Machiavelli and Macbeth
In Shakespeare's Macbeth, the fundamental character, Macbeth, can be contrasted from numerous points of view with a Machiavellian price. In spite of the fact that Macbeth has numerous Machiavellian attributes, Macbeth's ascent to control without virtue, the loss of the care from his subjects, and worrying over what is to come, drives him to his destruction. Macbeth's aspiration to be top dog and his longing for power are the premise of Machiavelli's thoughts, however when inspected all the more nearly we find many defects in Macbeth's character that Machiavelli cautions will be eventually destructive.
"Hence it should be noted that in taking hold of a state, he who seizes it should examine all the offenses necessary
The principal command that he doesn't regard is that desire is just great if utilized for the improvement of the state. As far as the first rule, clearly neither Macbeth nor his better half has any contemplations about the welfare and prosperity of the state; their desire is for themselves, as is apparent in Lady Macbeth's rebuke of her significant other for not endeavoring to acquire the crown in the quickest conceivable way:"[thy nature] is too full o' th' milk of human kindness/To catch the nearest way" (Shakespeare
Machiavelli legitimizes this claim by belligerence that a sovereign is certain to come to demolish if his subjects detest him, and that scorn for the ruler comes essentially from the seizure of their ladies and property. Also, Machiavelli feels that such greed is self-extending, saying that"...causes for taking away property are never lacking, and he who begins to live by rapine always finds cause to seize others' property..." (Machiavelli 67). By seizing another person's property, a ruler turns out to be more covetous than he was beforehand. He is therefore eager to come up with a large group of reasons for the continuation of this eagerness and further obtainment of other's property. Through this procedure a ruler's eagerness for other's property and ladies quickly increments, as does the disdain of his kin from whom he is securing this property and these ladies. This, for Machiavelli, is a surefire approach to guarantee the inevitable ousting of the lord by a rankled swarm of his previous nationals. Macbeth apparently notices this guidance, as he totally ignores any craving for the procurement of property or ladies having a place with others. His issue inside this zone of worry, as has been examined before, is the way that his aspiration is utilized just to profit himself (acquiring the position of
While in Hamlet and others of Shakespeare's plays we feel that Shakespeare refined upon and brooded over his thoughts, Macbeth seems as if struck out at a heat and imagined from first to last with rapidity and power, and a subtlety of workmanship which has become instructive. The theme of the drama is the gradual ruin through yielding to evil within and evil without, of a man, who, though from the first tainted by base and ambitious thoughts, yet possessed elements in his nature of possible honor and loyalty. (792)
Power can be used to a person’s benefit, but it also can bring about the corruption of a human’s character and moral foundations. Unfortunately, power is the key to the downfall of events that occur throughout Macbeth. When Macbeth is given prophecies about his future, he is skeptical at first. However once one of the prophecies is fulfilled, Macbeth becomes power hungry and he seeks to know the unknown. As he seeks the unknown, his mind begins to corrupt as he questions the extent to which he will go in order to gain the power that he desires so strongly. Eventually, Macbeth’s morals are defeated as his selfish desires silence all goodness. The corruption overtakes Macbeth and his behaviors are now purely controlled by his ambition to gain
In the mind of Lady Macbeth, ambition is represented as the ruling motive, an intense overmastering passion, which is gratified at the expense of every just and generous principle, and every feminine feeling (Moulton 516). Lady Macbeth learns, by letter, of the prophecy made by the Three Witches from her husband. She takes this knowledge to be true. Macbeth will one day be the King of Scotland, but she fears he is too kind and compassionate to kill King Duncan. Then, she makes this famous speech to the gods, “Come, you spirits that tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here, and fill me, from the crown to the toe, top-full of direst cruelty! Make thick my blood, stop up th’ access and passage to remorse; that no compunctious visitings of Nature shake my fell purpose, nor keep peace between th’ effect and it! Come to my woman’s breasts, and take my milk for gall, you murth’ring ministers, wherever in your sightless substances you wait on Nature’s mischief! Come, thick night, and pall th...
The main theme of Macbeth-the destruction wrought when ambition goes unchecked by moral constraints-finds its most powerful expression in the play's two main characters. Macbeth is a courageous Scottish general who is not naturally inclined to commit evil deeds, yet he deeply desires power and advancement. He kills Duncan against his better judgment and afterward stews in guilt and paranoia. Toward the end of the play he descends into a kind of frantic, boastful madness. Lady Macbeth, on the other hand, pursues her goals with greater determination, yet she is less capable of withstanding the repercussions of her immoral acts. One of Shakespeare's most forcefully drawn female characters, she spurs her husband mercilessly to kill Duncan and urges him to be strong in the murder's aftermath, but she is eventually driven to distraction by the effect of Macbeth's repeated bloodshed on her conscience. In each case, ambition helped, of course, by the malign prophecies of the witches is what drives the couple to ever more terrible atrocities. The problem, the play suggests, is that once one decides to use violence to further one?s quest for power, it is difficult to stop. There are always potential threats to the throne?Banquo, Fleance, Macduff?and it is always tempting to use violent means to dispose of them.
Macbeth’s blind ambition leads him to surrender to his dark desires that taunt him throughout the play. Macbeth is frequently tempted to result to the wrongful methods that seem to roam inside of him. In the beginning however Macbeth tends to ignore these desires and depends on chance. He declares “if chance will have me king, why, chance may crown me, without my stir” (Shakespeare, act 1, scene 3, 143-144). This declaration by Macbeth shows his initial stand, which is reliant on fate and sin free. Yet as Macbeth’s character develops throughout the play, he moves farther from his dependence on chance and closer to his darker desires. Eventually his blind ambition to become king overp...
(Act IV Scene I Lines 150-153) Macbeth shows the insignificance of his morals and responsibilities by his actions, he shows that becoming king is of much more importance.
In the play of “Macbeth”, Shakespeare gradually and effectively deepens our understanding of the themes and most importantly the relationship between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. The main theme of Macbeth is ambition, and how it compels the main characters to pursue it. The antagonists of the play are the three witches, who symbolise the theme appearance and reality. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s relation is an irony throughout the play, as most of their relation is based on greed and power. This is different from most of Shakespeare’s other plays, which are mostly based on romance and trust. There is also guilt that leads Macbeth and Lady Macbeth to the final consequences of the play. As the progresses, the constant changes in Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are exposed.
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 idea of becoming Queen. Her ruthlessness urges Macbeth to commit regicide by questioning his love for her and his own manhood.
The Tragedy of Macbeth is a tragedy play written by William Shakespeare in the early 1600’s. Being set almost entirely in Scotland, the play is written to dramatize the physical and psychological effects of ambition and power. Shakespeare wrote this play during the reign of King James I, who was at the time King James VI of Scotland before succeeding to the English Throne in 1603. Shakespeare paid homage to King James’ Scottish Lineage, as well as the witch’s prophecy that Banquo would found a line of kings; that is clearly homage to King James’ claim that he had descended from the historical Banquo. This essay will be a discussion of how The Tragedy of Macbeth offers insight to the message of ambition, and will demonstrate how ambition can
The character of Lady Macbeth is a complex one, there is much that can be said regarding the juxtaposition of ideas concerning her behavior. Within this essay I shall attempt to elaborate on her forceful, selfish and contradictory character.
Macbeth, who at the beginning of his play’s plot is in a position of some honor and power, obtains position as king of Scotland through secretive foul play, spurred on by some external manipulation as well as personal ambition. “Macbeth’s ambition is unchecked by both moral and legal considerations-he will stop at nothing to get what he desires… Macbeth’s unbridled ambition is the root of the play’s evil because he is willing to throw the world into chaos in order to satisfy his personal desires.” (Thrasher, 92). His rebellion is heinous, but so long undiscovered. His ambition, though present in some degree from the beginning, metastasizes within him through the play as more obstacles to his retention of royal status crop up. “He begins well…but this...
Macbeth is a fearless warrior and an important lord who defends his King against treachery but his fatal flaw is ambition which he allows to be set into motion in his mind first by the witches’ prophecy and then the amount of ambition for him from his wife soon undermines his righteousness. He is not easily won over to committing the deed of treason and has many objections to the murder, however he is easily influence by his own desire to be King. This is the starting point of a violent and ruthless nature.
Macbeth’s story highlights the inherent goodness found in all of us, but also the evil that lurks within us, unnourished. Although there is no redemption for Macbeth’s evil sins, he finally comes to acknowledge his crimes and thus can provoke pity in the eyes of the audience. Macbeth’s psychological journey from a courageous general to a “ dead butcher” (5.9.41) is one that truly merits to be called a tragedy.
Macbeth is a very complex character whom reflects man's thirst for power through the drastic changes of his personality; thus being one of the slightest reasons in which make this intriguing character, greatest of all Shakespearean’s well-known works.
Shakespeare tragic hero; Macbeth is undoubtedly conveyed as one of literatures greatest fallen heroes. Initially presented as an admirable hero, he self destructs from external and internal forces. The witches ignited Macbeth’s ambition and temptations prove too strong for the one admired war hero, whilst Lady Macbeth prays up on his exceptional being of vaulting ambition. Throughout the essay, the factors influence Macbeth’s downfall will be explored.