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Macbeth Power Quotes

Decent Essays

Bloody Deeds and Power Power, admiration and wealth are all things that people yearn for. It’s human nature to prove one’s superiority over others around you. People in politics lie and deceive, making promises that they aren’t going to keep. They say what they believe others would like to hear in order to gain favor of the voters. Macbeth was written in Elizabethan England during the rule of King James. William Shakespeare's company was under the King James’ patronage, giving him the incentive to write something that would please the King. Several themes throughout Macbeth appeal to King James, such as the fact that betrayal of the King ends in misery. Macbeth was content with being a brave war hero, but then becomes motivated by the idea …show more content…

Macbeth first learns from the witches that he shall be Thane of Cawdor. Along with Lady Macbeth he begins to wonder if there is something more for him besides just being the Thane of Cawdor and begins to contemplate murdering King Duncan. “We still have judgement here, that we but teach / Bloody instructions, which, being taught, return / To plague th’ inventor” (1.7.8-10). Here the quote represents at this point in time Macbeth has a conscience and is able to differentiate what is right and what is wrong. Comparing this to his end frame of mind in the play you can see how many morals and the sense of judgement he lost along the way. He arrives at his ending state of mind because Lady Macbeth convinces him to murder King Duncan and he starts to realize that power is a very important thing that he must …show more content…

Lady Macbeth is convincing herself to kill King Duncan. “unsex me here...Of direst cruelty. Make thick my blood"(1.5.48,50). Lady Macbeth’s misconstrued idea of what it means to be a man prevents Macbeth from truly comprehending what is important. While trying to fit into Lady Macbeth's ideal of manliness he himself becomes detached from reality and his emotions. Macbeth’s response to the witches prophecy coming true. “ I have almost forgotten the taste of fears”(5.5.11). He feels as though the mass of power he has collected has and will continue to protect him. He then hears of Lady Macbeth's suicide from her guilt.“She should have died hereafter”(5.5.17). This is quite significant because the correct response would be grief, but instead he feels nothing for someone he once loved further showing how the greed for power has corrupted him. The important thing he should have learned is loyalty should take precedence over want for power, or ambition doesn’t have to relate to cruelty. Macduff can be considered a foil to Macbeth; after his family dies “But I must also feel it as a man” (4.3.261). The idea given by Macduff is being a man doesn’t mean you are only cruel and don’t care about the consequences. It’s possible to feel feminine things and still be considered a man. It

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