What Role Does The Desire For Power Play In Macbeth Analysis

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Kirsten Olson Hour 4 Macbeth Discussion Questions

1) What role does the desire for power play in Macbeth? How does Shakespeare link that desire to abnormal conditions of the mind? In which character(s) does Shakespeare bring this out?
Power is natural at first for Macbeth until he turns into an ambitious character. When Macbeth finally has the courage, he kills King Duncan going against what’s right which is under God’s rules. God’s commands …show more content…

For example: The Old man says that “On Tuesday last, / A falcon, towering in her pride of place, / Was by a mousing owl hawk'd at and kill'd.”In the quote, The falcon is the highest in flight in the sky while the owl catches mice roaming on the ground. The owl killed the falcon which a loyal person and the owl is known for death. Macbeth is the owl and Duncan is the falcon.

6) Does Macbeth’s mental stage change from the beginning of the play to the end? How? Why? Use specific examples and quotes.
At the beginning of the play, Macbeth is a kind and caring person, he is the Thane of Cawdor. He is well respected and honest and loyal to someone he is knows well, King Duncan. Macbeth then gains greater ambition when he is encouraged by the witches and Lady Macbeth. Lady Macbeth gets into his head on how greater power he could have if he takes the throne of the King by murdering him. When Macbeth kills the king he goes into a stage of fear and guilt making him want to kill someone again so that it satisfies him. At the end of the play he is killed because of the evil crimes he has

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