Temptation, Power and Greed (Macbeth Essay)
The great conqueror, Napoleon Bonaparte once said, “Great ambition is the passion of a great character. Those endowed with it may perform very good or very bad acts. [It] all depends on the principles which direct them.” These words encompass the essence of the protagonist’s struggle with his ambition in William Shakespeare’s play Macbeth. At the beginning of the play, Macbeth is an aspiring individual ascending through the ranks by admirable leadership and nobility. The supernatural, embodied by three witches, foretells Macbeth’s future in a prophecy. With some influence from his wife, Macbeth murders the king, seizes power and rules predominated by his greed. Macbeth’s judgement and proceeding actions in the play demonstrate the overwhelming effect of his greed.
In the play Macbeth, the protagonist’s dominance is asserted by his ambitious actions. While Macbeth’s will over his actions is debatable, it is clear that Macbeth’s ambition is dominant in making his decisions. After Macbeth’s ambition transforms into greed, he becomes guided by it; Macbeth’s judgement becomes impaired and he frequently acts impulsively. Although Lady Macbeth had some influence on Macbeth, it is the supernatural that caused Macbeth’s ambition to develop into greed, dominating his judgement and ultimately affecting his actions and intentions.
By insulting, emasculating and using emotional manipulation to convince Macbeth to kill Duncan, Lady Macbeth plays a role in changing Macbeth’s ambition into greed. By insulting Macbeth, Lady Macbeth pressures him into committing the murder. Initially, Lady Macbeth insults Macbeth saying “Wouldst thou have that / Which thou esteem’st the ornament of life, / And live a coward in thine own esteem” (1.7.44-46). Here, Lady Macbeth asks Macbeth if he will take the crown he so desperately wants or live as a coward. In response, Macbeth feels that the only way to prove that he is not weak or cowardly is to commit the murder. Lady Macbeth then emasculates Macbeth to add to the growing incentive to commit the murder. In the same scene, Lady Macbeth also questions his manhood when she says “What beast was’t, then, / That made you break this enterprise to me? / When you durst do it, then you were a man” (1.7.52-54). By appealing to his masculinity, Lady Macbeth tries to brand the murder as the manly thing to do. Therefore, in Macbeth’s eyes, the only way to prove his masculinity is to commit the murder. Lady Macbeth then proceeds to use Macbeth’s love for her against him. Lady Macbeth questions his love by comparing it to his hopes and consequent actions when she asks
Was the hope drunk
Wherein you dress’d yourself? hath it slept since?
And wakes it now, to look so green and pale
At what it did so freely? From this time
Such I account thy love. (1.7.38-42)
Lady Macbeth states that Macbeth had hopes for the kingship but now he does not wish to pursue them and they even appear to be ‘sick’. She then fears that Macbeth’s love for her may be wavering similarly to his desires for power. Therefore, murdering Duncan is the only way to assert his love for Lady Macbeth. Lady Macbeth therefore manipulates Macbeth’s love and persuades him to commit the murder. Hence, insults, emasculation and emotional manipulation are used to persuade Macbeth to kill Duncan in turn changing his ambition into greed. Although it is apparent that Lady Macbeth plays a role in turning Macbeth’s ambition into greed, it is the supernatural that initiates the thought of kingship and recursively appears to maintain the prevalence of greed in Macbeth’s mind.
Macbeth is an admirable warrior until the supernatural seduces him with the aristocracy of kingship causing his ambition to develop into greed. Prior to his encounter with the supernatural, Macbeth is an aspiring leader. Upon his return from battle in Act 1, Macbeth is respected by his peers as shown by a Captain’s remarks, “And fortune, on his damned quarry smiling, / Show'd like a rebel's whore. But all's too weak; / For brave Macbeth -well he deserves that name” (1.2.16-20). The Captain speaks of the enemy, Macdonwald, having luck on his side but that it is not strong enough to defeat the brave Macbeth. In honor of his work and leadership, Macbeth is given the title “thane of Cawdor”, being seen as noble by King Duncan himself, “The thane of Cawdor has lost what the noble Macbeth has won” (1.2.77). These events show that he is a respectable individual working his way up the ranks and obtaining power through admirable ambition and loyalty making Macbeth an aspiring individual for the duration of the opening of the play. These qualities of Macbeth were preserved until he is subjected to the supernatural prophecies. The witches tell Macbeth he will be king and by revealing the power he can obtain, he is seduced. Macbeth becomes so deeply mesmerized by what the witches have shown him that Shakespeare describes Macbeth as being “rapt” (1.3.60, 1.3.153) twice to show how defenseless Macbeth is to his own political ambition. This is clearly communicated by Shakespeare in Act 1 Scene 3, when Macbeth says “My thought, whose murder yet is but fantastical” (1.3.149-150). Macbeth’s drive for power is therefore amplified as he is exposed to its grandeur. As Macbeth’s ambition to become powerful collides with the greed that the witches have imposed upon him, Macbeth’s greed becomes dominant. This internal conflict is demonstrated when Macbeth struggles to decide whether or not he will murder Duncan as shown in the quote “I go, and it is done; the bell invites me. Hear it not, Duncan; for it is a knell / That summons thee to heaven or to hell” (2.1.69-71). “The bell invites me” shows that Macbeth has now been consumed by his ambition. It now calls him to do bloody deeds and consequently his ambition has developed into greed. Macbeth is therefore an aspiring leader slowly gaining power through his own ambition until he is bewitched by the supernatural and succumbed to the greed imposed upon him by the unnatural prophecies.
Macbeth’s lack of consideration before murdering Macduff and Banquo and his decision to challenge the prophecies all demonstrate how Macbeth’s ambition dominates his judgement throughout the play. In Act 4 Scene 1, when Macbeth gets word that Macduff has ventured to find the real heir to the throne, Macbeth orders the massacre of Macduff’s family. Besides his own satisfaction, Macbeth gained little, but blinded by his ambition, he does not realize this. In addition to adding to his own propagating guilty conscience, Macbeth also increased his opposition by committing this murder. When Macduff and Malcolm heard of this dreadful killing, they were enraged. They proceeded to use this crime to fuel their rage and resentment towards Macbeth. This is expressed when Malcolm says “Let’s make us medicines of our great revenge, / To cure this deadly grief” (4.3.251-252). With respect to Macbeth’s primary desires (namely securing the throne), Macbeth could have instead attempted to stop Macduff himself and consequently avoid war with Malcolm altogether. In Act 3, Scene 1, Macbeth orders the murder of Banquo demonstrating another occurrence of Macbeth’s impaired judgement. If Macbeth had instead sought out Banquo and recruited him as an ally, Banquo could have turned out to be a valuable asset. Given that Banquo was once his best friend, he could have served as a catalyst for Macbeth to dissolve some of his guilt. Banquo’s potential wisdom is demonstrated in Act 1, when he says “And oftentimes, to win us to our harm, / The instruments of darkness tell us truths, / Win us honest trifles to betray us / In deepest consequence” (1.3.132-135). Banquo’s words foreshadow Macbeth’s entire struggle to become king with the supernatural prophecies. This reveals Banquo’s potential to accurately advise Macbeth. In Act 5, Macbeth pays no attention to the signs of the prophecy. Even when the prophecy is coming true (Birnam wood is moving to Dunsinane) and Macbeth knows he is in grave danger, Macbeth stays as he is too vain to flee. This can be inferred from “Though Birnam wood come to Dunsinane / And thou opppos’d, being of no woman born, / Yet I will try the last” (5.8.35-37). Macbeth could have fled and possibly protected both himself and his wife but because greed is so prevalent in his mind, it clouds his judgement and he stays to try and preserve his power. Therefore, by acting on impulse, Macbeth murders Macduff’s family and Banquo, in addition to foolishly dying at the hands of Macduff, showing that Macbeth’s greed affects his judgement.
Macbeth’s greed ultimately affects his intentions resulting in his murderous actions and attachment to his power. In the beginning of the play, Macbeth’s intention is to gain the throne but after his ambition turns into greed, bearing the throne is not enough. This is displayed in his senseless killings, most notably of which is Macduff’s family. Macbeth becomes so engrossed by his own power that he is “bloody, bold and resolute; laugh[ing] to scorn the power of man” (4.1.86-87). This quote by the witches identifies Macbeth’s ambition as greed since he no longer wants to gain riches and happiness for himself, but instead to also keep it from others as well. In Act 4, Macbeth becomes frustrated as his ambition cannot change the fact that he does not have any lineage to continue ruling and this frustration turns into jealousy of Banquo and his heir. Macbeth then orders their murder, expressing his feelings in a soliloquy: “Upon my head they placed a fruitless crown, / And put a barren sceptre in my gripe, / Thence to be wrench’d with an unlineal hand” (3.1.65-67). In this quote, Macbeth explains that his reign will end with him. In rage and blinded by his ambition, Macbeth attempts to murder them both without considering the potential consequences of his actions. In Act 5, Macbeth’s actions become very largely influenced by his greed. Macbeth would have rather died with his power and title than run away or surrender and lose it. His greed controlled him once again when he decides to gamble on the remote possibility that he will survive by fighting, shown by “I am in blood / Stepp'd in so far, that, should I wade no more, / Returning were as tedious as go o'er” (3.4.167-169). As the army attacked Macbeth’s castle, he refuses to flee with his life and family. He instead tries to take on the man that is fated to be his murderer and hence loses his life and all that he has. Macbeth’s greed causes his intentions to sway from solely taking the throne, evokes his jealousy of Banquo and motivates him to make the decision to die with power than live at all.
This essay demonstrates that Macbeth’s greed is an influential factor on Macbeth’s judgement and in orchestrating his actions. Macbeth’s ambition is morally sound until the supernatural initiated its transformation into greed as presented by Macbeth’s engrossment in the power he could obtain. Lady Macbeth also aided in Macbeth’s progression, but it becomes clear that the supernatural is the principal contributing factor as indicated by Macbeth’s internal conflict that spawned from the prophecies. Macbeth’s greed then altered his judgement causing him to make impulsive decisions and to act avariciously. Ultimately, the supernatural’s prophecies guided the transition of Macbeth’s ambition into greed causing Macbeth’s demise. From Macbeth’s tragedy, an inspiring lesson can be learned: take others’ words into consideration but ultimately, it is one’s own responsibility to make their own decisions.
In the play Macbeth, the protagonist’s dominance is asserted by his ambitious actions. While Macbeth’s will over his actions is debatable, it is clear that Macbeth’s ambition is dominant in making his decisions. After Macbeth’s ambition transforms into greed, he becomes guided by it; Macbeth’s judgement becomes impaired and he frequently acts impulsively. Although Lady Macbeth had some influence on Macbeth, it is the supernatural that caused Macbeth’s ambition to develop into greed, dominating his judgement and ultimately affecting his actions and intentions.
By insulting, emasculating and using emotional manipulation to convince Macbeth to kill Duncan, Lady Macbeth plays a role in changing Macbeth’s ambition into greed. By insulting Macbeth, Lady Macbeth pressures him into committing the murder. Initially, Lady Macbeth insults Macbeth saying “Wouldst thou have that / Which thou esteem’st the ornament of life, / And live a coward in thine own esteem” (1.7.44-46). Here, Lady Macbeth asks Macbeth if he will take the crown he so desperately wants or live as a coward. In response, Macbeth feels that the only way to prove that he is not weak or cowardly is to commit the murder. Lady Macbeth then emasculates Macbeth to add to the growing incentive to commit the murder. In the same scene, Lady Macbeth also questions his manhood when she says “What beast was’t, then, / That made you break this enterprise to me? / When you durst do it, then you were a man” (1.7.52-54). By appealing to his masculinity, Lady Macbeth tries to brand the murder as the manly thing to do. Therefore, in Macbeth’s eyes, the only way to prove his masculinity is to commit the murder. Lady Macbeth then proceeds to use Macbeth’s love for her against him. Lady Macbeth questions his love by comparing it to his hopes and consequent actions when she asks
Was the hope drunk
Wherein you dress’d yourself? hath it slept since?
And wakes it now, to look so green and pale
At what it did so freely? From this time
Such I account thy love. (1.7.38-42)
Lady Macbeth states that Macbeth had hopes for the kingship but now he does not wish to pursue them and they even appear to be ‘sick’. She then fears that Macbeth’s love for her may be wavering similarly to his desires for power. Therefore, murdering Duncan is the only way to assert his love for Lady Macbeth. Lady Macbeth therefore manipulates Macbeth’s love and persuades him to commit the murder. Hence, insults, emasculation and emotional manipulation are used to persuade Macbeth to kill Duncan in turn changing his ambition into greed. Although it is apparent that Lady Macbeth plays a role in turning Macbeth’s ambition into greed, it is the supernatural that initiates the thought of kingship and recursively appears to maintain the prevalence of greed in Macbeth’s mind.
Macbeth is an admirable warrior until the supernatural seduces him with the aristocracy of kingship causing his ambition to develop into greed. Prior to his encounter with the supernatural, Macbeth is an aspiring leader. Upon his return from battle in Act 1, Macbeth is respected by his peers as shown by a Captain’s remarks, “And fortune, on his damned quarry smiling, / Show'd like a rebel's whore. But all's too weak; / For brave Macbeth -well he deserves that name” (1.2.16-20). The Captain speaks of the enemy, Macdonwald, having luck on his side but that it is not strong enough to defeat the brave Macbeth. In honor of his work and leadership, Macbeth is given the title “thane of Cawdor”, being seen as noble by King Duncan himself, “The thane of Cawdor has lost what the noble Macbeth has won” (1.2.77). These events show that he is a respectable individual working his way up the ranks and obtaining power through admirable ambition and loyalty making Macbeth an aspiring individual for the duration of the opening of the play. These qualities of Macbeth were preserved until he is subjected to the supernatural prophecies. The witches tell Macbeth he will be king and by revealing the power he can obtain, he is seduced. Macbeth becomes so deeply mesmerized by what the witches have shown him that Shakespeare describes Macbeth as being “rapt” (1.3.60, 1.3.153) twice to show how defenseless Macbeth is to his own political ambition. This is clearly communicated by Shakespeare in Act 1 Scene 3, when Macbeth says “My thought, whose murder yet is but fantastical” (1.3.149-150). Macbeth’s drive for power is therefore amplified as he is exposed to its grandeur. As Macbeth’s ambition to become powerful collides with the greed that the witches have imposed upon him, Macbeth’s greed becomes dominant. This internal conflict is demonstrated when Macbeth struggles to decide whether or not he will murder Duncan as shown in the quote “I go, and it is done; the bell invites me. Hear it not, Duncan; for it is a knell / That summons thee to heaven or to hell” (2.1.69-71). “The bell invites me” shows that Macbeth has now been consumed by his ambition. It now calls him to do bloody deeds and consequently his ambition has developed into greed. Macbeth is therefore an aspiring leader slowly gaining power through his own ambition until he is bewitched by the supernatural and succumbed to the greed imposed upon him by the unnatural prophecies.
Macbeth’s lack of consideration before murdering Macduff and Banquo and his decision to challenge the prophecies all demonstrate how Macbeth’s ambition dominates his judgement throughout the play. In Act 4 Scene 1, when Macbeth gets word that Macduff has ventured to find the real heir to the throne, Macbeth orders the massacre of Macduff’s family. Besides his own satisfaction, Macbeth gained little, but blinded by his ambition, he does not realize this. In addition to adding to his own propagating guilty conscience, Macbeth also increased his opposition by committing this murder. When Macduff and Malcolm heard of this dreadful killing, they were enraged. They proceeded to use this crime to fuel their rage and resentment towards Macbeth. This is expressed when Malcolm says “Let’s make us medicines of our great revenge, / To cure this deadly grief” (4.3.251-252). With respect to Macbeth’s primary desires (namely securing the throne), Macbeth could have instead attempted to stop Macduff himself and consequently avoid war with Malcolm altogether. In Act 3, Scene 1, Macbeth orders the murder of Banquo demonstrating another occurrence of Macbeth’s impaired judgement. If Macbeth had instead sought out Banquo and recruited him as an ally, Banquo could have turned out to be a valuable asset. Given that Banquo was once his best friend, he could have served as a catalyst for Macbeth to dissolve some of his guilt. Banquo’s potential wisdom is demonstrated in Act 1, when he says “And oftentimes, to win us to our harm, / The instruments of darkness tell us truths, / Win us honest trifles to betray us / In deepest consequence” (1.3.132-135). Banquo’s words foreshadow Macbeth’s entire struggle to become king with the supernatural prophecies. This reveals Banquo’s potential to accurately advise Macbeth. In Act 5, Macbeth pays no attention to the signs of the prophecy. Even when the prophecy is coming true (Birnam wood is moving to Dunsinane) and Macbeth knows he is in grave danger, Macbeth stays as he is too vain to flee. This can be inferred from “Though Birnam wood come to Dunsinane / And thou opppos’d, being of no woman born, / Yet I will try the last” (5.8.35-37). Macbeth could have fled and possibly protected both himself and his wife but because greed is so prevalent in his mind, it clouds his judgement and he stays to try and preserve his power. Therefore, by acting on impulse, Macbeth murders Macduff’s family and Banquo, in addition to foolishly dying at the hands of Macduff, showing that Macbeth’s greed affects his judgement.
Macbeth’s greed ultimately affects his intentions resulting in his murderous actions and attachment to his power. In the beginning of the play, Macbeth’s intention is to gain the throne but after his ambition turns into greed, bearing the throne is not enough. This is displayed in his senseless killings, most notably of which is Macduff’s family. Macbeth becomes so engrossed by his own power that he is “bloody, bold and resolute; laugh[ing] to scorn the power of man” (4.1.86-87). This quote by the witches identifies Macbeth’s ambition as greed since he no longer wants to gain riches and happiness for himself, but instead to also keep it from others as well. In Act 4, Macbeth becomes frustrated as his ambition cannot change the fact that he does not have any lineage to continue ruling and this frustration turns into jealousy of Banquo and his heir. Macbeth then orders their murder, expressing his feelings in a soliloquy: “Upon my head they placed a fruitless crown, / And put a barren sceptre in my gripe, / Thence to be wrench’d with an unlineal hand” (3.1.65-67). In this quote, Macbeth explains that his reign will end with him. In rage and blinded by his ambition, Macbeth attempts to murder them both without considering the potential consequences of his actions. In Act 5, Macbeth’s actions become very largely influenced by his greed. Macbeth would have rather died with his power and title than run away or surrender and lose it. His greed controlled him once again when he decides to gamble on the remote possibility that he will survive by fighting, shown by “I am in blood / Stepp'd in so far, that, should I wade no more, / Returning were as tedious as go o'er” (3.4.167-169). As the army attacked Macbeth’s castle, he refuses to flee with his life and family. He instead tries to take on the man that is fated to be his murderer and hence loses his life and all that he has. Macbeth’s greed causes his intentions to sway from solely taking the throne, evokes his jealousy of Banquo and motivates him to make the decision to die with power than live at all.
This essay demonstrates that Macbeth’s greed is an influential factor on Macbeth’s judgement and in orchestrating his actions. Macbeth’s ambition is morally sound until the supernatural initiated its transformation into greed as presented by Macbeth’s engrossment in the power he could obtain. Lady Macbeth also aided in Macbeth’s progression, but it becomes clear that the supernatural is the principal contributing factor as indicated by Macbeth’s internal conflict that spawned from the prophecies. Macbeth’s greed then altered his judgement causing him to make impulsive decisions and to act avariciously. Ultimately, the supernatural’s prophecies guided the transition of Macbeth’s ambition into greed causing Macbeth’s demise. From Macbeth’s tragedy, an inspiring lesson can be learned: take others’ words into consideration but ultimately, it is one’s own responsibility to make their own decisions.