / Whose horrid image doth unfix my hair / And make my seated heart knock at my ribs/ Against the use of nature?” (Shakespeare, Macbeth 1.4.134-37). If he were truly a loyal patron, this thought would not last as long as it did in Macbeth’s head, but his ambition transformed him. As Macbeth’s downfall advances he loses his integrity since his vision is clouded by his ambition and maintaining his rule. Macbeth’s mania gets to a point where, “[the Witches] no longer need to go and meet him; he seeks them out. He has committed himself to his course of evil… We have no hope that he will reject their advice; but… they make careful preparations to deceive him into [accepting it]” (Bradley 345). When his rule is at stake, Macbeth willingly tries to seek reassurance from deceptive, treacherous beings without thinking of the consequences. Additionally, Bradley wrote “and, almost as though to intimate how entirely the responsibility for his deeds still lies with Macbeth, Shakespeare makes his first act after this interview one for which his tempters gave him not a hint - the slaughter of Macduff’s wife and children” (345). Because he saw Macduff as a threat, without any hesitation Macbeth decided to kill the ones he loves because of his acquired ruthlessness. His goal of copious power led to the decay of his character and

Macbeth, written by William Shakespeare, is a play that mainly focuses on one common theme of insanity. Macbeth gradually becomes plagued by intense guilt as his desire for power drives him to attain his goals by any means necessary, including committing murder. He kills Duncan in cold blood in order to become King, has Banquo killed by three murderers because he wishes to maintain his position as King, and finally, he has Macduff’s family slaughtered. Each of these occurrences takes place because of Macbeth’s will to be King, or they are a result of his guilt. Nonetheless, they are all completed of his free will, which is what causes him to deteriorate mentally. After each of these events, Macbeth’s sanity takes a hit and he begins to hallucinate

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. Macbeth loses his last scrap of morality when he orders the murder of innocents to enrage a rival. Shakespeare’s Macbeth shows that humans will do whatever it takes to achieve and maintain power by charting Macbeth’s descent from noble thane to murderous tyrant.

Helen Keller once said “character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved.” People inspired by ambition can accomplish great things. However, when tempted by their desires, people can destroy themselves as well. These desires can simply be too much for any one person or two to overcome. In William Shakespeare’s dramatic tragedy ‘Macbeth’, ambition is portrayed throughout and Macbeth, a Scottish Noblemen is overcome by his desires. His downfall and destruction was caused by his blind ambition leading to his fatal flaw.

How far are you willing to go for someone’s respect? Would you commit a murder of someone close to you? In William Shakespeare’s Macbeth, the character Macbeth goes to great lengths to become King of Scotland despite the great risks of the job. Macbeth murders King Duncan, which he was once opposed to because his reputation was at risk. Macbeth sees himself as ambitious and gets offended if anyone suggests that he is anything other than a good man. He cares gravely about the opinions of his wife Lady Macbeth, who wants to see him as king, those of the king himself, and those of his companions’. Macbeth wants to be king because he wants the approval of others.

Shakespeare's Macbeth includes the power that affects over a person who has rose to a post authority. Influenced by unchecked power, Macbeth takes events that have serious and devastating results for himself and for different characters in the play. When Macbeth has presented an act in which he utilizes control for negative ends, he discovers it is progressively harder to limit himself from perverted use of force. Eventually, it’s his failure to recognize the adaptive and maladaptive elements of force from each other that keeps him from understanding his potential significance.

The assassination of Duncan was bloody and was the first act that was influenced by Macbeth’s blind ambition to be King. Macbeth at first tries to fight his ambition, he says, “First I am his kinsman and his subject,/Strong both against the deed: then, as his host,/Who should against his murderer shut the door,/Not bear the knife myself.” (I.vii. 13-16). Macbeth, in the beginning is trying to come up with reasons why he should not kill Duncan. This was the beginning of him notwithstanding by his ambition because he knows he can not become king with Duncan still alive. Nevertheless Macbeth decided that he will do anything it takes to become King. Before he commits the

Macbeth evidently undergoes a mental process by which he come round to the idea or murdering Duncan. He does this as a result of his wife’s manipulation, her leverage being his manliness.Without the role of Lady Macbeth, the murder of King Duncan would never have occurred in the play. Lady Macbeth had already been plotting for the murder since she received the letter concerning the three prophecies by the witches. Although Macbeth had sinister thoughts about having the throne, Macbeth would have never dared to take it upon himself to kill King Duncan and steal the throne from

In act one scene 7, Macbeth doubts if he should kill the king; however, his wife, Lady Macbeth, manipulates him into proceeding. It might be difficult for Macbeth, the renowned warrior, to hear his wife accusing him of cowardice. Therefore, under Lady Macbeth’s influence, as she questions his manhood, he commences the murder in order to prove to her that he is not a “coward.” This is important to note because his soliloquy shows his determination to proceed. (1.7.43)

The Tragedy of Macbeth incorporates character development to present William Shakespeare’s motive; throughout the play it allows the audience to see the message the play relays. The play is a tragedy and it specifically shows the tragedy of humans as they self destruct. There is a use of literary devices to create different aspects of each character allowing them to portray different images of themselves that wouldn’t be noticed initially. Compared to how the audience views each character in the beginning of the play, the image develops into something new as different aspects are revealed. The characters and their continuous changes become the essence of the play. The development and new aspects of each character leads to Shakespeare’s motive.

Macbeth’s ambition is one of the most prominent things that drive Macbeth in the play and truly becomes evident when he hears of the Witches prophecies. When the witches stop talking, he demands to know more. “Stay you imperfect speakers, tell me more” (I, III, 73-74). This portrays his excessive curiosity on the subject as well as his craving for more desirable prophecies. This ambitious nature and craving for power is also demonstrated only moments after hearing the witches, when he starts formulating a plan to kill Duncan in order to make the third prophecy come true. “If good, why do I yield to that suggestion[killing Duncan]/Whose horrid image doth unify my hair” (I, III, 144-145). This quote indicates that the force of ambition is so strong within Macbeth that even he himself cannot understand why it is making him think of killing Duncan. Likewise, Macbeth’s ambition to become king is further emphasized after Duncan names his son Malcolm as his successor. Here, Macbeth says that he will have to “oerleap,/For in my way it [Malcolm] it lies” (I, III, 55-57). Macbeth’s ambition is what is causing him to intervene with his prophecy and pursue his goal (rather than leave it to chance). In a way, it is Macbeth’s own “black and deep desires” that make him kill in the first place as the witches never tell him to do so. Furthermore, apart from ambition, it is Macbeth’s own weak will and moral system that causes him to do the actions that result in his downfall. Macbeth’s weak will is undeniable and is illustrated before killing Duncan. “I have of spur/To prick the sides of my intent, but only/Vaulting ambition, which o'erleaps itself/And falls on the other” (I, VII, 25-28). Even after listing all of the reasons why not to kill Duncan and coming to the conclusion that it is only ambition driving him, he still quickly succumbs to Lady Macbeth’s

After the rebellion war, Macbeth was given the title of “Thane of Cawdor” just by chance and not by his actions. Macbeth started getting ideas that maybe he could receive the title as king.In the 1st act of Macbeth, due to Macbeth’s desire to become king and Lady Macbeth’s urges, led him to kill Duncan. But Macbeth attempts to withstand these urges with his own reasons why he shouldn’t.