Essay On The Role Of Power In Macbeth

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Women in power are something that this world is extremely fond of and continuously reminded about. Over many years, women who ruled with an iron fist, at times built more powerful than men, have walked this earth. Hatshepsut, who ruled long before Cleopatra, was one of the most powerful. Isabella of Castile is another whom, with her husband, ordered the exile of their Muslim and Jewish subjects. We could follow this up with Queen Mary the first of England and the list goes on and on but, one pattern seems to follow: women who hold power seem to be the most evil. As this trait may be continuous, that is not always the fact. For instance, Eleanor of Aquitaine was very powerful, wealthy, and educated. She used her power to transform her home of …show more content…

She constantly corrupted the mind of Macbeth to do terrible things for her personal benefit because she didn’t have the courage to do it herself, although he wanted to be king desperately. Macbeth was the type who wanted power, he wanted to be on top no matter what and advance in all things dealing with the role of power, but wouldn’t stoop down to doing something evil such as committing murder to do so. On the other hand, Lady Macbeth wanted the same thing and would do anything to fill the role of Queen, which would only happen if Macbeth were king, but she could never live with the consequences of her evil deeds. Macbeth is convinced to kill Duncan by the persuasion of Lady Macbeth yet after he suffers with a guilty conscience, “O’ full of scorpions is my mind, dear wife”(3.2.41). Lady Macbeth, whom badgers her husband to kill Duncan, wait by his side and tells him to be joyful in the aftermath of the king’s death, “Come on, gentle my lord/sleek o’er your rugged looks. Be bright and jovial/among your guest tonight”(3.2.30-32), but is eventually blindsided by Macbeth’s continuous shedding of blood that she began. The road to each incident is driven by ambition; this is what allows them to become more and more vicious each time by knocking down those who stand in the way of the throne, Fleance, Macduff, and Banquo. Therefore, this behavior goes hand and hand with what the theme suggests, once violence is acquired to carry out the task that determines your way to the top, it is tough to

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