Essay On Macbeth's Abuse Of Power

Power can be used to achieve greatness and create positive things in the world, but it also has the ability to create havoc and chaos if in the wrong hands. In Shakespeare’s Macbeth, the character, Macbeth, gains power quickly in terrible ways, and abuses the power to create pandemonium in Scotland. As the play progresses, Macbeth can be characterized as a hero who submerges to evil to become the villain.

At the very beginning, Macbeth may portray himself as honorable and faithful toward his king, but it is not what it seems to be. Soon after the three witches told him that he was going to be thane of cawdor and king, he begins to feel ambitious. Macbeth shows a strong interest in becoming king by replying, “Stay, you imperfect speakers, tell me more” (I.iii.71). He was so eager to know about the prophecy that he asked them a series of questions about how he was going to receive these titles in the future. He then shows a glimpse of his greediness in the play by thinking, “t’s just like they said—now I’m the thane of Glamis and the thane of Cawdor. And the best part of what they

He begins to be delirious when he states, “Is this a dagger which I see before me, The handle toward my hand? Come, let me clutch thee… Thou marshall’st me the way that I was going, And such an instrument I was to use” (II.i.32). The hallucination he has about the dagger represents a sign, which pushes him toward the direction of killing the king. Furthermore, Macbeth tries to eliminates his comrade, Banquo, and his comrade’s son, Fleance. From what the murderers have told him, he is worried when he states, “We have slashed the snake but not killed it” (II.iii.15). Macbeth is worried and becoming more afraid to the point where he has to murder his friend and their family to remain in power as king. These harmful deeds Macbeth has been accomplishing has helped him gain