Examples Of Betrayal In Macbeth

In William Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of Macbeth, the blindness of Macbeth’s ambition as well as the contrasting theme of loyalty versus betrayal presents the idea that the means by which one seeks to achieve one’s goals determines the overall success that one has. To begin, Macbeth’s determination to achieve his place as king demonstrates that one’s ambition can become consuming, and that it can blind one to that which is truly lies in one’s path. For instance, after being told by the three witches that he “shalt be the king hereafter” (1.3.50), Macbeth becomes obsessed with the prospect of becoming king, beginning to use any means necessary to achieve this position. Even after attaining this position by killing Duncan, he begins to see

Macbeth’s immediate conclusion that Macduff was part of a conspiracy due to his trip to England and his failure to appear at Macbeth’s banquet shows that Macbeth is becoming increasingly paranoid about the security of his position, despite having just heard from the witches that “none of woman born / Shall harm [him]” (4.1.80-81). Furthermore, the fact that he orders for the entirety of the Macduff’s castle to be slaughtered demonstrates that he sees everyone even remotely connected to Macduff as a potential threat, and that he is willing to do anything and defy all of his morals in order to remain the king of Scotland. In addition, his ambition has led him to often believe only that which he deems befitting of his goals. Despite Birnam Wood having come to Dunsinane, signifying the downfall of Macbeth’s rule, when he

For instance, when Macduff confronts Malcolm about the tyrannical rule of Macbeth in Scotland and about Malcolm’s needed aid, Malcolm seeks to make sure that Macduff is not simply trying to trick him into going back to Scotland to face Macbeth’s wrath. He does so by first stating all of his faults and how Macbeth’s disgraces would pale in comparison to