Essay From Desire to Disaster Macbeth - 618 Words

In Shakespeare’s Macbeth, the influence of two different forces cause the main character, Macbeth, to be torn between his desire for power and his sense of loyalty to his king and country. Macbeth already holds a place of power when the play begins, being the thane of Glamis, and later gains power as the thane of Kordor, given to him by his gracious king Duncan. However, when his fortune is told by three witches who told him he will be king, instead of being gracious for what the king has already given him, he thirst for even more power. These split in Macbeth’s desires drives the idea that seeking to much power is more harmful than good. Having loyalty to his king and country Macbeth has a hard time coming to terms of his wife’s†¦show more content†¦When Macbeth’s wife learns of the witches’ foretelling she wants Macbeth to be king as soon as possible so she can gain a better standing in society. In an attempt to sway Macbeth to kill Dunca n she insults his manliness, â€Å"When you durst do it, then you were a man;/And to be more than what you were, you would/Be so much more the man† (I.vii.49-51). By insulting Macbeth’s manhood, Lady Macbeth manages to convince Macbeth that he would not be a man if he could not kill Duncan. Macbeth with his masculinity insulted reaffirms his plots to kill Duncan to prove to his wife he is a man worthy of her. Macbeth thinks to himself, â€Å"Let not light see my black and deep desires† (I.iv.51) when pondering on his ambitions for power. Macbeth realizes that his plots are evil and should not be thought of or done by anyone, however he does not want to wait for any more power. He wants all the power he can gain as soon as he can get it even if he has to kill for the power he desires. The underlying theme of Macbeth is that being over ambitious can be disastrous. Macbeth’s loyalty to the king and his desire to obtain power lead to his over ambitions, whi ch then led to his doomed fate in the end of Macbeth. In Macbeth’s attempts to obtain his ambitions he takes actions which in turn lead to his lonely desolation, which supports the theme of being over ambitious can lead to disasters. When Macbeth disregards his loyalty to his king to fulfill his own desires is when his progression toShow MoreRelatedMacbeth-Struggle for Power999 Words   |  4 PagesIt is indeed evident that the play, Macbeth is ultimately about the struggle for power. Power is something many desire where people often change and become evil in their attempts to acquire it and during this play the characters go through many changes which lead to disaster. The two main characters mostly influenced by power in this Shakespearean play are Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. Macbeth is swayed by the prophecy made by the witches and also by Lady Macbeth who holds great control over her husbandRead MoreExamples Of Ethos In Macbeth Act 1 Scene 71021 Words   |  5 Pages In Macbeth’s Act 1 scene 7, Macbeth is unsure on whether he should kill King Duncan. As He begins to analyze King Duncan’s honorable character and the betrayal he’ll be known for if he executes the King, he keeps a doubtful and pitiful tone. Lady Macbeth is able to convince Macbeth to follow through with their plan by attacking Macbeth’s character and persuading him to follow his desires. She keeps a seductive and demanding tone. The appeal used in Act 1 Scene 7, is both ethos and pathos;Read MoreThe Role Of Ambition In Macbeth1208 Words   |  5 PagesMacbeth is a Shakespearean play which shows how ambition drives a person’s life and how people are constantly driven by uncontrolled ambition to better their lives. 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LadyRead MoreAnalysis Of Macbeth By William Shakespeare1659 Words   |  7 PagesHonors 9 November 2015 Macbeth Essay The theme of tragedy appears in various amounts of movies, literature, and plays which provided entertainment for people throughout the years. Movies and plays such as â€Å"The Titanic† and â€Å"Romeo Juliet† gave audiences a pang of sadness and amusement as the story line unraveled. Notably, the prevalence of the theme occurs in Shakespearean plays such as the tale of Macbeth which displays Aristotle’s definition of tragedy. The play Macbeth lives up to Aristotle’sRead MoreThe Tragic Tragedy Of Macbeth By William Shakespeare Essay1479 Words   |  6 Pagestragedy Macbeth is arguably one of the most recognised literary works of William Shakespeare, centered on the idea of illegitimate power. Throughout the text, Shakespeare explores the destructive nature of power through various representations and characters, conveying an unceasing struggle for power amongst the main protagonists that causes devastating consequences. Though Shakespeare conveys m any different representations regarding the nature of power and the way it operates throughout Macbeth, inRead MoreLiterary Analysis of Macbeth Essay1310 Words   |  6 PagesLiterary Analysis of Macbeth Having a lust for power can cause a loss in many things. It’s as if you’re in a win-lose situation. In this case, the play Macbeth written by Shakespeare has scholars sayings, â€Å"The lust for power by Macbeth and Lady Macbeth led to a loss of humanity.† With that said, I totally agree with their view. Both Lady Macbeth and Macbeth went out of their way to even killing King Duncan and burdening the murder on his guardsmen. Even though that’s a common human act, you