Temptation In Macbeth Analysis

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Temptation is a recurring theme throughout Macbeth, often portrayed through violent imagery, in the deaths of several characters, and evil corrupts Macbeth and makes him commit unnatural acts of destruction. A variety of factors contribute to the fate of Macbeth, a mixture of both temptation and the consequences of lingering in evil, the themes of which inevitably lead to destruction.
The aspect of temptation impacted the decisions of a selection of characters in Macbeth, it affected predominantly Macbeth and his spouse Lady Macbeth, in several violent acts. The theme of temptation is portrayed through the deaths of Duncan, Banquo, and Macduff’s family. When given the prophecy of becoming the Thane of Cawdor and ‘…shalt be king hereafter!’ (A1, S3, L51), Macbeth begins to conceive …show more content…

[…] / Stop up th’ access and the passage to remorse’ (A1, S5, L42-44) to overpower her, deliberately choosing evil, rather than her husband, whom is influenced by his wife’s reprimands. Evil distorts Lady Macbeths perception between good and evil, believing murder to be a glorious action. When Lady Macbeth sleepwalks the effects of evil become apparent, guilt of the murder weighs heavily on her mind as she cannot obtain rest, not even in her sleep. ‘What, will these hands ne’er be clean?’ (A5, S2, L43) and ‘the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand.’ (A5, S2, L51), exhibits the self-destructive tendencies of evil, as Lady Macbeth falls into a mental collapse.
Overall, the impact of temptation and the consequences of evil revealed in Macbeth, demonstrates the destructive consequences on the human mind, as Macbeth and Lady Macbeth gradually descend into insanity for dwelling too long in temptation and

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