Macbeth Essay on Power
Uploaded by curse_of_curves on Apr 25, 2008
Power’s Evil
In Shakespeare’s Macbeth, power is an important theme because everyone wants it. They desire power and they go to the extremes of killing for it. The events in Macbeth show us that power corrupts people in the sense that Macbeth does crazy things to get it.
The characters in Macbeth show us that power corrupts people. For one, Macbeth does crazy things to get it. When he says, “It were done quickly. If th’ assassination could trammel up the consequence, and catch, with his surcease, success; that but this blow might be the be-all and the end-all” (1.7 2-5) he decides that it would be best if he killed King Duncan in order to position himself on the throne, as the witches had predicted. Macbeth also wants to rid himself of Banquo because he feels him as a threat to his power on the throne. While Macbeth is speaking to his wife about Banquo he says, “Ere we will eat our meal in fear, and sleep in the affliction of these terrible dreams that shake us nightly” (3.2 17-19), meaning that until Banquo is killed they will live in fear of losing their power. Macbeth also tries to kill Fleance, Banquo’s son, because he also finds him as a threat to his throne. While the murderers Macbeth sent out to kill both Banquo and his son are murdering Banquo, Banquo yells out to Fleance, “O, treachery! Fly, good Fleance, fly, fly, fly!” (3.3 17), and so Fleance gets away. So Macbeth is crazy because normal people don’t kill to get power.
Lady Macbeth also plays a part in this corruption over power. She wants Macbeth to kill in order to obtain power. First, Lady Macbeth convinces her husband to kill King Duncan. When Lady Macbeth says, “What not put upon his spongy officers, who shall bear the guilt of our great quell?” (1.7 70-71) , she is telling Macbeth that the plan is to kill King Duncan and blame it on his guards. She also helps Macbeth lie about the murder of King Duncan. When Macbeth returns from doing the deed, Lady Macbeth notices that Macbeth is still spooked about what he has done. When they hear a knock on their door, Lady Macbeth tells her husband, “Get on your nightgown, lest occasion call us and show us to be watchers. Be not lost so poorly in your thoughts” (2.3...