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Examples Of Seduction Of Power In Macbeth

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The “seduction” of power can change an individual drastically. An individual in a position of power often believes that they are better than the others around them. The entitlement an individual feels after obtaining power can be costly. William Shakespeare portrays the “seduction” of power in Macbeth, through Macbeth’s ambition to attain more power. Macbeth acts as his own adversary shown through his paranoia and insecurity that ultimately, led him to be a corrupted individual because of his greediness to obtain more power.

Macbeth’s source of insecurity was from his wife Lady Macbeth doubting his manhood. As shown when she used her seducing ways to get Macbeth to kill Duncan, “When you durst do it, then you were a man; / And be so much
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Macbeth stated in his soliloquy, “Our fears in Banquo stick deep, and in his royalty of nature/Reigns that which would be feared” (3.1.53-55). Macbeth abused the power he had because of his paranoia that others were after his position of power. Macbeth showed that he was willing to do anything even killing Banquo, whose intentions were to have Macbeth’s best interest. Macbeth saw Banquo as a threat because of the prophecy that his son’s will become king. Macbeth acted on his feelings instantly about Banquo and didn’t think it through clearly. Macbeth let his paranoia of losing his powers to get the best of him because he killed someone who was close to him and wanted what was best for him.

The position of power Macbeth gained as King of Scotland was overruled by the actual power of greed, selfishness, and relentlessness to maintain the power resulted in Macbeth to commit murderous crimes and become his own adversary. Carolyn Asp stated, “As Macbeth accepts a false masculinity that simultaneously fosters the illusion of his godlike power and diminishes his total human development, he is alienated from the very society that inculcates the stereotype.” Macbeth became his own worst enemy when he tried to prove his manliness to his wife by killing Duncan. As a result, Macbeth begins a tragic fall where he lets the seduction of power to take over his conscience. All of Macbeth’s thoughts involved what he was going to do next to maintain power and it always had
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