Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s Lust for Power

Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s lust for power has caused them to make unforgivable decisions

the created despair and chaos in Scotland. In the play Macbeth by William Shakespeare, many

characters are driven by not just ambition but the lust for power. But none of the characters in the play

Macbeth can compare to Macbeth and Lady Macbeth has to gain power. These characters showed the

sin Gluttony. Gluttony is when you consume yourself with something so much you explode. In this case

it is power. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth would stop at nothing to gain power. Throughout the play

Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s actions caused the tragic ending to both of them.

One of the main characters in Macbeth is Macbeth himself. In the beginning of the play he is

already a powerful man; being a victorious leader in King Duncan’s army however he lusts for even more

power. His troubles beings when he meets the three witches for the very first time. They predict that

Macbeth will become in even greater power. “All hail Macbeth, hall to thee, Thane of Glamis. All hail

Macbeth, hail to thee, Thane of Cawdor. All hail Macbeth that shalt be king hereafter.” (Act 1 Scene 3

Lines 46-48) King Duncan sent a message to Macbeth calling him Thane of Cawdor as the pervious

Thane of Cawdor was imprisoned on the charge of treason. He kills King Duncan to get the throne.

Banquo; Macbeth’s best friend suspects Macbeth has acquired the throne by foul play. Macbeth’s guilt

Begins to slowly eat away at him. Macbeth is frightened that Banquo will expose him. Macbeth hires

two murders to kill Banquo and his son. Fleance, Banquo’s son escapes before he is murdered.

Macbeth’s paranoia escalates. At a banquet Macbeth sees Banquo’s ghost. He is scared a...

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...h is killed by Macduff because “Macduff was from his mother’s womb untimely ripp’d.” (Act 5

Scene 8 Lines 15-16) and Lady Macbeth takes her life. These two characters are by far the most

influenced by gluttony. Through their actions for gaining and keeping their already attained power they

became hated and unloved. They also have become pitied by most people because at the end they felt

remorse for everything they did. But even their remorse could not save them for their tragic endings.

Because they allowed gluttony to rule their minds they lost everything they gained; their power, their

respect and they even lost each other. Power and money is something everyone thinks they need to be

happy. How far would you go to gain power and money?

Works Cited

Shakespeare, William, and John Wilders. Macbeth. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge UP, 2004. Print.