Power Corrupts In Shakespeare's Macbeth

Power is a strong, dynamic category, which means the ability to do some things. This category has a huge influence on the relations in society. The power usually leads to the use of the violence. Moreover, powerful people with the use of the violence are trying to protect their control

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

“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.

Power is having the capability or qualification to do something or control something. The idea of power is often analyzed in the Truman Show and Animal farm. In the Truman Show, Peter Weir suggests that power can be bad and that people shouldn’t have power

     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.

Does obtaining or coming into power automatically corrupt the person who has the power? There are many people who think that power will eventually and always corrupt a person, and there are also others who believe power doesn't corrupt someone at all and it's just who they really were all along, however, I personally think that power does corrupt people some of the time, and actually has many different factors attributing to whether or not the person becomes corrupted. I think that the argument that power can never corrupt is completely invalid because if that were true, then terms like 'mad with power' or 'power-trip' would not exist, so these terms existing and being used proves that power can make a person become corrupt at least some of the time.

Any person could say in one point of their life they have wanted power and authority. In Macbeth, by William Shakespeare, the tragedy starts off with a loyal subject named Macbeth who is crowned Thane of Cawdor. Once Macbeth was crowned Thane, he wanted something greater, something superior, and to do that he had come up with the idea to kill, even though he was fearful of being caught. The most superior person that everyone was loyal too and loved the king. Macbeths want for that power is later turned into corruption. The corruption of power inside Macbeth turns his loyal side to a cruel,darker, and malicious side. The desire for power can corrupt loay subjects by relying on fear to maintain one’s position. In Macbeth, our protagonist, at

Shakespeare’s bloody and tragic play Macbeth, written in the seventeenth century, portrays blind ambition, appearances can be deceiving and corruption of power. It follows the reasons behind Macbeth’s downfall. The play analyzes how other outside forces can easily change the path of ones desires and decisions. The witches’ intrusion, Lady Macbeth’s manipulation and Macbeth’s dark desires all interfere and manipulate Macbeth’s decisions. He goes from being praised as a noble soldier to a traitor and corrupt king. In the play, Macbeth commits many terrible crimes; however he is solely not responsible for all of them. The outside factors manipulate his decisions and are responsible for his downfall at the end.

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

Power is a theme found in the world and in this story “The Crucible”. Just one example of the theme power in “The Crucible” is Abigail. Abigail is Parris’ niece and is having an affair with John Proctor. In order to get rid of his wife accuses her of Witchcraft. She uses the power of persuasion and has the other girls pretend to see spirits to convince the Judge that Mrs. Proctor is a Witch.

Power can allow the person in charge to evoke fear to get people to do what they want. Here is an example from the play, Antigone, When King Creon uses fear to get his people to do what he wants. Another example is from the game, Infamous: Second Son, the head of the D.U.P., Augustine uses fear to get people of Seattle to turn in Conduits(people with abnormal abilities (powers) that normal people feared). Power in the wrong hands allows leaders to do whatever they want with no one stopping them. Power in the wrong hands has death in it. Power in the wrong hands also has violence written

Because Macbeth attempts to gain power and prove himself as a man by killing Duncan, his eventual descent into what can be called madness and thirst for more and more power only consolidates the idea that power corrupts and twists the mind. In Macbeth, gender roles are alluded to several times during the play. FOr example, Macbeth goes through stages of doubting his manliness when he is afraid. “My thought, whose murder yet is but fantastical,/ shakes so my single state of man" (1.3 152-123).

The meaning of power is to have possession of control, authority, or influence over others. One could argue that to have power has a positive effect on others, although it is very clear that power affects people in a negative way. Take Hitler for example, or the King Creon from the drama Antigone. These two leaders make it completely obvious that power affects people negatively from concentration camps to being forced to follow a law that is morally unjust. These are the reasons that power has a negative impact on others.

The traditional gender role for men and women is a strict set of expectations one must face and either choose to follow or defy it. In the Shakespearian era women portray as the weaker sex because they display as needing protection as the more fragile, innocent, and dependent sex, whereas men have authority as strong, capable, and honourable beings. However, the traditional gender roles play in reversal in Macbeth by William Shakespeare by having Lady Macbeth, the Three Witches (weird sisters), and Macbeth defy the gender roles that allow women and men to portray in a unique way in society. First, Lady Macbeth is defiant to her role as a woman because she is able to take initiative, deceive others, and commit violent acts. Secondly, the three Witches are in fact sisters which avid them to follow their role as women, however they defy their roles because they manipulate others, have the capability to make independent decisions, and kill without hesitation. Finally, Macbeth defies his roles as a man in the Shakespearian era because he acts cowardly, isn’t able to carry out duties himself, and is disloyal to his companions.