Macbeth's Lust For Power

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What would you be willing to do in order to gain power? William Shakespeare’s Macbeth follows the story of a tragic hero: Macbeth, a brave and powerful Scottish general who is plagued with a fatal flaw. In the pursuit of authority, Macbeth falls victim to temptations such as greed and a lust for power. The play presents his tragic flaw: unchecked ambition. He shows how naked ambition, freed from any sort of moral or social conscience, can take over one’s sense of morality. This defect unified with his diminished sense of right and wrong ultimately leads him to his downfall. Throughout the play, Macbeth’s tragic flaw is displayed in his plot to assassinate King Duncan, his reaction to Banquo’s prophecy, and finally through his encounter with…show more content…
Upon receiving this news, Macbeth begins contemplating ways to guarantee the truth of the second part of the prophecy, of his future as king. He notes “[his] thought, whose murder is yet but fantastical” (1.3.151). Although no one had mentioned it, he finds himself coming across the idea of murdering the current king to have the prophecy fulfilled. His use of the word “fantastical” implies that he knows this thought is just another fantasy. His lust for power caused him to jump this absurd conclusion, and blinded him to the most reasonable choices. He is willing to use whatever means necessary to obtain power, even if it means sacrificing his reputation. He later adds, “If chance will have me king, why, chance may crown me without my stir” (1.3.157-159). His use of the word “may” implies that although he is aware that destiny might take its course, and he will become king nonetheless, he still feels obligated to act upon his thoughts. Although he feels it is wrong, he still decides to go through with the murder, ultimately letting his ambition get ahead of his conscience and overpower his…show more content…
The Three Witches’ previous prediction that Banquo would become the father to a line of kings becomes an obstacle in his pursuit of authority, as he becomes fearful that this prophecy will amount to a truth. Illustrating his desired life as king, Macbeth notes, “to be thus is nothing, but to be safely thus” (3.1.52-53). Here, Macbeth describes his future of being king to amount to nothing if his position is not safe. He sees no purpose in reigning if Banquo is a threat to his throne. At this point, Macbeth’s sense of morality is taken over by his overwhelming desire to achieve his objective. He fails to see the difference between right and wrong, and how his actions are detrimental to his future. Macbeth now views his past actions to have “put rancors in the vessel of [his] peace” (3.1.72). He illustrates the picture of one dropping poison into a goblet, “vessel” being a goblet, and “rancors” being poison. Macbeth’s “vessel” of peace is his future, and his past actions of killing King Duncan is “poison”. Through this statement, Shakespeare implies that Macbeth is aware that the king’s murder will eventually benefit Banquo’s future rather than his own. His uncontrollable ambition, along with his poor sense of morality drives him to resolve to murder Banquo, ultimately eliminating any threat he might
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