Blind Violence and Desire in Macbeth Essay

    In the third scene of the first act, Banquo** asks, "...have we eaten on the insane root that takes the reason prisoner?" in response to the witches' prophecies.  Banquo is partly right in the assumption that Macbeth's mind is not pure.  When Macbeth says "The Prince of Cumberland!  That is a step/ On which I must fall down, or else o'erleap" (Act 1, Scene 4, 48-49), we see that Macbeth may have already the idea of killing Duncan.  Macbeth's ultimate goal is to become king; he does this with a certain amount of ease, but the process somehow awakens his tragic flaw, the ruthlessness with which he destroys his own reign.  After he kills the dead king's servents, his targets are Banquo and Fleance, who have heard or are involved in the third prophecy.  Macbeth sends the three murderers who stab the famous dying words out of Banquo's mouth: "Fly, good Fleance, fly, fly, fly! (Act 3, Scene 3, 17).  Macbeth must crush dissent  he kills Macduff's wife and children.  Macbeth's reign of non-stop killing erodes Scotland's confidence in him and he has no chance

The crime of killing Duncan seems especially barbaric as Macbeth killed him in his sleep. After killing Duncan, Macbeth becomes somewhat remorseful and also afraid.

It is the knowledge that Banquo has that causes Macbeth to turn his hands red with blood again. The king is suspicious, if not afraid, of Banquo and decides the only way he will be free of his worries would be to kill him. Macbeth also shows jealousy of Banquo, as he wonders why he will not lead a line of kings, rather than Banquo. Macbeth also begins to feel anger towards the weird sisters, as he begins to believe that he has been chosen to do the dirty work, while it is Banquo's descendants that will reap the benefits. It is the sum of these two matters- Banquo's loyalties and Macbeth's line of heirs- that he chooses to kill once more. Furthermore, his decision to hire the murderers and exactly how he gets them to turn against Banquo is another step towards the darkening of his soul. He uses the technique that Lady Macbeth used on him to murder Duncan; Macbeth told the murderers of Banquo's "wrongs"

After hearing about the three witches’ prophecy that he is to become king, Macbeth is motivated for the kingship, which leads to a series of misfortunes. The witches’ prophesized that Macbeth would become “thane of Cawdor” (1.3.50) and that he “shalt be king hereafter” (1.3.51). The witches predicted that Macbeth would move up in power. He is already thane of Glamis, but he will move up to become the thane of Cawdor and eventually the future

“Fair is foul and foul is fair” (1,1,12). We are introduced to Shakespeare’s tragedy Macbeth, when three witches emphasize the theme that violence is either seen as brave or as subjectively damaging. Throughout the novel we are indulged by the violence of the characters specifically Macbeth, shown through the blood of their enemies, violent weapons and the actions they take. These actions are humanly based on his thoughts at the time of the event, which are seen as normal. Shakespeare novella Macbeth still captivates millions of its readers today due to it’s ability relate to our human nature. Macbeth, ambitious and bloodthirsty, is the main protagonist/tragic hero of the story who often illustrates his lust for power through his violent actions,

Macbeth’s motive for his actions was simply greed and a dangerous ambition for the crown and that caused an endless cycle of murders throughout the royal land.

After seeing the witches’ prophecy, Macbeth believes he is able to change his fate of becoming king by taking action into his own hands. His initial immoral decision was to murder Duncan in order to become king. Macbeth experienced a vision involving a floating dagger leading in the direction of where Duncan was sleeping before he decided to go through with the deed. After contemplating and conversing with Lady Macbeth, he decides to kill Duncan and his guards.

Different ominous social conditions in life influence a person. The response to those circumstances can be variable. The individuals who are irascible to adapt to the changing condition think that it’s difficult to act rationally. Therefore, they tend to solve those problems by resort to violence which can be physical or even psychological. This method triggers many undesirable situations such as war and conflicts. Through Shakespeare’s play, Macbeth, violence plays a significant role being the factor that initiated the whole plot of the story. This is shown from the exposition that starts with a combat and the killing of the traitor, the transformation of the protagonist from good to evil due to violence which is considered as the climax and how the use of violence ended the conflict to the whole story that came to an end by the use of violence.

“When we have mark’d with blood those sleepy two / Of his own chamber, and us’d their very daggers, / That they have done’t?” (1.7.75-77). Macbeth is even more corrupt now that he’s king as the witches said he would be. After a chat with Banquo, Macbeth becomes suspicious that Banquo knows something. “Thou hast it now, King, Cawdor, Glamis, all, / As the weϊrd women promis’d and I fear / Thou played’st most foully for’t;... (3.1.1-3). His corrupt little mind gets cranking and he devises a plan to kill Banquo, bringing him to the last straw of innocence. “I’ll call upon you straight; abide within. / It is concluded. Banquo, thy soul’s flight, / If it find heaven, must find it out tonight.” (3.1.143-145). Macbeth has now been transformed into a ‘corrupt politician’. Once loyal and innocent, wouldn't hurt a innocent fly. Now evil and corrupt, killing anyone suspicious. In conclusion, Macbeth is a strange character. His train of thoughts and thinking does a 180 by Act 2. Thus concluding that Macbeth is like a politician, he starts out innocent and ends up

The struggle to obtain power can cause people to do the unthinkable. Macbeth’s desire to become king and obtain power is what drives the play. His hunger for power is so strong it causes him to kill anyone in his way. Macbeth becomes desensitized in the play due to the drive for power numbing his emotions and love for people. Duncan, King of Scotland, is Macbeth’s first target.

Macbeths careless actions makes him fearful that he might get caught. This fear lead to even more anihilation in the castle. He assumes that Banquo was a smart man and would figure it out so it led to him hiring murderers to kill him. Macbeth manipulates the murderers by saying “So is he mine and in such bloody distance that every minute of his being thrusts against my near’st of life”(III.i.120). This shows how Macbeth is still not thinking about the consequences his actions lead up to and how his greed really started this in the first place.

From the airborne dagger, to the murder of Duncan, the audience of the scottish play starts to experience the chaos that is forming both mentally for Macbeth and physically in the kingdom. Macbeth states; “ To know my deed, ‘twere best not know myself,” (2.2.76), making it evident that Macbeth recognizes his killing as shameful, fearful, and morally wrong, he knows that this deed will cause him disorder in his own life, and in others (i.e. the rest of the castle), so why does he continue with the latter killings of Banquo, Macduff's family, and the murderers? He wants to regain order. Once order is destroyed, the disorder in the scottish play is used to try and grasp order

In the beginning of the play, Macbeth finds out through three witches’ prophecy that he is bond to become king of Scotland. When Macbeth tells his wife Lady Macbeth the news of him becoming king she becomes impatient with him not reaching the goal sooner. Lady Macbeth wants to be Queen of Scotland so desperately she tries to convince Macbeth to kill the then king, King Duncan. Instead of saying no to becoming a murderer, Macbeth decides to quicken his prophecy. In act II scene I Macbeth decides to kill King Duncan to be closer in becoming the king. When killing King Duncan, Macbeth loses some of his moral judgment through the greed of wanting to become King of Scotland.

Macbeth is swayed by his wife to do the unthinkable: murder King Duncan in his sleep to solidify his position as the king of Scotland.

Macbeth (well he deserves that name),/ Disdaining Fortune, with his brandished steel,/ Which smoked with bloody execution,/ Like valor’s minion, carved out his passage/ Till he faced the slave;/ Which ne’er shook hands, nor bade farewell to him,/ Till he unseamed him from the nave to th’ chops,/ And fixed his head upon our battlements.” (1.2.18-25) While the actual scene of violence occurred offstage, the act itself was described in great detail. The actions of Macbeth here indicate the type of person he is. Through his killer acts in war, he is shown to be a strong fighter who stands out from the rest due to his resolve. It also gives stronger insight into the mental state that he is in prior to the major events occurring in the war. Because of the various traumatizing events that Macbeth has