Macbeth's Abuse Of Power

William Shakespeare’s Macbeth is a tragedy in which the main characters are obsessed by the desire for power. Macbeth’s aspiration for power blinds him to the ethical implications of his dreadful acts. The more that Shakespeare’s Macbeth represses his murderous feelings, the more he is haunted by them. By analyzing his hallucinations it is possible to trace his deteriorating mental state and the trajectory of his ultimate fall. Throughout the play Macbeth is never satisfied with himself. He feels the need to keep committing crime in order to keep what he wants most: his kingship. The harder Macbeth tries to change his fate the more he tends to run into his fate. His ambition and struggle for power was Macbeth’s tragic flaw in the play.

Power is often sought after as a means to an end. In the hands of Duncan, a virtuous ruler uncorrupted by its might, the position of King of Scotland is a tool for benevolence. His rule is so virtuous that his legacy will “plead like angels…against the deep damnation” of his death. In contrast, Macbeth establishes a tyrannical rule, using his kingship to eliminate his enemies, protecting his throne. The treatment of his soldiers is a testament to abuse of power.

It is in human nature that the more power one desires the more corrupt actions one must do to attain it. In Shakespeare’s tragedy of Macbeth, a Scottish noble's craving for power leads him to do terrible deeds that leads to his demise. Shakespeare shows that power corrupts by using Macbeth who corrupts under the thought of have power over others. Macbeth becomes corrupt under the thought of becoming king and gaining almost complete control over the people that he rules. Macbeth wants the power badly enough to do horrible deeds such as commit regicide. Lady Macbeth becomes very ambitious and allows herself to become seduced to the

Does obtaining or coming into power automatically corrupt the person who has the power? There are many people who think that power will eventually and always corrupt a person, and there are also others who believe power doesn't corrupt someone at all and it's just who they really were all along, however, I personally think that power does corrupt people some of the time, and actually has many different factors attributing to whether or not the person becomes corrupted. I think that the argument that power can never corrupt is completely invalid because if that were true, then terms like 'mad with power' or 'power-trip' would not exist, so these terms existing and being used proves that power can make a person become corrupt at least some of the time.

Power gives people the ability to control and influence. It is held and used in many ways, significant and insignificant, for justice, mercy or desire. Because of its ability to give people what they want, power tempts people into doing the unthinkable in order to acquire it. Power itself is uncorrupted, only tainted and weaponised by those who hold it. In Shakespeare’s ‘Macbeth’ and Suzanne Collins’ ‘Hunger Games: Mocking Jay Part Two, manipulation and suggestion are shown to corrupt power and contribute to its use in the name of evil. Through a comparison of literary devices in ‘Macbeth’ and ‘Mockingjay Part Two’, humanity’s corruption of power will be explored and unveiled

"Absolute power corrupts absolutely" is the best-known quotation of the 19th century by the British politician Lord Acton. The Power that is exerted by an individual who has risen to a post of authority is one the most important themes of Shakespeare's Macbeth. This theme also plays a significant role in the very popular tv show “House of Cards.”. Frank Underwood and Macbeth display similar characteristics that demonstrate their corruption in their pursuit of power. Power can be good and bad depending on whose hands it falls into.

Macbeth, from Shakespeare’s world renowned Macbeth, serves as an example as the type of person who has their sight set on power and control and is willing to let their unchecked ambition get ahead of them. Macbeth had such a strong desire for power that he was even willing to commit the evil act of murdering King Duncan. Macbeth has chosen the path of evil, which for Macbeth this includes murdering loyal friends, scheming with apparitions and witches, and even murdering sleep, but now there is no turning back.

Does power corrupt automatically? In Shakespeare's plays power corrupts seemingly easy, specifically in the play Macbeth. A play filled with treason, deceit and murder. A refreshing tale perfect for those enjoy a bit of drama. Macbeth is the main character in this play, stories of him being heroic and brave soon reached the ears of the king who named him thane of Crawford.

Macbeth is crucially at fault for his own death, although blindly following the witches and giving Lady Macbeth so much power over him to manipulate and influence him are an essential irrefutable factors that aided in his death. Although ultimately it was Macbeth’s own blind and greedy ambition which both

Macbeth wants to have the highest authority in Scotland and his ambition has caused him to go to the extremes. Such as hiring people to kill people for him. Macbeth has a hypocritical mindset. For example, he finds it normal to kill in a battle, but he disapproves of killing people in order to protect his status in society. He was forced to Kill King Duncan because of Lady Macbeth, but when he wanted Banquo and his son dead he had to hire people to do his dirty work.

In both texts, the protagonists have outside influences which affect how they use their power. In ‘Macbeth’ the eponymous character has his wife, who makes sacrifices in order for her husband to gain power. The reader can see that Lady Macbeth, while harsh and ruthless, in acting out of love; this becomes apparent in Act I (v) where Lady Macbeth calls upon supernatural forces to rid her of feminine weakness; “Come you spirits/ …unsex me here”. Again, Shakespeare makes reference to the supernatural; he wanted to warn audiences at the time that any conference with evil, supernatural “spirits” would result in the undoing of the order of nature and one’s demise. The word “unsex” suggests being stripped of all feminine weaknesses; the prefix “un-“ is widely repeated in the play.

The play Macbeth is not a simple play, in a moral point of view. Meaning it doesn't show the audience or readers one single theme, idea, moral, lesson. Although it has many lessons and morals, they are not easy to decipher. You must read between the lines. However, the main idea that I grasped was that Power Corrupts.

Complicated consequences result from the abuse of power that is central in William Shakespeare’s play ’Macbeth’ following immoral manipulation. Macbeth was written in 1606 during the reign of King James I and was used as a warning to potential threats of the King. It is a form of praise and admiration towards the King by Shakespeare as those who immorally seize power will ultimately possess a destroyed fate. Through analysing the text, we can see that abuse of power through supernatural manipulation on human nature is evident therefore guilt and delusions are consequences of that power abuse.

Throughout reading the play, Macbeth changes a lot from being a man of loyalty and honesty, to a man of whom is power hungry and greedy. This shows how the more power you receive the more power you want; which in many cases, such as this one leads to destruction. Many of the choices that Macbeth made were influenced by the power that he had, and this power began to take over him. This then lead to greed and destruction of not only others, but himself as well.

William Shakespeare’s Macbeth was and remains a literary masterpiece that tells the story of corrupted power, the fall of a kingdom, and the destruction of countless innocent lives. This theme is not specific to Shakespeare’s play, however; it is perhaps one of the most common seen throughout the course of literary and real-life history. Two of the best examples of abused power are seen through Adolf Hitler and Macbeth - their rise to power, complete control of a country, and destructive rule mirror each other nearly exactly, and ruined the lives of countless families. Although one is fiction and the other real, both men left a horrendous legacy that will never be forgotten.