Macbeth: The Evolution of Corruption

The Corruption of Macbeth
Perhaps the most fundamental theme of Shakespeare’s Macbeth is the inherent corruptibility of even a seemingly good man when ambition turns to greed, and Macbeth himself exemplifies this concept throughout the play. While at the outset he is seen to be loyal to his king, generally considered trustworthy, and displaying numerous other laudable qualities, Macbeth ultimately succumbs to the influence of those around him and becomes unequivocally evil, setting aside all his previously held morals and coming to be driven only by his lust for power. This transition is brought about by a wide variety of factors and plays an integral role in the development of the plot. In his tragedy Macbeth, William Shakespeare employs

These creatures are presumably omniscient, though not omnipotent; however, they do appear to have considerable power to influence events. It is they that initially prognosticate Macbeth’s rise to power, implying his fate by proclaiming to him, “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!” (1.3.51-53) Here Macbeth is promised the thaneship of both Glamis, a title which he has recently come into possession of after his killing of Macdonwald, a traitor to the state, and also of Cawdor, which then belonged to someone whom Macbeth knew to be alive. Most notably, he is referred to as being “king hereafter”, though Duncan still lives and Macbeth is not of his lineage. It soon becomes clear to him that the only way to bring this about is to assassinate Duncan and somehow circumvent his sons’, Malcolm and Donalbain, claims to the throne, marking the beginning of his descent into

These ambiguities are iteratively explained, corresponding with the changes in characterization; for example, when the second vision granted to Macbeth by the Weïrd sisters advises him to, “Be bloody, bold, and resolute. Laugh to scorn / The power of man, for none of woman born / Shall harm Macbeth” (4.1.90-92). Upon hearing this, Macbeth appears to simply disregard the earlier prophecy that it will be Banquo’s children, not his own, that will take the throne after him and believes himself to be effectively invincible, which coincides with another shift in Macbeth’s nature, more specifically his growing arrogance that eventually leads to his defeat at the hands of