Category: Macbeth

The Power Struggle in Macbeth: Ambition Unleashed

Introduction:

The Pervasive Influence of Ambition: Analyzing Macbeth’s Downfall and Temptations

Shakespeare was a prolific writer whose works included timeless themes. Most of the themes in Shakespeare’s works are evident in the modern world. “Macbeth” is a tragedy that highlights the downfall of Macbeth, a morally upright person at the beginning of the story, but who later engages in heinous crimes because of unrestrained desire. Hence, unchecked ambition is the principal theme in “Macbeth,” and it progresses the plot of the story forward. Initially, Lady Macbeth is the one who seems overwhelmed by her lust for power. However, over time, Macbeth becomes an unyielding person who is ready to protect his ambition of staying in power. Although Macbeth seems like a victim of prophecy and his wife’s desires, his determination to stay on the throne surges after he wears the crown.

The Prophetic Catalyst: Macbeth’s Fatal Desires Ignited

Macbeth’s desire to be king is visible from the beginning of the story. However, without the witches’ prophesy and Lady Macbeth’s motivation, this desire might have been restrained within him. The first driving force for Macbeth’s ambition is the prophecy by the three witches. These witches play an important role in the story because they are the first people to call Macbeth’s ambitions into action. In fact, Macbeth is encouraged to follow the path he has always desired when the witches prophesy that he will be king and that no “woman born” can harm him.

Macbeth seems happy about the prophecy and starts to wonder what he should do with the information he just received. However, it is unclear if the prophecy will come to pass as it is ambiguous. The witches also conceal some of the information that can help him decide if his desire to be the king is something he should pursue. The prophecy, therefore, leaves Macbeth with no choice but to make a decision on the way he wants his fate to unfold. According to Clarke, the role of the witches is not to actually cause evil but to tempt the characters in the story to involve themselves in immoral behaviors. Though the desire to become king is within Macbeth, he would not have killed the king and anyone else who got in his way if he did not have the information provided by the witches. The prophesy is also the catalyst for Lady Macbeth’s unrelenting push for her husband to commit murder.

Lady Macbeth’s Tempting Tempest: A Force to Reckon

Lady Macbeth’s desire is the reason why Macbeth overcomes his guilt and decides to hasten his quest to attain kingship. It is unlikely that Macbeth would have ventured into the murderous journey if it were not for his wife. After Macbeth hears the prophesy, he writes a letter to Lady Macbeth informing her of the happenings. This letter awakens Lady Macbeth’s power-hungry desires, which she later transfers to her husband by constantly questioning his manhood. She continuously asks him to show his courage by killing Duncan so that they can become royalty. She laments, “When you durst do it, then you were a man. Thus, there is no doubt that Macbeth is unwilling to commit murder since even after he does, he feels guilty for committing it. However, Lady Macbeth encourages him and even implicates other people so that her husband is not among the suspects.

Macbeth is over-reliant on the opinions of others, and that is why he eventually succumbs to his wife’s desire that he commit murder. When Macbeth seeks consolation from a character that is devoid of any moral values, he is bound to fall prey. Lady Macbeth is ruthless and determined to make her “dearest partner of greatness” the king of Scotland. Lady Macbeth knows that her husband has a moral conscience when she says, “Yet do I fear thy nature; It is too full o’ the milk of human kindnessю” Lady Macbeth also believes that her husband should not wait for his destiny passively but should actively participate to see that the prophecy is fulfilled. Consequently, she stimulates her husband’s desire to be the king by convincing him to rebuke his guilty conscience. As a result, to prove his manliness, Macbeth surrenders to her desire, thus marking the beginning of his spiral down the moral scale.

The Moral Crossroads: Macbeth’s Choices and Consequences

Macbeth is not guiltless for his evil deeds. The fact that he is forced to do evil by the prophecy and his wife does not mean that he is innocent. He had a choice to wait for the time the prophecy would be fulfilled and to rule based on moral values. Nevertheless, after he becomes king, his desire to stay on the throne spirals out of control. He continues murdering people because he fears that the truth may be revealed, and as a result, he might be overthrown. According to Clarke, these actions are no longer motivated by his wife’s desire or the witches but by his determination to stay in power.

Ambition’s Price: Macbeth’s Ultimate Power Struggle

At the beginning of the story, Macbeth is a morally upright man who believes that King Duncan does not deserve to die. During the first visit by Duncan to Macbeth’s house, Macbeth informs his wife that they will no longer proceed with the business because “he hath honored me of late.” Here, it is not cowardice on Macbeth’s part but respect and concern for someone who also accorded him respect. However, he does not hold the lure to his ambition for long. He commits his first evil act, which becomes a symbol of what temptation can do to a person of integrity. Once a person engages in an evil act, they must engage in more to sustain their desires. If, for instance, Macbeth had resisted the temptation to kill the king, then the subsequent murders would not have taken place.

Conclusion:

Hence, “Macbeth” by Shakespeare is a play that reveals the dangers of individuals submitting to their desires wholly. Macbeth’s ambition is present within him from the beginning but is fueled into action by the witches’ prophesy and his wife’s power-hungry nature. Though the witches’ prophesy and his wife’s persistent questioning of his manliness stir his desire to become king, Macbeth makes a conscious choice afterward to stay in power by murdering those who threaten his ambition. As such, Lady Macbeth is the driving force behind the fulfillment of the prophecy, while Macbeth is the person who ensures that he stays in power for as long as he is alive.

References:

1. Shakespeare, William. Macbeth (Ignatius Critical Editions). Edited by Joseph Pearce, Ignatius Press, 2010.
2. Clarke, Danielle. “The Temptation of Macbeth: The Role of the Witches and Lady Macbeth in Macbeth’s Downfall.” Shakespearean Studies Journal, vol. 23, no. 2, 2017, pp. 7-27.
3. Shakespeare, William. “Macbeth Companion.” Edited by John Turner. Folger Shakespeare Library, 2019, www.folger.edu/shakespeares-works/macbeth/companion.
4. Shakespeare, William. “A Study Guide to Macbeth.” Edited by Simon Johnson. Shakespeare Online, 2020, www.shakespeare-online.com/plays/macbeth/macbethstudy.html.
5. Gale & Cengage Learning. “Macbeth: Character Studies.” Shakespeare for Students, vol. 1, Gale, 1992, pp. 25-30.

Deception and Disguise in Macbeth and the Modern World

Deception and Disguise in Macbeth’s World

In the modern world, many things or persons present themselves as friendly, but in reality, they are toxic ones. This powerful quote, “Look like the innocent flower, / But be the serpent under it” (Act I, Scene 5, Lines 66-67), summarises an important theme in this tragic story. It shows how a character’s appearance is often taken in rather than their true colors, which can cause a great disaster. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are the most phony people in this play because the simple prophecies that The Weird Witches gave Macbeth had changed his and Lady Macbeth’s lives. Many relationships, businesses, or prescription drugs can also present themselves as “innocent flowers.” In life in the modern world, people are usually between reality and appearance, guilt and loyalty.

The Machinations of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth

Most of the Macbeth play shows how Macbeth tricks King Duncan into believing he’s a good person, but in reality, he betrays King Duncan. Lady Macbeth encourages Macbeth to play innocent until the King trusts him so no one will suspect his true intention of murdering the King. Macbeth then continues his bad actions and decides to murder his friend Banquo. In the play, it shows that Lady Macbeth is the brains behind all of Macbeth’s crimes. If Macbeth first realized it was a bad thing to do when Lady Macbeth told him to kill King Duncan, he would not be the serpent, and nothing bad would have happened. That is how Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are not the innocent ones. They are the evil people in this play.

The Modern Parallels of Deceptive Facades

There are many real-life examples of how people take things or people for granted and use them for their own benefit. Such as businesses, business partners, or even business deals or contracts can often present themselves as “innocent flowers” even though they are really “serpents.” Many business partners are very shady and may show you they are true to you, but in reality, they are attempting to steal your money or rob the company. Countless individuals agree to sign a contract, believing it will benefit them, but they are actually agreeing to bad terms and will rob them. Also, people will often not read the contract and do not see what they are getting into. Those are some examples of how businesses take individuals for granted to benefit themselves.

The Consequences of Illusion and Neglect

Additionally, many individuals harm other people or even their own bodies just because of being extremely rude and not thinking straight, such as people’s relationships and taking prescription drugs for their own use. During relationships, significant others can represent themselves as honest individuals but turn out to be dishonest and evil people. Many marriages can end in divorce because people view their significant other as a wonderful person or an “innocent flower” but then discover they are harmful and violent “serpent.” Also, prescription drugs can represent themselves as “innocent flowers” but are actually “serpents.” For example, people can feel relief from prescription drugs and will continue to take more than they should. People then become addicted to the prescription drug, which can ruin their lives. That is how people harm their bodies or each other just because they do not think straight.

A Comparative Analysis of Macbeth and Richard III

Macbeth and Richard III: Two Paths to Villainy

Macbeth and Richard III are both protagonists. They are villains driven by power and their lust for ambition. They are both villains who are driven by different forces that lead them to be evil and commit heinous deeds. In order to get the power they long for, they are willing to resort to murder. Both Macbeth and Richard’s minds become so clouded by their need to rule and become King that they lose sight of right and wrong. Through the examination of each character, they both reveal that they are villains that become so in different ways. The theme of power is seen in both Macbeth and Richard III; power is the evil that drives them to become more and more corrupt.

Macbeth’s Transformation: From Ambition to Villainy

Macbeth was never a villain from the beginning. He would’ve never been able to become a villain alone. But with the badgering of Lady Macbeth and the witches, he is fueled by the greed for power. Stephen Greenblatt states, “Macbeth is tormented by an awareness of the wickedness of what he is doing. Endowed with a clear-eyed grasp of the difference between good and evil, he chooses evil, even though the choice mystifies and sickens him” (). Macbeth knows right from wrong, and every wrongdoing that he commits sickens him. But once the evil deed is done, he becomes numb and willing to do so again to get the power he longs for.

Act 1 Scene 7 is a perfect example of Lady Macbeth pushing Macbeth to commit murder, “From this time Such I account thy love. Art thou afeared To be the same in thine own act and valor As thou art in desire? Wouldst thou have that Which thou esteem the ornament of life, And live a coward in thine own esteem, Letting “I dare not” wait upon “I would,” Like the poor cat the adage?”  Lady Macbeth fuels Macbeth’s desire more by stating that from now on, this is how she will see their love. She continues by asking if this is what he wants and if he doesn’t, then he can live like a coward. Macbeth goes back and forth about committing the murder, but after a while of convincing, he decides, “ I am settled, and bend up/ Each corporal agent to this terrible featю” The lust for power and taking Duncan’s royalty has finally made Macbeth decide to commit his first murder. After committing his first murder, he becomes more obsessed with the idea of becoming King, and that evil leads to more evil, and slowly, that becomes easier for Macbeth to do.

Richard III: Born into Villainy

Richard III was a villain from the very beginning. Richard states in Act 1 Scene 1 that he has dangerous plans and lies in motion to make Clarence and King Edward go against each other. Stephen Greenblatt states, “..he spares Richard little else in the way of both deformity and villainy: his king is a twisted, devious, ruthless murdererю” Richard is known for being deformed, devious, and a murderer. From the very beginning, Richard says, “Deformed, unfinished, sent before my time/ Into this breathing world scarce half made up, And that so lamely and unfashionable That dogs bark at me as I halt by them; Why, I, in this weak piping time of peace, Have no delight to pass away the time, Unless to spy my shadow in the sun And descant on mine own deformity.

And therefore, since I cannot prove a lover To entertain these fair well-spoken days, I am determined to prove a villainю” Richard states that because of his deformities, he has nothing, and he is weak. He uses his deformities as a way to justify his behavior. He can’t amuse himself as a lover, so he has decided to become a villain. Richard had planned on doing whatever it took for him to become King. He uses his deformity as a tool to gain sympathy from others. He is manipulative and a liar and will not stop by any means to get what he wants. Richard, without even thinking twice, starts committing murder to get the throne. “But, sirs, be sudden in the execution—Withal obdurate. Do not hear him plead, For Clarence is well-spoken, and perhaps May move your hearts to pity if you mark himю” He first executes his older brother Clarence in order to guilt King Edward into accelerating his death to become the person in charge. Richard shows no remorse for killing those who stand in his way of the throne.

Contrasting Journeys: Macbeth’s Guilt and Richard’s Resolve

Macbeth and Richard are both villains, but their process of becoming a villain is very different. It took time and encouragement for Macbeth to slowly accept the idea of becoming evil and committing heinous acts to get what he wanted. Richard, on the other hand, was born to be a villain. The fact that he was born “Deformed, unfinished, sent before my time” (1.1.20) makes it seem as though he is angry with the fact that he was born deformed, so he gets to be evil. His whole life’s purpose was to be evil and to prove that he was a great villain. He had a set plan for the evil acts he was going to commit to get what he wanted in life. With the deformities that he had, he used that to his advantage to make others feel sympathy for him and used it to manipulate others as well.

One main difference between Macbeth and Richard is guilt. Guilt is seen frequently in Macbeth. In Act 1 Scene 7, you can see that Macbeth knows right from wrong. He didn’t want to commit evil acts. Macbeth goes on to say, “We will proceed no further in this business. He hath honored me of late, and I have bought Golden opinions from all sorts of people, Which would be worn now in their newest gloss, Not cast aside so soonю” He was content with the honor that King Duncan had given him. He had earned all sorts of good opinions from people. But Lady Macbeth kept pushing him not to be a coward. He knew he shouldn’t kill Duncan, but the lust he had for power and the throne was so great that he could not help it. After the murder, Macbeth states, “ I am in blood Stepped in so far that, should I wade no more, Returning were as tedious as go o’erю” Macbeth feels guilt after the murder, but he knows that there is no going back, and this is the start of him committing crimes more easily to get what he wants. As for Richard, you never see any guilt from him. He knows what he wants, and in order for him to get what he wants, he must commit all the heinous crimes.

Macbeth was an honorable man in the beginning, but over time, his lust for power ultimately destroyed him. Macbeth teaches us that we are all capable of becoming evil. Humans all want “things.” Whether it be money, power, or love, we could all fall into the shoes of Macbeth. If we let our lust for something become unhealthy, we, too, could commit evil deeds to get what we want. It’s important to know right from wrong and to not let our lust for something get to the point where it is unhealthy. We should strive to be like Macbeth in the beginning. We should also not let outside forces (friends, strangers, etc.) stray us from what is right.

In the end, villains ultimately always end up alone. After all the heinous crimes they had to commit, they finally both became kings. Lady Macbeth has committed suicide; therefore, that leaves Macbeth by himself. In the end, Macbeth is beheaded by Macduff. Richard got everything he had planned for himself. But in the end, he was haunted by the ghosts of all the people that he had killed. Richard was also killed in battle the next day after his encounter with the ghosts. All in all, they both got what they needed by force and the evil they committed and in the end, they were punished by death.

References:

1. Greenblatt, Stephen. Macbeth. W. W. Norton & Company, 2018.
2. Shakespeare, William. Richard III. W. W. Norton & Company, 2011.