Examples Of Greed In Macbeth

In the contemporary world, and throughout history, people have endless desires, and

always seek to obtain more. For example, when Adolf Hitler came into power, he desired to rule the world, and would stop at nothing to rule. Overtime, Hitler took over many countries and attained more and more power until, eventually, he brought on his own demise. Similarly, in the Elizabethan tragedy Macbeth, William Shakespeare shows how greed develops a lust for power, which causes people to abandon their values and, ultimately, leads to the demise of the greedy people, as well as those around them.

Greed helps to develop a lust for power. In the play, the three witches prophesy of Macbeth’s future saying, “All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, Thane of glamis!/ All

hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, thane of Cawdor!/ All hail, Macbeth, that shalt be king hereafter!” (Shakespeare I. iii. 51-53). Shakespeare foreshadows Macbeth’s future titles and the destruction that he brings. In doing this, Shakespeare shows how, once people obtain power, it will never satisfy. Ultimately, Shakespeare shows how people will stop at nothing to obtain as much power as possible, and that the greediness displayed with the want for increased power develops a strong,uncontrollable, lust for power. Macbeth tells how he cannot control his greed: “Vaulting ambition, which oérleaps itself/ And falls on th’ other” (Shakespeare I. vii. 27-28). Macbeth tells that he wishes to kill Duncan solely due to the desire for more power. Shakespeare utilizes Macbeth’s desires to tell that the immense lust for power that people feel leads them to make decisions only with the hope of obtaining increased power and without thinking of the possible repercussions. Macbeth’s actions, as well as the events that follow, allow Shakespeare to develop the theme that greed and the lust for power ultimately cause people to abandon their values.
The lust for power causes people to abandon their virtuous values.

Near the beginning of the play, Duncan speaks concerning Macbeth saying, “O valiant cousin, worthy gentleman!” (Shakespeare I. ii. 26). Shakespeare establishes that Macbeth possesses the virtues, honor, and courage of a man that deserves much. As Shakespeare establishes that Macbeth has become a truly virtuous man at the beginning of the play, he prepares for Macbeth to gain a lust for power. By giving Macbeth an intense lust for power, Shakespeare later develops his theme that the lust for power will eventually cause people to forsake their values, no matter how virtuous. After Macbeth kills Duncan, he says, “I know my deed ‘twere best not know myself/ Wake Duncan with thy knocking I would thou/ Couldst” (Shakespeare II. ii. 93-95). Shakespeare shows how a tremendous lust for power causes people to do things that they otherwise might not due, such as kill another man. Shakespeare also employs the regret that Macbeth feels to show that the feeling of a lust for power slowly builds up within people. Shakespeare thus develops the theme that even a small lust for power causes people to perform malicious deeds, deeds that they might not otherwise

commit.
Ultimately, greed and a lust for power bring about destruction among the greedy people, as well as those around them. As a doctor observes Lady Macbeth repeatedly wash her hands in her sleep, he says, “More needs she the divine than the physician” (Shakespeare V. ii. 78). Shakespeare shows how the horror of what Macbeth has done drives Lady Macbeth ever closer to madness. Ultimately, Shakespeare relates this to the death of Lady Macbeth, which allows him to show that lust for power affects the surrounding people, oftentimes even worse than it does the people with a lust for power. Shakespeare thus further develops the theme that an intense lust for power affects the people closest to the greedy and lust-filled. In the last lines of the play, Macduff addresses the king saying, “Hail, King! For so thou art. Behold where stands/ Th’ usurper’s cursed head” (Shakespeare V. viii. 65-66). Shakespeare describes Macbeth as an usurper, as well as one never able to satisfy his endless desire for more power. As Macduff proves Macbeth’s downfall, Shakespeare finally fully develops his theme that unsatisfiable greed and lust for power ultimately lead to people’s destruction.
Similarly to Adolf Hitler, Macbeth, through his endless greed and desire, brings about the destruction of himself and many people around him. In conclusion, throughout the tragedy, Macbeth, Shakespeare tells that immense greed and lust for power bring about the destruction of many, and causes people to abandon their virtues.