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Examples Of Power Corrupts In Macbeth

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“Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely,” said John Acton. In the play, Macbeth written by William Shakespeare, Shakespeare uses the characters to portray different themes, and the most major theme is power corrupts. In life and in the play, power corrupts automatically. In Macbeth almost every character corrupts at the thought of power, therefore it has become a reoccurring theme throughout the story. Corruption is something that is motivated by greed and deception. Macbeth is a classic tale of greed and the influence of power on a person. It is human nature that the more power one desires, the more corrupt action one must do to attain it. Macbeth, the character, is the greatest example of a man that is corrupted by power automatically in the play, Macbeth. …show more content…

Hail to thee, Thane of Glamis!...Thane of Cawdor!...that shalt be king hereafter!” (l.lll.49-51). He was told he would become king by these witches and this prophecy that was told started to get into Macbeths head, he felt it was true. He started to plan on how to fulfill these prophecies and he then knew that to become king, he has to have no one standing in his way. Macbeth had three obstacles in his way, Duncan, Banquo and Macduff. Lady Macbeth persuaded Macbeth to kill King Duncan who was the former king. By killing Duncan, it was clear that Macbeth was on a slow and sure path to corruption and eventually his demise. Macbeth says, “My thought, whose murder yet is but fantastical, Shakes so my single state of man, that function is smothered in surmise, And nothing is but is not.” (l.lll.142-145) Macbeth was scared to kill Duncan, but the want for power takes over him and he does it anyway. This is just one example of how power corrupts

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