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How Does Shakespeare Use Power In Macbeth

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Throughout Shakespeare’s tragedy, Macbeth, it demonstrated that when power is influenced by personal ambition, it leads to downfall and characters start to realize power signifies nothing. Almost every character introduced into this play has used their ambition to try to gain power or has used their power to get where they are right now. Macbeth’s actions were guided by what the witches predicted for him, and when that word went around, Lady Macbeth was controlled by the thought of power too. The thoughts of power created conflicts throughout the book, starting with the murder of King Duncan, all the way to the murder of Macbeth. When actions are used to steal power, it leads to a destructive future.
Starting off, Macbeth shows ambition …show more content…

As soon as she was told there was a chance for power in her future she went crazy, scheming up plans to take the throne. She craves power and pushes her husband to kill for it. Her mind was constantly thinking about power, “This nights great business into my dispatch, which shall to all our nights and days to come Give solely sovereign sway masterdom” (1.5.80-83). Lady Macbeth will do anything to get power from her husband, so she starts to concoct plans to manipulate her husband into murdering King Duncan. Macbeth did not feel comfortable with killing King Duncan just to take the throne, but the persuasion of his wife made him realize the benefits of being king. Although she knew that murdering is wrong, her personal gain from the actions of murder is all she can think about. Lady Macbeth will go as far as drugging people to get access for her husband to kill the king, “That which hath made them drunk hath made me bold. What hath quenched them hath given me fire” (2.2.57). When the madness catches up with her, along with the guilt, she can not bear it anymore. As everything piles up, she starts to regret her past, taking her life to stop the

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