The War Inside The Character of Macbeth

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Two important themes in the play Macbeth are power corrupts good morals and unchecked ambition leads to destruction. Shakespeare uses Macbeth and Lady Macbeth to show how power corrupts good morals; and motifs to illustrate the self-punishment of crime. From the beginning of the play until his death Macbeth’s character changes drastically. At first he is seen as an honorable man, but becomes a power hungry, paranoid man. Lady Macbeth had an immense influence on the corruption of Macbeth. Her lust for power impacted Macbeth in many ways. Both characters were over taken by unchecked ambition and a greed for power. Before the murder of King Duncan, Macbeth was a brave, noble warrior. “For brave Macbeth well he deserves that name… Till he unseamed him from the nave to th’ chop and fixed his head upon our battlements” (Act I, Scene 2, lines 2). He was one of the last people anyone would expect to kill King Duncan. Shakespeare chooses a noble character such as Macbeth, to emphasize how greed and power can alter a person’s good morals. In Act one we start to see Macbeth’s desire for more power rise. “Stars, hide your fires; Let no light see my black and deep desires. The eye wink at the hond yet let that be which the eye fears, when it is done to see” (Act I, Scene 4, lines 52- 55). His desire for power is at war with his good morals. He wants to become king but does not want to kill Duncan. Macbeth still has some good in him before he commits his first murder. His constant struggle to decide if he will kill the king shows he still has a conscious. He feels Duncan is a good leader, and as his kings men he is supposed to protect Duncan. Macbeth at this part of the play is too virtuous to betray him in such a manner. He also fears the... ... middle of paper ... ... must put himself in the place of another and of many other; the pains and pleasures of his species must become his own” (Percy Bysshe Shelley). Shakespeare teaches a good lesson with Macbeth’s life. If you allow your ambition over ride your morals, it will only lead to destruction. Works Cited Beers, Kylene. Elements of Literature. Austin, [Tex.: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 2010. Gerwig, George William. "Lady Macbeth." Shakespeare's Ideals of Womanhood. East Aurora, N.Y.: The Roycroft Shops, 1929. 133-150. Rpt. in Shakespearean Criticism. Ed. Lynn M. Zott. Vol. 69. Detroit: Gale, 2003. Literature Resources from Gale. Web. 16 Feb. 2011. Jorgensen, Paul A. "Chapter 8: Macbeth." William Shakespeare: The Tragedies. Paul A. Jorgensen. Boston: Twayne Publishers, 1985. Twayne's English Authors Series 415. Literature Resources from Gale. Web. 18 Feb. 2011.

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