The increase of power can be directly correlated to the decrease of sanity, Macbeth is a perfect example of this.This titular character of one of Shakespeare’s most famous plays, gains power quickly, and loses his grip on reality as he goes. Shakespeare’s play follows the thane of Glamis, Macbeth as he gains first the lordship of the land of Cawdor, then the crown of the entirety of Scotland. As Macbeth gains power, he becomes more and more paranoid and insane, seeing ghosts and believing he is invincible. Lord Acton sums up this phenomenon, with the quote “Power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely”. Macbeth’s insanity continues to grow even after he gains the crown, as he realizes just how much power he has gained. Macbeth’s rise through insanity is proved to not simply be an insane
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The Shakespeare demonstrates wonderful use of allusion in the second through fourth acts to highlight Macbeth’s downward spiral, as he moves farther and farther from the light of sanity. Finally, in the fourth and fifth acts, use of apostrophe displays the depths Macbeth has fallen to, as well as a few comparisons to his start as a sane man. Macbeth begins Shakespeare’s play riding home from a battle that he had just won. The dialogue Shakespeare provides proves without a doubt that Macbeth has full control of his mental capabilities. Shakespeare reinforces this concept by foreshadowing Macbeth’s later loss of rational. Macbeth is approached by a trio of witches as he is riding home from battle, and is hailed as “All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, thane of Glamis! All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, thane of Cawdor! All hail, Macbeth, that shalt be king hereafter!” (Shakespeare I.iii.49-51), causing confusion in both Macbeth and his close friend, Banquo. Macbeth dismisses all of this as falsehood, until a messenger rides up moments later, to tell Macbeth the thane of Cawdor was a traitor, and Macbeth
The Shakespeare demonstrates wonderful use of allusion in the second through fourth acts to highlight Macbeth’s downward spiral, as he moves farther and farther from the light of sanity. Finally, in the fourth and fifth acts, use of apostrophe displays the depths Macbeth has fallen to, as well as a few comparisons to his start as a sane man. Macbeth begins Shakespeare’s play riding home from a battle that he had just won. The dialogue Shakespeare provides proves without a doubt that Macbeth has full control of his mental capabilities. Shakespeare reinforces this concept by foreshadowing Macbeth’s later loss of rational. Macbeth is approached by a trio of witches as he is riding home from battle, and is hailed as “All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, thane of Glamis! All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, thane of Cawdor! All hail, Macbeth, that shalt be king hereafter!” (Shakespeare I.iii.49-51), causing confusion in both Macbeth and his close friend, Banquo. Macbeth dismisses all of this as falsehood, until a messenger rides up moments later, to tell Macbeth the thane of Cawdor was a traitor, and Macbeth