Power Corrupts In Macbeth

Improved Essays
As shown in Macbeth, power does not corrupt automatically, in Macbeth corrupts through power with guilt and ambition.
Macbeth wants to be the most powerful king ever, but to achieve that he has to show his noble and great abilities to prove he is worthy of such power. His greediness over corrupts through power and he will do anything to make it to the top. Macbeth’s plan to kill Duncan involves blaming the death on the guard’s. Macbeth doesn’t have enough power so he strives to have it and gets what he wants.
Macbeth actually kills Duncan in order to become the new King and he will get rid of anyone that tries to get in the way of the throne. There was a tiny feeling of guilt before and after the killing of Duncan. But thanks to Macbeth’s

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    Does power lead to corruption? Can it change someone's morals? Both William Shakespeare's Macbeth and George Orwell’s Animal Farm show how leaders can abuse their power to corrupt their communities. Napoleon, from Animal Farm, and Macbeth, from Macbeth, share many similarities such as their manipulative abilities, their leadership style, and lack of truthfulness. Through these two individuals, it can be seen how they use power to satisfy their personal interests and desires.…

    • 1472 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Throughout The Tragedy of Macbeth, Macbeth has gone through many changes. At first, he would do anything to protect his country, little did he know he would be its downfall. Macbeth was praised by his fellow knights, and even the king of Scotland, Duncan. Duncan thought so highly of Macbeth that he gave him the title of Thane of Cawdor. As he gained power, he craved more and more of it.…

    • 510 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Shakespeare wrote his work Macbeth to continue to teach his audience about the dangers of temptation and that humans often succumb to their corrupt desires despite the consequences. Once succumbing to these desires, they only lead down a path of more misdeeds. It also doesn’t matter how great of stature or powerful someone is, they too, can still fall prey to the temptation of corrupt desires. Once succumbing to one, even if small, corrupt desire, it will lead to a chain of even more reprehensible misdeeds. In Macbeth, once Macbeth becomes King of Scotland by killing the previous king, King Duncan, he comes to the belief that killing Duncan was not only what needed to be done, but only the first step.…

    • 976 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    But this wasn 't enough, he was so deep in love with power, once more people were in line awaiting his throne, Macbeth decided to kill them as well. Leaving no one but him to remain King of Scotland. Why would Macbeth do such a thing for power? Why was he so scared to lose it? Macbeth was willing to do anything just to keep his power and thrown, having no mercy for anyone, not even his son, who was next in line.…

    • 2420 Words
    • 10 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The plot of Macbeth and Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini and William Shakespeare seems to revolve around this idea of betrayal and redemption. But there is no coming back from or redeeming yourself from betraying your best friend. In this essay you will be hearing how betrayal took advantage of a friendship and how betrayal and power turned another man into a maniac.…

    • 653 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Cloaked Poison Corruption is like poison it eats at your insides and slowly consumes and destroys you. Macbeth a brave soldier and Thane of Glamis of Scotland later becomes the Thane of Cawdor. Without knowing he was being promoted the three witches gave him a prophecy that he will become the Thane of Cawdor and King king hereafter. After this prophecy Macbeth became corrupted.…

    • 419 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Decent Essays

    There Is Power In Macbeth

    • 201 Words
    • 1 Pages

    Macbeth is presented at first as a hero of Scotland, having protected the country from attack and civil war. As is typical with a Shakespearean hero, Macbeth enters the story from a high position of nobility and honor. The opportunity is presented to him to achieve more power through his own efforts at the expense of others. Macbeth ponders this dilemma that is presented in the prophecy of the three witches. Does he let fate give him the throne, or should his own efforts lead him to it?…

    • 201 Words
    • 1 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Decent Essays

    In Macbeth, many things are to blame for the rise and fall of power. The main theme in the book is ambition, and how it compels the main character to pursue it. Ambition is a strong desire to do or achieve something, which Macbeth violently does. Shakespeare introduces the protagonist, Macbeth as a brave and admirable character, who is willing to kill anyone, who gets in his way. There are many quotes from the play that highlight his growing ambition and his extent for evil.…

    • 108 Words
    • 1 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Ambition and Destruction in Macbeth It is normal to think that ambition is a positive trait and it is something that people aspire to have, but too much can cause people to not think about their actions. This is definitely the case in Shakespeare 's play Macbeth. Macbeth shows that too much ambition can be negative. In addition he becomes disloyal and shows signs of betrayal.…

    • 1015 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Downfall Of Macbeth Essay

    • 513 Words
    • 3 Pages

    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.…

    • 513 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Decent Essays

    How the nature effects the kingdom because Macbeth did something dirty to affect the nature inside the kingdom. Macbeth killed Duncan in the castle. He lied and he kept killing people. Macbeth don’t care anymore all he want is famous and the crown. Macbeth By: William Shakespeare it is a Play so people can know what Macbeth is about.…

    • 482 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Decent Essays

    King Duncan seems to very good king, also very trustworthy. Also a very noble leader, and father figure. He likes Macbeth and thinks he’s a great fearless warrior. King Duncan is a great king, well respected by most. He is obviously not a very good judge of character because he trusts Macbeth.…

    • 119 Words
    • 1 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Essay On Macbeth Selfish

    • 456 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Macbeth Throughout Shakespeare The Tragedy of Macbeth, Macbeth is a selfish character who is driven towards his own desire. In the beginning of the play, Macbeth was a caring war veteran who helped lead his country strong and proud to victory. Macbeth was with his close friend and three witches came up to them saying Macbeth will soon be king.…

    • 456 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In life, power is a dangerous tool. Some people are able to obtain it and help others around them, but more often it distorts people’s minds as they strive for more. Throughout history, leaders have destroyed the lives of others in order to gain power. While power doesn’t change people, because people do not often change, it can bring out an unconscious personality that one didn’t even know they had. Ambition is a desire that goes along with power.…

    • 1708 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Throughout our childhood, when hearing about superheroes and villains, we were always taught to be the superhero and follow the morals that superheroes had. Although the villains weren’t always as evil as they seemed, majority of them were good until they had a significant physiological transformation which made them become who we all know as villians. Like the villains a similar character named Macbeth, from Shakespeare’s play “Macbeth”, was too once seen as a hero to his country and king in Scotland. Although because of the witches and wife who told him he could be king, his ambition to be king, and the paranoia to keep his place on the throne Macbeth transforms into a tyrant who his own kingdom hates. Due to this the writer is able to show…

    • 1070 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays