Power And Fear In Macbeth

  "I'll fight till from my bones my flesh be hacked."  (Act 5, Scene 3).  Phrases as forceful as Macbeth's quote are not common day language, in fact, it is used except in times of intense emotion.  Although the diction of Macbeth's words are from the Elizabethan Age, it's message rings true and clear.  Macbeth clearly will oppose anything standing in the way of his passion.  Critics often debate over the what tragic flaw of Macbeth lead to his downfall.  Was it ambition or Lady Macbeth's influence?  Hardly so.  It was an obsession of power that Macbeth desired so much that led to his compulsive fixation and preoccupation of obtaining his desire by any and all means necessary.  Thus, he inevitably

up being driven mad by the guilt and she ends up taking her own life

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.

“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.

Power has the ability to manipulate and control whatever one desires; to do what one pleases to do without answering to authority. The power that corrupts the characters plays an extensive role throughout Shakespeare 's play. In Williams Shakespeare 's tragedy of Macbeth, a scottish noble craving for power leads to him to commit terrible actions that creates conflict between him and society. Shakespeare demonstrates Macbeth abuses power by using it negatively against other people. Lady Macbeth has a strong desire for her husband being in power which allows herself to make unsubstantial decisions. Lady Macbeth then uses manipulation against Macbeth in order to get Macbeth to be king. Macbeth also doesn 't realize how dangerous power is and how evil it can be, Macbeth takes power for granted and decides to kill anyone who gets in the way. He relies acting on impulse until he 's blinded by evil, he can’t think for himself. When people allow the dominance of desiring a power to control their actions, there will be consequences.

“Underlying the quest for power is fear, and the desire for power is to eliminate fear. The more fearful a person is the more control over their environment they believe they need to feel safe” (Robert Evans Wilson Jr.). Throughout literature and modern history, fear is used as a scapegoat for the desire of power. The acquired power acts as a safety blanket for one’s deep, internal anxieties. Shakespeare demonstrates how fear becomes a driving factor in a person’s behavior. Macbeth’s nature is greatly altered after the death of King Duncan provokes his desire to become king. William Golding’s Lord of the Flies explains how the fear of the unknown is the source of survival instinct in everyone. The murders of Simon and Piggy bring

EXAMPLE 1: Macbeth’s fear of the unknown and of the future has driven him to seek certainty as his one objective.

In the play Macbeth by Shakespeare I found at the beginning the character Macbeth was a portrayed as a noble, honest and brave man. As said by the captain in the second scene, ‘For brave Macbeth – well he deserves that title’ (I.2.16). This gives the audience an indication that Macbeth was highly respected by the king’s men and the king himself. His desire for power grew throughout the play from when he had his first encounter with the witches.

Throughout reading the play, Macbeth changes a lot from being a man of loyalty and honesty, to a man of whom is power hungry and greedy. This shows how the more power you receive the more power you want; which in many cases, such as this one leads to destruction. Many of the choices that Macbeth made were influenced by the power that he had, and this power began to take over him. This then lead to greed and destruction of not only others, but himself as well.

When power is wrongfully obtained it can be misused and lead to one’s downfall by ambition.

In Shakespeare’s play Macbeth, the main character’s goal is to become the king. Macbeth seeks to gain as much power as he possibly can and this ultimately leads to his demise. He hears the prophecy of the witches and becomes so obsessed with fulfilling the prophecy because it states that he will eventually become king. Having this information, Macbeth goes out of his way to force the prophecy to come true. He becomes so power hungry that he tries to force fate leaving him with an undeniable guilt for his actions, the loss of love from the people who once loved him, and a harsh death in the end.

In The Tragedy of Macbeth, the most prevailing theme is the shift in power in the relationships of the central character. The main character of the play, Macbeth, experiences a shift in control of his relationships as he gains more power.

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.

Has fear ever had its monster like terrifying grip on you? Have you ever shrieked and panic as someone frightened you? We all know the insidious monster like feeling known as fear. This emotion can manipulate people’s lives just as a puppeteer manipulates a puppet, terrify leaving us with intangible wounds that almost never heal, and can drive us to the brink of insanity.

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.