As Aung San Suu Kyi once said, “it is not power that corrupts but [a] fear . . . Of losing power.” These words perfectly illustrate the swift downfall of a valiant warrior named Macbeth, in the play by William Shakespeare. As this play develops, Macbeth’s conscience gradually abandons him to the point where he is able to murder not only without feeling, but with no just cause as well. Macbeth’s wife, Lady Macbeth, first urges him to kill their beloved King, Duncan. After that, as the new King, Macbeth hires two assassins to kill Banquo, his best friend, and a nobleman of Scotland’s family due to paranoia. Once a much admired hero of Scotland, Macbeth’s repeated acts of violence- he murders his King, his close friend and ally, and the defenseless wife and family of his
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Duncan’s murder is the beginning of Macbeth’s downfall into a king who kills without thought. After the Weird sisters give Macbeth the prophecies, he has an urge to kill Duncan in order to seize the throne. In a small soliloquy after, Macbeth says, “Let not light see my dark and deep desires”(I, iv, 51). Because he has never killed before, Macbeth is appalled by the thought of murder due to ambition. Despite this initial hesitation, however, Macbeth still allows himself to be persuaded to kill Duncan by Lady Macbeth. Although he never considers murder previously, he was desperate enough to kill in order to become King. When Macbeth does decide that he would kill Duncan, he begins to feel guilty. As Macbeth is about to head to Duncan's room, he says, “is this a dagger which I see before me[?]” (II, i, 32). The floating dagger symbolizes his guilt about what he is about to do to Duncan because that is the same weapon Macbeth has sheathed to kill him. In that soliloquy, Macbeth expresses some nervousness, but still follows the dagger. Further proof of his guilt is how, on the dagger, he sees drops of blood. Since he has never
Duncan’s murder is the beginning of Macbeth’s downfall into a king who kills without thought. After the Weird sisters give Macbeth the prophecies, he has an urge to kill Duncan in order to seize the throne. In a small soliloquy after, Macbeth says, “Let not light see my dark and deep desires”(I, iv, 51). Because he has never killed before, Macbeth is appalled by the thought of murder due to ambition. Despite this initial hesitation, however, Macbeth still allows himself to be persuaded to kill Duncan by Lady Macbeth. Although he never considers murder previously, he was desperate enough to kill in order to become King. When Macbeth does decide that he would kill Duncan, he begins to feel guilty. As Macbeth is about to head to Duncan's room, he says, “is this a dagger which I see before me[?]” (II, i, 32). The floating dagger symbolizes his guilt about what he is about to do to Duncan because that is the same weapon Macbeth has sheathed to kill him. In that soliloquy, Macbeth expresses some nervousness, but still follows the dagger. Further proof of his guilt is how, on the dagger, he sees drops of blood. Since he has never