Throughout Macbeth, author William Shakespeare sets Macbeth up in situations where he must make a decision, which causes him to make immoral decisions based on his lust for power. He murders the devolved King duncan, his own best friend Banquo, and the entire Macduff family, just because they came close to threatening his reign. Each murder causes Macbeth to become more and more obsessed with his title as king. As stated by Ruth L. Anderson, “Ambition had long been identified in its most dangerous form as a force impelling princes to seek kingship, the highest goal attainable on earth.“ This all proves that ambition is what victimizes and destroys Macbeth.
Although imagination destroys Macbeth because the witches put the idea of being king …show more content…
Macbeth feels as if Banquo is more eligible to fill the role as king, resulting in his desire to murder him. In a soliloquy, Macbeth explains how Banquo “Hath a wisdom that doth guide his valour/ To act in safety. There is none but he/ Whose being I do fear: and, under him,/ My Genius is rebuked” (III.i.58).” The use of choppy and short sentences and lots of commas shows how he is stuttering, showing his nervousness and fear of Banquo. When Macbeth says “non but he”, he is saying that he does not fear anything like he fears Banquo, which shows his thirsty he is for power if he is that scared of his best friend. Also, the word choice of “rebuke” shows how Macbeth feels as if Banquo is much more intelligent than him and that he is not as good as and can not compare to him. Macbeth at first feels as if he is helping Banquo 's sons but the tables soon turn in his soliloquy, “[His] eternal jewel/ Given to the common enemy of man,/ To make them kings, the seed of Banquo kings!/ Rather than so, come fate into the list,/ And champion me to th ' utterance.” (III.i.71). He symbolizes his soul when he says “eternal jewel” which shows how he used to value the life he lived and valued the people who surrounded him, but he has now handed his soul over to the devil. In turn, this created him to be evil and he lost all of his …show more content…
Before the murders, Macbeth announces that “The castle of Macduff I will surprise, / Seize upon Fife. give to th’ edge o’ the’ sword / His wife, his babes, and all the unfortunate souls / That trace him in his line” (IV.i.171-174) The strong diction of the phrase “I will” demonstrates his confidence that he will get rid of the family, who are threats to his throne, at all costs. The assurance that he has comes from his drive and ambition to be king. When speaking of the people who will be killed, he calls them “unfortunate souls” proves his horrible lack of mortality. He has no idea who he is killing, but he is going to kill them anyway because he kills anyone who is even a small threat to his reign. When deciding on if he should kill the family or not, Macbeth says “The first firstlings of my heart shall be / the first firstlings of my hand” (IV.i.153). The act of repeating the word “firstlings” emphasizes that he does not think about his actions and his entire state of mind has just been taken over by the need for power. He makes the connection between the two words “heart” and “hand”, which suggests his cruel behavior and his lack of good morals. He acts completely on instinct without thinking. The idea that he no longer cares about things before he acts upon shows his emotional detachment, which is a result of the strength of his
Although imagination destroys Macbeth because the witches put the idea of being king …show more content…
Macbeth feels as if Banquo is more eligible to fill the role as king, resulting in his desire to murder him. In a soliloquy, Macbeth explains how Banquo “Hath a wisdom that doth guide his valour/ To act in safety. There is none but he/ Whose being I do fear: and, under him,/ My Genius is rebuked” (III.i.58).” The use of choppy and short sentences and lots of commas shows how he is stuttering, showing his nervousness and fear of Banquo. When Macbeth says “non but he”, he is saying that he does not fear anything like he fears Banquo, which shows his thirsty he is for power if he is that scared of his best friend. Also, the word choice of “rebuke” shows how Macbeth feels as if Banquo is much more intelligent than him and that he is not as good as and can not compare to him. Macbeth at first feels as if he is helping Banquo 's sons but the tables soon turn in his soliloquy, “[His] eternal jewel/ Given to the common enemy of man,/ To make them kings, the seed of Banquo kings!/ Rather than so, come fate into the list,/ And champion me to th ' utterance.” (III.i.71). He symbolizes his soul when he says “eternal jewel” which shows how he used to value the life he lived and valued the people who surrounded him, but he has now handed his soul over to the devil. In turn, this created him to be evil and he lost all of his …show more content…
Before the murders, Macbeth announces that “The castle of Macduff I will surprise, / Seize upon Fife. give to th’ edge o’ the’ sword / His wife, his babes, and all the unfortunate souls / That trace him in his line” (IV.i.171-174) The strong diction of the phrase “I will” demonstrates his confidence that he will get rid of the family, who are threats to his throne, at all costs. The assurance that he has comes from his drive and ambition to be king. When speaking of the people who will be killed, he calls them “unfortunate souls” proves his horrible lack of mortality. He has no idea who he is killing, but he is going to kill them anyway because he kills anyone who is even a small threat to his reign. When deciding on if he should kill the family or not, Macbeth says “The first firstlings of my heart shall be / the first firstlings of my hand” (IV.i.153). The act of repeating the word “firstlings” emphasizes that he does not think about his actions and his entire state of mind has just been taken over by the need for power. He makes the connection between the two words “heart” and “hand”, which suggests his cruel behavior and his lack of good morals. He acts completely on instinct without thinking. The idea that he no longer cares about things before he acts upon shows his emotional detachment, which is a result of the strength of his