Influence 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.

“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.

However the abuse of power used by people today, as well as the abuse of power by Macbeth did not benefit the general community, neither did it benefit Macbeth at the end of his reign. This point also links to the point that people today as well as in Macbeth time only thing about their selves. The acts that they commit, whether it be with power or not really doesn’t benefit anyone.

Power is the ability to influence the behavior of others. In the Shakespeare play, Macbeth, and Dr. Seuss’ book, Yertle the Turtle, the characters demonstrated the actions and effects of how people behaved when they were in possession of power. They are usually arrogant and try to gain even more power. The theme of both works of writing were that the power was gained, abused or misused, and then lost. Power can make one so greedy they will do anything to acquire it. Lady Macbeth, for example, helped Macbeth’s ambition grow into something he used in a malicious way. Macbeth and Yertle were victims of power’s effects, which led to their downfall.

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.

This provides the reader with opposite perspectives, for Lady Macbeth sees the dangers of ambition, and the it is rooted in greed, thus deciding to back off, and attempt to protect her husband from his own corruption. However, prior to the killing of Duncan, Lady Macbeth possesses no fear of any repercussions to the murder, for “We fail? But screw your courage to the sticking-place, And we’ll not fail.”(1.7.59-61). Through Lady Macbeth, Shakespeare argues that ambition often comes out through the seduction of a significant other, in attempt to please a spouse, for Lady Macbeth exhibits no fear in murdering Duncan, as she wants to be queen. This relates back to greed, for Macbeth wants a happy spouse, therefore growing more ambitious in attempt to keep his wife happy by gaining power. As Macbeth’s ambition progresses, Lady Macbeth grows concerned for the situation and the fact that Macbeth has grown insane, as she wishes to limit the damage done by his hallucinations, as she instructs those around when Macbeth see the ghost of Banquo to “Sit, worthy friends. My lord is often thus…”(3.4.56). Here, Lady Macbeth now grows paranoid that the guest may catch onto the suspicious behavior of Macbeth, thus making him suspicious about the murder of Banquo. Through Lady Macbeth’s attempts to cover up Macbeth’s madness, the reader sees the consequences of ambition,

Secondly, Macbeth prepares for the assassination of Duncan as his wife Lady Macbeth pressures him into perusing the deed. Lady Macbeth murmurs that she knows Macbeth is ambitious, but fears he is too full of “th’ milk of human kindness” to take the steps necessary to make himself king (1.5.15). She convinces Macbeth to do whatsoever necessary to become king, blinding him with a negative ambitious drive from what is morally right. Later on in the story Macbeth is slain as a tyrant and Lady Macbeth commits suicide due to the consequences possessed with their actions in hopes of

When it comes to power, Macbeth won't let anyone or anything stand in his way to achieve his goal. His first victim to obtain his “success” is the King of Scotland, King Duncan. After letting himself be manipulated by the Three witches predictions, Macbeth and his wife ; Lady Macbeth, make a plan to kill the King. They invite him to their house where Macbeth kills Duncan in his sleep. Many would think Macbeth would remain loyal to his King, but his desire for power is so grand that not even killing the most worshiped man in Scotland scared him.

In William Shakespeare's The Tragedy of Macbeth, the main character of the play, Macbeth, is consumed with the ambition to become king. Nobody will stand in Macbeth’s way of the power that comes with the crown, or so he believes. Since Macbeth is motivated by his wife, Lady Macbeth, and the witches, who are also known as the weird sisters, his decision to murder for power creates his fatal destiny. Macbeth’s behavior is motivated by the push he is given by Lady Macbeth and the witches to steal the power of being king from his own kinsmen, Duncan.

Power can change people in a way that is bewildering. Power can make anyone so eager to control, that he or she will be determined to get it, no matter what obstacle stands in their way. The Shakespearean play, Macbeth is a prime example of how power impacts an individual. Throughout the play, Macbeth faces a constant struggle for power, and his thirst for power leads to many unjust, and corrupt decisions, also if an individual obtains power, over time that power will alter one’s personality negatively.

This desire for power is first seen in Act 1, Scene 4, when Duncan comes to stay with Macbeth and his wife, and a plan forms to kill Duncan in his sleep. While Macbeth is initially tentative to violate moral constraints, Lady Macbeth jumps at the chance of unbridled power. Shakespeare, through the characters of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, portrays overzealous and persistent ambition as detrimental to a society in which loyalty and honor are valued,

Hitler, Mussolini, and Stalin took power during the 20th century and unleashed their terror upon Germany, Italy, and Russia. Under these tyrannies, millions of innocent civilians were savagely slaughtered and the countries suffered like Scotland in Macbeth. In Shakespeare’s play, Macbeth, the protagonist is a tyrant who throws his country, Scotland, into a bloody chaos. Through the play’s protagonist, Macbeth, Shakespeare conveys that unchecked power is unhealthy because it leads to the deterioration of Macbeth’s mind and destroys his public reputation.

The play Macbeth by William Shakespeare shows the change in people when power gets in the way. While he was gaining fame and power Macbeth, also was losing his happiness and satisfaction. According to Macbeth “To be thus is nothing/But to be safety thus”. This shows that he thinks that to be the king is nothing if he is not safe and happy; but the more he is receiving the less he feels. This leads him to commit more immoral acts which obscure the clarity of his thought and does not make him realize the real destruction he is going to cause himself. His feelings get in the way of how he perceives the world around him which is changing rapidly. The power that Macbeth achieves through negative means prevents him from thinking clearly, 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.

No wildfire burns without ignition, and no misdeed comes about with the perpetrator alone at fault. There are always others who had an impactful effect. This is demonstrated in Shakespeare’s Macbeth, where an extensive cast of characters are developed through their roles in the titular character’s road to condemnation. Macbeth’s quest for power came to fruition through the temptation and support of other characters, demonstrating that without others, he would not have met his downfall.