In William Shakespeare’s play, Macbeth, the titular character willingly commits murder as his desire for kingship outweighs his immoral regret for murder, despite his initial hesitance in the beginning of the play. Macbeth’s doubts about killing King Duncan in Act I exemplify his early resistance: “This even-handed justice / Commends th’ ingredience of our poisoned chalice / To our own lips. [...] Besides, this Duncan / Hath borne his faculties so meek, hath been / So clear in his great office” (1.7.10-12, 16-18). Macbeth fears punishment caused by “even-handed justice,” resulting in hesitance to carry out the act of murder. Additionally, Duncan’s righteousness contributes to Macbeth’s qualms about killing such a virtuous man; nevertheless,
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He no longer fears how the act of murder will contaminate his purity and alludes to his wife of the next step of killing Banquo and his son in his plan to secure kingship: “We have scorched the snake, not killed it. / She’ll close and be herself whilst our poor malice / Remains in danger of her former tooth” (3.2.15-17). Macbeth’s dissatisfaction with his new position leads to a willing attitude toward murder in order to satiate his greed. Furthermore, he is no longer satisfied with being king, but also yearns for his descendents to obtain the crown, defying the witches’ prophecy that Banquo’s sons would succeed the throne. However, others may argue that Macbeth is against murder throughout the play, with only his wife driving him to carry them out. Although Lady Macbeth did influence Macbeth to execute King Duncan, the executive decision was Macbeth’s choice. The idea to attain the crown through murder was originally Macbeth’s idea, exhibited when he exclaims, “Stars, hide your fires; / Let light not see my black and deep desires. / The eye wink at the hand, yet let that be / Which the eye fears, when it is done, to see”
He no longer fears how the act of murder will contaminate his purity and alludes to his wife of the next step of killing Banquo and his son in his plan to secure kingship: “We have scorched the snake, not killed it. / She’ll close and be herself whilst our poor malice / Remains in danger of her former tooth” (3.2.15-17). Macbeth’s dissatisfaction with his new position leads to a willing attitude toward murder in order to satiate his greed. Furthermore, he is no longer satisfied with being king, but also yearns for his descendents to obtain the crown, defying the witches’ prophecy that Banquo’s sons would succeed the throne. However, others may argue that Macbeth is against murder throughout the play, with only his wife driving him to carry them out. Although Lady Macbeth did influence Macbeth to execute King Duncan, the executive decision was Macbeth’s choice. The idea to attain the crown through murder was originally Macbeth’s idea, exhibited when he exclaims, “Stars, hide your fires; / Let light not see my black and deep desires. / The eye wink at the hand, yet let that be / Which the eye fears, when it is done, to see”