/ When you durst do it, then you were a man” (1.7.47-49).. She defines manhood as stark aggression to achieve power in any means necessary such as killing Duncan. Macbeth, had compassion for Duncan but due to fear of being demasculinized if he did not act on his ambition results in his submission into temptation. As said from a female, it makes the reverse psychology from Lady Macbeth even more potent due to the preservation of gender roles. As one progresses through the story, Macbeth becomes more emotionally numb and tyrannical, for he then kills Banquo for fear of his intelligence on the murder of King Duncan. Then he kills Macduff’s family out of anger.
Macbeth’s greedy emotions to achieve everything without letting anything get in the way would not let this happen. Ultimately, Macbeth orders people to kill Banquo because he fears as well as envies him. He envies him because Banquo has sons who can become future kings and Macbeth does not. So Macbeth would like to have sons. After killing Banquo, Macbeth starts to later see Banquo’s ghost.
Macbeth’s uncontrollable craving for power caused him to make many reckless decisions. In the beginning of the play, Macbeth was told that he would become king. In order for this to happen, Duncan, the king at the time, had to die. Macbeth knew he had to kill Duncan but was unsure of it at first. His wife, Lady Macbeth, helped him follow through with it.
His authority drove him mad; he started to kill the innocent like the family of Macduff for no reason. Besides taking away lives, he showed no remorse when his wife died: “She(Lady Macbeth) should have died hereafter,”(Act V, scene v). Macbeth's ambition for power clearly caused him to neglect morals/ethics; even the slightest sense of humanity diminished within his ambition. His ambition for power caused him to perform these heinous actions. Superceding ethics and morals because of ambitition is not limited to English literature; history has a few gruesome examples of its own: Adolf Hitler, known for conducting one of the
Macbeth’s ambitious nature was the catalyst for the deaths of many characters, including his own. At first, in order to gain absolute power, Macbeth performed regicide to become King and receive the top position on the ‘Great Chain of Being.’ However, it was found that he was afterwards plagued with insecurity, as he claimed, ‘To be thus is nothing, but to be safely thus.’ Macbeth would be unsatisfied until he had absolute security over his power. As Macbeth’s insecurity and fear of losing power grew, the degree of his violence amplified. It drove him to the murder of his own friend, Banquo, the murder of the Macduff family, which involved innocent women and children, and in the end, another civil war. In addition, Macbeth’s naivety was also responsible for the tragedies, and his own downfall.
The Coward Oedipus Is “A coward is much more exposed to quarrels than a man of spirit”. This quote by Thomas Jefferson portrays Oedipus because throughout ‘Oedipus Rex’ he quarrels with everybody about he truth and becomes blind to it. By blinding himself Oedipus becomes a coward because he doesn’t want to face his crimes. It all started when Oedipus hears a dreadful prophecy that he will murder his father and sleep with his mother. He leaves Corinth and travels to Thebes, and on the way he unknowingly kills his father during a quarrel.
Macbeth’s Character Macbeth is superstitious and curious about the witches. ‘stay you imperfect speakers, tell me more…speak, I charge you’ this shows that already the idea of becoming king is in Macbeths mind, and is feeding his ever-growing ambition. The imperatives in the quote show that he already thinks that he is superior to others as he is very imposing and demanding, this would also mean that he is self-centered and will do anything for the benefit of himself and his own success. Macbeth is superstitious and ambitious but doubtful of himself and the witches. ‘why do you dress me in borrowed robes?’ this quote shows that Macbeth is superstitious as it tells the audience that he has believed the prophecies they have told him.
He wanted to rule his country, a perfectly sane and moral goal. His intentions went sour throughout his journey, however, when he came to the conclusion that in order to control the kingdom, he must kill Duncan, then Banquo along with Fleance, and finally the Macduff family. One would think, if reading just the facts of these murderous plans, that Macbeth is pure of evil intentions and destructive measures. However,
Lady Macbeth challenges him, saying that he is not a man. Macbeth becomes defensive, and to defend himself, he kills Duncan. So, in the end both are to blame. Macbeth had committed the actual murder, and Lady Macbeth made the plan and convinced her husband to commit the
It doesn't take long for Macbeth to make the connection that his time in the throne will be short, and that perhaps Banquo will be looking to supplant him just like he with Duncan. Macbeth seems to disregard his Fate, not fully comprehending that it is virtually impossible to change your fate once it had been decided, but to avoid any chances he has Banquo killed. Macbeth has now started to become irrational; ordering the death of his best friend, who he only, at the time, suspected would potentially kill him to allow his son to takes the throne. He is restless and terrified, he says’ O full of scorpions is my mind dear wife’ implying how as his dishonesty took him to the throne, his kingship will be blighted. He seems to also become scared of what he is now capable of, as he is repeatedly reminded of the deed that had then taken place.