Macbeth and Putin: Rushin’ into Power Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin and Macbeth both held or hold a very high amount of power. Both are ruthless leaders willing to do whatever it takes to gain control and hold on to it, even murder. Shakespeare’s Macbeth starts out as a noble military man, regarded as courageous by many. Similarly, Putin started out in the KGB, which is associated with the Russian military. Macbeth and Putin both display how gaining a high position of power quickly and forcefully can leave someone both unstable and unstoppable. They are related in the ways they gain control, how respected they are, their tragic flaws, and how much power they actually hold. Though one is fictional and one is still alive and currently ruling,
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In the beginning, his flaw was not being courageous or strong enough. Towards the end, however, it morphed into him being too ambitious and not knowing where to draw the line. He was unstoppable. Macbeth displays his ruthlessness when he sends the murderers to kill Banquo and his son, “It is concluded: Banquo, thy soul’s flight, / If it find heaven, must find it out tonight.” (Shakespeare 3. 2. 141-142). Macbeth deliberately planned out the murder of his good friend and his son. This shows the change Macbeth has experienced throughout the play. Macbeth went from being too afraid to murder the king, to premeditating murders he doesn’t even have to commit in order to stay in power. Putin has a similar tragic flaw. He does not know when to stop. Putin is constantly testing western powers. Most recently, his attack on Ukraine and annexation of Crimea. He is doing all these things without serious repercussion because he is aware of the fact that no country will ever want to go to war against him. Especially the US. With the United States at war against Russia, the world would be a very unsafe and unstable place to be. We know this and Putin knows this and uses it to his advantage. In this way, Putin is also …show more content…
Well, Macbeth was king. Generally being king comes with a lot of power. Macbeth, however, does not just hold power in the way a regular king holds power. A king is confident, and through his confidence he is powerful. Macbeth is not confident, he is paranoid. He is paranoid someone will come along and take his crown. Macbeth sent three murderers to kill Banquo and his son. By doing this he displays his power in a new sense, almost as a form of bullying. Putin is extremely powerful both in his own country as well as in terms of the entire world. He has the power to manipulate and control entire countries. He has also been watched very closely because of suspicious murders concerning people who would’ve been perceived as a threat to him. Many people who used to work for Putin have mysteriously turned up dead. (Putin, Vladimir). This is very unnerving, but at the same time, is also very enlightening. Putin does in fact display the traditional kingly sense of power. He is very confident, he knows how to run things and how to gain people’s respect. However, Putin does also combine his confidence with the bully-type power seen with Macbeth. Through his suspected murders, Putin exhibits the same attitude Macbeth did while
In the beginning, his flaw was not being courageous or strong enough. Towards the end, however, it morphed into him being too ambitious and not knowing where to draw the line. He was unstoppable. Macbeth displays his ruthlessness when he sends the murderers to kill Banquo and his son, “It is concluded: Banquo, thy soul’s flight, / If it find heaven, must find it out tonight.” (Shakespeare 3. 2. 141-142). Macbeth deliberately planned out the murder of his good friend and his son. This shows the change Macbeth has experienced throughout the play. Macbeth went from being too afraid to murder the king, to premeditating murders he doesn’t even have to commit in order to stay in power. Putin has a similar tragic flaw. He does not know when to stop. Putin is constantly testing western powers. Most recently, his attack on Ukraine and annexation of Crimea. He is doing all these things without serious repercussion because he is aware of the fact that no country will ever want to go to war against him. Especially the US. With the United States at war against Russia, the world would be a very unsafe and unstable place to be. We know this and Putin knows this and uses it to his advantage. In this way, Putin is also …show more content…
Well, Macbeth was king. Generally being king comes with a lot of power. Macbeth, however, does not just hold power in the way a regular king holds power. A king is confident, and through his confidence he is powerful. Macbeth is not confident, he is paranoid. He is paranoid someone will come along and take his crown. Macbeth sent three murderers to kill Banquo and his son. By doing this he displays his power in a new sense, almost as a form of bullying. Putin is extremely powerful both in his own country as well as in terms of the entire world. He has the power to manipulate and control entire countries. He has also been watched very closely because of suspicious murders concerning people who would’ve been perceived as a threat to him. Many people who used to work for Putin have mysteriously turned up dead. (Putin, Vladimir). This is very unnerving, but at the same time, is also very enlightening. Putin does in fact display the traditional kingly sense of power. He is very confident, he knows how to run things and how to gain people’s respect. However, Putin does also combine his confidence with the bully-type power seen with Macbeth. Through his suspected murders, Putin exhibits the same attitude Macbeth did while