Corruption Of Power In Macbeth

Personal power has the ability to be essential to greatness, and at the same time is able to destroy a person’s nature. William Shakespeare’s destructive play, Folger Shakespeare Library “Macbeth”, reveals the corrupting force of power through its complex characters and interactions. The play shows that even someone who starts out like Macbeth and does not crave power, will do terrible things to gain authority and power.

It is in human nature that the more power one desires the more corrupt actions one must do to attain it. In Shakespeare’s tragedy of Macbeth, a Scottish noble's craving for power leads him to do terrible deeds that leads to his demise. Shakespeare shows that power corrupts by using Macbeth who corrupts under the thought of have power over others. Macbeth becomes corrupt under the thought of becoming king and gaining almost complete control over the people that he rules. Macbeth wants the power badly enough to do horrible deeds such as commit regicide. Lady Macbeth becomes very ambitious and allows herself to become seduced to the

In this world, one of the strongest human drives seems to be the desire for power. In the play Macbeth by William Shakespeare, Thane Macbeth seeks to gain power over Scotland. Through Macbeth’s search for power, he must choose between what is morally right or his inner motives. Macbeth gains power over others through the murders of King Duncan, Banquo, and Macduff’s entire family along with his servants. After each murder, Macbeth becomes more confident in his search to gain power.

“The prince of Cumberland! That is a step on which I must fall down, or else o'erleap, for in my way it lies. Stars, hide your fires; let not light see my black and deep desires. The eye wink at the hand, yet let that be which the eye fears, when it is done, to see” (Shakespeare 1.4.48-53). Since the King is still alive, Macbeth decides to either give up or try to become king. “If it were done when ’tis done, then ’twere well it were done quickly. If the assassination could trammel up the consequence, and catch with his surcease success; that but this blow might be the be-all and the end-all here, but here, upon this bank and shoal of time, we’d jump the life to come” (Shakespeare 1.7.1-25). Macbeth knows that killing the king is wrong but he is still contemplating on killing him just to become

no title, or only the title of his father, Thane of Glamis, he did not

     Personal power has the ability to be essential to greatness, and at the same time is able to destroy a person’s nature. In the drama Macbeth by William Shakespeare, the main character, Macbeth, becomes corrupt through power that he gains. The play shows that even someone who starts out like Macbeth and does not crave power, will do terrible things to gain authority and power.

William Shakespeare’s Macbeth was and remains a literary masterpiece that tells the story of corrupted power, the fall of a kingdom, and the destruction of countless innocent lives. This theme is not specific to Shakespeare’s play, however; it is perhaps one of the most common seen throughout the course of literary and real-life history. Two of the best examples of abused power are seen through Adolf Hitler and Macbeth - their rise to power, complete control of a country, and destructive rule mirror each other nearly exactly, and ruined the lives of countless families. Although one is fiction and the other real, both men left a horrendous legacy that will never be forgotten.

I personally believe that in the play "Macbeth" there is many examples to use to further the point that power can corrupt a person sometimes. In the play, before Macbeth becomes the king and is just first told by the witches that he will become the king of Scotland at some point, he is very interested in this but is still wary and not sure what to expect. However, Lady Macbeth eventually convinces Macbeth to kill the king himself, which I think she was able to do because the idea of power was very alluring to Macbeth, so in a way it had already began to corrupt him. While it can be argued that this wasn't the power corrupting him and instead was outside influence from his wife and the witches, this opinion gets more discredited the further into the play you read because eventually once Macbeth becomes the king he makes corrupt decisions by himself out of fear of losing his power. such as when he orders that Macduffs' family be put to death and for his castle to be taken. In this specific situation the witches did warn him that Macduff was a threat to his power and his kingship, however no one convinced him or advised him to have his family murdered that was his own decision and what he felt he had to do to secure his position as king of Scotland.

It isn't true that power corrupts automatically. In Shakespeare's play Macbeth, Macbeth rises to power. However he does this in a corrupt fashion, and when he achieves his power he must maintain it was by killing any that could take it from him. However, Malcom son of king Duncan, takes away Macbeths power but instead of killing others to keep his power Malcom rewards his companions. It is not power itself that corrupts, but the method that you use to achieve it.

Power gives people the ability to control and influence. It is held and used in many ways, significant and insignificant, for justice, mercy or desire. Because of its ability to give people what they want, power tempts people into doing the unthinkable in order to acquire it. Power itself is uncorrupted, only tainted and weaponised by those who hold it. In Shakespeare’s ‘Macbeth’ and Suzanne Collins’ ‘Hunger Games: Mocking Jay Part Two, manipulation and suggestion are shown to corrupt power and contribute to its use in the name of evil. Through a comparison of literary devices in ‘Macbeth’ and ‘Mockingjay Part Two’, humanity’s corruption of power will be explored and unveiled

The three witches play a very important role in affecting the actions of Macbeth with their ability to steer him in the direction they desire. They not only use their supernatural powers but also prey on his greed and ambition.

The scene shows the three witches lack of consideration of the outcome of their prophecy as they did not consult with their higher power, Hecate over whether they should tell Macbeth of his prophecy. Their thoughtless actions caused for many deaths and much corruption amongst themselves and the entire country of Scotland. The witches’ gain of power furthermore corrupted them as they did not tell Macbeth his full prophecy. When the witches first tell Macbeth of his fate the first witch states, “All hail Macbeth! Hail to thee, thane of Glamis!” (1.3. 48-50) This is then followed by the second witch claiming “all hail Macbeth! Hail to thee, thane of Cawdor!” and finally the third witch states, “All hail Macbeth! That shalt be king hereafter!” the prophecy given can be seen as false as they suggest that Macbeth is to be king for a long time when they state “hereafter”

In Macbeth , Shakespeare uses characterization to show the corrupt actions performed in order to convey Macbeth’s corrupt lifestyle. The corrupt characterization illustrated devious actions through the series of vicious events performed by Macbeth and his impulsive wife. After Macbeth and soldiers prepare for the battle, Macbeth hears a cry of a woman within seconds, he realizes lady’s death has come and his fears vanish and he said, “I have supped full with horrors. Direness, familiar to my slaughterous thoughts, cannot once start me.” (5.5.15-17)Macbeth exemplified these actions by allowing himself to murder several people. He showed no remorse regardless of the situation. Macbeth was informed on his wife’s death then his response showed the misery that had

Many casualties have resulted in the corruption of Macbeth and that is something that I need to come to terms with. I have been tasked to eradicate the chaos that he left in his wake and it shall be no easy task. But I am not that much of a coward to turn my back on my people in their time of need. I have firm beliefs that I can bring back order to this kingdom and eventually have everyone live in tranquility. My father’s name will not die in vain, I will put my utmost effort into making sure that it returns to its former glory.

People say that there is a major difference between justice and corruption, but where is the fine line between good and evil? Corruption can be interpreted as dishonest conduct by those in power. There are those who believe that corruption is just as long as it is serves a benefit for the common good. William Shakespeare’s Macbeth demonstrates the effects of living in a corrupt society and how the people rebel against their ruler whereas George Orwell’s 1984 portrays an unethical dystopia and how the public is oblivious to what is going on around them. The Inner Party and Macbeth both heavily abuse their power, resulting in the deterioration of society. Although they both seek power for the sake of having it, the way they manifest themselves, control the public, and punish the enemies are extremely contrasting.