How Does Power Control In Macbeth

Macbeth demonstrates an important lesson. It demonstrates that having too much power makes people make harsh decisions. It also shows you should trust your best judgement and not always the one that you are told to do. In the play Macbeth by William Shakespeare Macbeth is visited by witches that tell him he will be king. He first thinks nothing of it, but when his wife hears of the prophecy she pushes him to fulfil his “destiny”. His wife convinces him to kill the king so he can be crowned. After killing the king, he executes the chamberlains to show his new power as king. Macbeth and his wife kill, or try to execute the next people in line, to ensure that they stay in power. They become greedy for power and abuse the power they already have. At the end of the play Macbeth and his wife get what they deserve, which is death.

“Nearly all men can stand the power of adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power” (Abraham Lincoln). Someone can come off as a good person until they are given power. When someone has power, they may abuse it or treat others unfairly. Giving someone power and seeing how they act can show their true character. Macbeth is the most responsible for the events that occur in the play because he misconstrued the witches prophecies and was overcome by greed.

“All power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” is a quote from Lord John Dalberg-Acton, explaining that any amount of power can corrupt the mind, but absolute power will take over. This is represented throughout history: in politics, monarchies and times like the french revolution. Many writers have used this theme in their works. One work that includes this theme is William Shakespeare's Macbeth. The play Macbeth follows Macbeth, a brave warrior as he gains power from his deeds both good and bad. By killing the Duncan, the former king, Macbeth rises to power and takes control of his country. With every bit of power that the Macbeth’s gain, they become more and more corrupt.

We certainly know that the direct responsible for Duncan’s death is Macbeth. However this does not necessarily mean he is to blame, for his violent death is obviously the consequence of certain influences that forced Macbeth to perform his fatal deed. Furthermore, to unearth the truth about who is really the guilty for Duncan’s murder we must explore the influences the different characters have on Macbeth’s impulses and the overall scenario of the slaying.

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.

In William Shakespeare’s Macbeth, manipulation is an effective device used throughout the play to achieve control and influence behaviour. In the play, Macbeth falls victim to this and becomes controlled like a puppet by his wife, Lady Macbeth, and the three witches. At the beginning of the play, Macbeth was a loyal and well-respected general, but, later, becomes a treacherous murderer, fulfilling his desires to become king. The puppeteers were pivotal in Macbeth’s eventual downfall in the tragedy and pulled the strings that led Macbeth to his self-destruction. However, Macbeth in himself was a mentally weak character, adding to the ease of manipulation. These factors proved fatal for Macbeth as his death unfolded at the end of the play and his reign diminished. Shakespeare takes on the underestimated power of control that manipulation plays on characters throughout the dramatic performance.

In Macbeth by William Shakespeare, there are many tragedies presented. However, one thing that changes as the play progresses is who exactly has control over these tragedies. In the beginning of the play, it seems to be Lady Macbeth who has the most responsibility. Although, as the play continues, the control seems to shift over to Macbeth due to all the power he is given once he becomes King of Scotland. From beginning to end, the responsibility changes from Lady Macbeth to Macbeth, with an ending of complete corruption of Scotland.

Macbeth was an honorable warrior, content to be fighting to protect King Duncan and Scotland, Duncan though of Macbeth as one of the finest soldiers in the land fearing no man nor enemy that came his way. Macbeth being unsure of himself made him morally ambiguous he knew what he was doing was wrong but at the same time he wanted more power,respect,to please his wife that at the same time the murder of duncan didn't seem wrong. The murders that were planned by macbeth shows an evil persona taking upon him he wanted power,to be a great king macbeth didn't let anyone get in his way of achieving that goal even if it meant killing friends,families nothing mattered but the crown. We can’t blame Sir Macbeth for his behavior besides if you were promised,fame fortune, and everything that came with it what how far would you go to get

How far would you go to ensure you were the ruler of a kingdom and the most powerful person of royalty? Many people would do just about anything, up to including murder. The Witches in the story told Macbeth of their prophecy and this added temptation and influence over Macbeth, but they couldn't control his destiny. Macbeth exhibits the most control in comparison to the witches, and Lady Macbeth. While the witches tell Macbeth about their prophecy, Lady Macbeth plants the seed to murder the king, it is Macbeth who commits the murder. Although, in Macbeth, the three sisters and Lady Macbeth exhibit some control on some events, Macbeth has the most responsibility over the murders. Macbeth was responsible for his own actions which led him to be insecure and he continues to commit murders as a result. The witches introduced the ideas and put thoughts in Macbeth's head, but they were not responsible for macbeth's actions.

But despite Macbeth’s desire to take the throne, he does not want to kill Duncan. What pushes Macbeth over the edge is Lady Macbeth. She tells Macbeth to follow his ambitions and kill Duncan. She says that murdering Duncan is not a sin, and that it is all worth it for the crown. These words from Lady Macbeth’s mouth are what made Macbeth decide to follow through and commit murder. “I am settled and bend up each corporal agent to this terrible feat.” (1.7.92-93). Macbeth will do the act, but he is very reluctant to do so. In conclusion, Macbeth’s ambitions and his loyalty towards Lady Macbeth are huge factors for why Macbeth was torn, and why he decided to kill Duncan.

There are many different types of control that are experienced throughout any given person’s lifetime. There is being the person in control, being controlled by someone else, and even being controlled by one’s self. Each position has an effect on surrounding people and the mental state of the being. Within the texts, Macbeth, “And of Clay we are Created,” “The Yellow Wallpaper,” and “To Build a Fire,” the influence of control is always there, but appears in different forms.

Power corrupts the weak minded into doing deeds that are immoral. This is a run on theme in Shakespeare's “The Tragedy of Macbeth”, where both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth take the opportunity to seize the throne of King Duncan by murdering him in his sleep. As a result, while Macbeth was able to take the throne, the power he gained corrupted both him and Lady Macbeth, leading to their ultimate demise.

It is decided within Act 1, scenes 5 - 7, that Macbeth will kill King Duncan. Macbeth now has second thoughts, noting that such deed would start something that would eventually tear him apart, and that Duncan did not deserve such cruelty. At this point in the play, Macbeth is neither a good man, nor a corrupt one, but still a very tempted one, thus making his realizations fall short when faced against his wife's harsh words, and his own greed and ambition; Macbeth, once again, commits to killing Duncan. The death of Duncan takes a toll on Macbeth's mentality, as the guilt shortly overtakes him, resulting in lack of sleep and

Power is something one can find in all aspects of life. Whether in a relationship between two people or over an entire country, many people hold power in their lives. What is done with that power is up to the person who holds it and can be a strong reflection of their character. Too many people in positions of power become so wrapped up in wanting total control, that they lose sight of what is right and wrong. In the play Macbeth, by William Shakespeare, power is demonstrated many ways through many different characters. Power and ambition greatly affects the choices people make everyday.

Duncan is the most unlikely character to be killed because of his personality, but his title as King of Scotland, causes for Macbeth to loathe Duncan. In the play there is very little interaction between Macbeth and Duncan, showing the little time in which Macbeth gets more power. Prior to the witches’ prophecies Macbeth is loyal to Duncan, and would never imagine killing him. After the one of the witches’ prophecies comes to be true, the thought of killing Duncan, Macbeth "yield[s] to that suggestion / whose horrid image doth unfix my hair / and make my seated heart knock at my ribs" (1.3.146-148). Partly because of Lady Macbeth’s suggestion his "vaulting ambition" is starting to take over, and he begins to take into consideration killing