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The Corruption Of Children In Macbeth By William Shakespeare

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In Shakespeare's tragic play "Macbeth," children represent innocence, purity, and hope for the future. Throughout the play, several characters, including Lady Macbeth and Macbeth himself, express their desire to have children or their concern for the children in their lives. The presence of children is significant in highlighting the contrast between their untainted innocence and the corrupt, violent world of the play. Additionally, the fate of children in the play, such as Macduff's son and Banquo's son Fleance, foreshadows the tragic end of the play's main characters and underscores the theme of the destructive nature of ambition.

In Shakespeare's "Macbeth," children serve as a symbol of purity and innocence, highlighting the contrast between their untainted nature and the corrupt and violent world of the play, while also foreshadowing the tragic fate of the play's main characters and emphasizing the destructive consequences of unchecked ambition. …show more content…

First and foremost, they are portrayed as pure and untouched by the corruption and violence that plague the adult characters in the play. For example, Lady Macbeth expresses her desire to have a child so that she can "pour [her] spirits in thine ear and chastise with the valor of [her] tongue all that impedes thee from the golden round" (Act 1, Scene 5). Lady Macbeth sees a child as a blank slate that she can mold into an instrument of her own ambition, free from the guilt and corruption that come with adulthood. Moreover, the fate of children in the play, such as Macduff's son and Banquo's son Fleance, emphasizes their innocence and vulnerability in the face of the violent world of the play. By representing innocence in this way, Shakespeare underscores the tragedy of the play and highlights the corrupting influence of unchecked

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