Examples Of Greed In Macbeth

The Tragedy of Macbeth

Courtney Crute

In the story The Tragedy of Macbeth by William Shakespeare there is a constant theme of blood and greed throughout it. Shakespeare shows how greed will sometimes get the best of someone and cause them to go to drastic measures just to ensure that there ever-changing, never-ending needs are met. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are both main characters throughout this story. Lady Macbeth seems to be the ruthless leader consumed of greed at the beginning pushing Macbeth to do drastic things in order to achieve more power, but as the story continues the characteristics of the two to switch between them. Macbeth stops feeling guilt for the things he has done and begins to plan further activities to gain more power

while Lady Macbeth start to feel a sense of guilt and regret.
The story starts out with the opening battle between Norwegian and Scotland and is described by the captain ,who is covered in blood, to Duncan. In Act 1, scence 2, the captain/sergeant explains to Duncan of what was happening in the war and the brave acts of Macbeth: “Yes; As sparrows eagles, or the hare the lion. If I say sooth, I must report they were. As cannons overcharged with double cracks, so they Doubly redoubled strokes upon the foe: Except they meant to bathe in reeking wounds, Or memorise another Golgotha, I cannot tell. But I am faint, my gashes cry for help.” (1.2.55-60) Not only does the story open up with the theme of blood but it sets the story line up for Macbeth to be seen as a hero and brave man of war. The story continues with Duncan telling Ross to tell Macbeth that Cawdor’s title of thane of Cawdor shall; be given to him since the original thane of Cawdor betrayed Duncan: “No more that thane of Cawdor shall deceive Our bosom interest: go pronounce his present death, and with his former title greet Macbeth.” (1.2.91-94) This is where Macbeths power starts and this in the end will destroy him.
As Ross is on the way to tell Macbeth of the good news, in Act 1, scene 3, the three witches meet up and talk about how a sailors wife wouldn’t give her chesnuts, showing the theme of greed, and so the witch puts a curse on the sailor that will slowly drain the life out of him, just to get back at the wife.

I think this foreshadows the events that happen in Macbeth. Macbeth has something good but becomes greedy and in the end it ruins him, slowly but surely. After the witches put the curse on the sailor, Macbeth enters and they decide to tell Macbeth of his future first: “First Witch: All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, thane of Glamis! Second Witch: All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, thane of Cawdor! Third Witch: All hail, Macbeth! Thou shalt be king hereafter!” (1.3.149-151) This is where the story really begins, when all changes. Macbeth has just received two great honors but that already isn’t enough. Macbeth wants to be king like the witches told him he would and he starts thinking of horrible wicked things to do to become it: “[Aside]. Two truths are told, As happy prologues to the swelling act Of the imperial theme.—I thank you, gentlemen. [Aside] This supernatural soliciting] Cannot be ill, cannot be good: if ill, Why hath it given me earnest of success, Commencing in a truth? I am thane of Cawdor: If good, why do I yield to that suggestion Whose horrid image doth unfix my hair And make my seated heart knock at my ribs, Against the use of nature? Present fears Are less than horrible imaginings: My thought, whose murder yet is but fantastical, Shakes so my single state of man that function Is smother'd in surmise, and nothing is But what is not.” (1.3.240-255) Macbeth is already becoming greedy and thinking about murdering King Duncan. The theme of blood is shown when Macbeth starts thinks of killing King Duncan in order to receive more power, which is also showing the theme of greed. As the story progresses, Macbeth writes Lady Macbeth a note

telling her of the three witches and what they said about him becoming king. Lady Macbeth tells Macbeth to come home and let her persuade him out of whatever is keeping him from going after the crown: “' Hie thee hither, That I may pour my spirits in thine ear; And chastise with the valour of my tongue All that impedes thee from the golden round, Which fate and metaphysical aid doth seem To have thee crown'd withal. (1.5.368-374)” This line shows that at the beginning of the story Lady Macbeth is the one who is full of greed while Macbeth does want the crown but his consequence is in the way. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth soon plan to kill the king. In (1.5.385-410) Lady Macbeth asks to be made more like a man, and to fill her with deadly cruelty. She continues to ask to not feel remorse when the king is killed. Macbeth says he can’t go through with the plan but Lady Macbeth continues to talk him into it.
It is time to put the plan to murder the king into action; Macbeth is sitting there starring at a dagger that is only a figment of his imagination: “Is this a dagger which I see before me, The handle toward my hand? Come, let me clutch thee. I have thee not, and yet I see thee still. Art thou not, fatal vision, sensible To feeling as to sight? or art thou but A dagger of the mind, a false creation, Proceeding from the heat-oppressed brain?“ (2.1.6612-617) Macbeth starts having hallucinations about seeing blood splotches on the dagger and the handle. Macbeth says that the dagger is leading him toward a place he was going already, which is to kill the king. (2.1.609-644) Macbeth continues to talk about how the bell is telling him to do it: “[A bell rings] I go, and it is done; the bell invites me. Hear it not, Duncan; for it is a knell That summons thee to heaven or to hell.” (2.1.641-644)