‘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.’ This quote tells us that Macbeth has thought up the idea of killing the king and that his ambition is growing so much it is beginning to take over his morals, and is clouding his judgment. Again Shakespeare uses the natural imagery because killing the king is the most unnatural thing you can do as he is omnipotent and it is like killing God, this shows that although Macbeth knows he is thinking of the most unnatural deed on earth he is still contemplating it as his ambition is so strong. This has a worrying effect on the audience as, if Macbeth is so easily manipulated by one thought or idea what is he capable of with other influences. This quote could also illustrate that Macbeth is weak and absent minded as he does not think about what he is doing or about what he is considering
She is asking him if he wants to be king or not, and if he is to be king he must commit regicide. By telling Macbeth this, she is his doubting his manliness, and his ambitions. She goes further to say that she would make a better man than he: “I would, while it was smiling in my face,/ Have pluck'd my nipple from his boneless gums,/ and dash'd the brains out, had I so sworn as you/ Have done to this” (Act I, Scene vii, Lines 56-59) As a result of this verbal abuse and pressure, Macbeth ends up killing Duncan that same night. This shows us that Lady Macbeth's ambition is greater than Macbeth’s, because while he hesitates and is distrustful of his powers, she never wavers. She needs no supernatural temptations to urge her on.
She enters the play as a woman whose greed initiates cruel thoughts of murder. To manipulate Macbeth into assassinating Duncan, she verbally assaults him by undermining his manhood: "When you durst do it, then you were a man / And to be more than what you were, you would / be so much more the man" (1.7.56-58). She declares that if she is in Macbeth's position, she "would, ... dashed the brains out, had I sworn as you have done to this" (1.7.64-67). She is one to discuss matters rather than taking action. To avoid the consequences, she cowardly does not do the deed herself but instead manipulates Macbeth.
True masculinity is a conceptual fallacy. Macbeth’s hamartia is his indulgence in the concept of masculinity. Lady Macbeth, the main female protagonist demasculinizes Macbeth throughout the play for his lack of assertiveness. Manipulatively, she states to Macbeth, “What beast was’t then, /That made you break this enterprise to me? / 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.
In the opening of the play, a loyal Macbeth is approached by three witches who entice him with their claim that “[he] shalt be king thereafter.” (1-3-50). This information stimulates his hidden thirst for power and willingness to keep the throne for himself. He plots to murder the king and takes the liberty of killing Banquo, and anyone else who poses a threat to his reign to aid his own insecurity. Macbeth begins to lose trust in those around him and becomes unstable. Shakespeare shows through Duncan, who carries a legitimate power, that only direct threats to the kingdom are punished accordingly.
“To be or not to be, that is the question; whether’ tis nobler in the mind to suffer...” (Shakespeare Act 3, Scene 1). This quotation proves Hamlet becomes inferior to others and the environment through his madness, causing him to express himself explicitly towards others. Hamlet’s madness not only causes his loved ones lives but it allows his “end” to come because he accepts every challenge from his opponent. Hamlet’s madness not only affects him but Ophelia, who is mentally torn apart by Hamlet. Ophelia was once flawless, but since her encounter with Hamlet she has fallen into the same madness and wants to kill herself.
This misinterpretation, committed in pursuit of power, leads Macbeth to perform certain actions which result in the death of the king, the death of Macbeth’s friends, and eventually his own demise. At the start of the play, Macbeth is seeking a great amount of power. His wife, Lady Macbeth says to him, “When you durst do it, then you were a man;” (Act 1, sc. 7, line 56), suggesting that they have either considered or committed murder for the sake of their own advancement in the past. Macbeth further condones this in his action to the witches’ prophecy that he will become king.
Macbeth sees a dagger before him, confusing him about whether or not to kill King Duncan. The porter at the gate is drunk, and pretends to be the porter of Hell Gate, and unknowingly allows Macduff and Lennox into the castle, allowing them to find King Duncan’s corpse. Lady Macbeth sees blood on her hands in her sleep, showing her guilt for her evil deeds. Although the guilt caused by these actions seem like punishment enough, they still endure further consequences. Macbeth is deceived by his ambition, his power, and most of all by his fear.
Banquo illustrated Macbeth’s subconscious belief that he was an undeserved kin, for he has played “foully.” Shakespeare uses Macbeth’s conscience to show how even the idea of power can be strongly manifested in someone’s mind and slowly corrupt any existence of principles and integrity, once again emphasizing the idea that “absolute power corrupts absolutely. “Another example of Shakespeare using Macbeth’s internal conflict to depict the theme, “absolute power corrupts absolutely” was after Duncan’s regicide. After hearing the witches’ prophecy, Macbeth contemplates on committing regicide on the King but once again his conscience constricts him from doing so. However, he is clearly vacillating with the thought of murder when he says, “if chance will have me king, why chance may crown me without stir. His inner conflict is shown explicitly in act 1, scene 7 when he weighs not only the detrimental political consequences of the murder but also the moral values involved.
Because of this, he decides he must kill Banquo, so that there will be no heir. “Macbeth plots the murder of Banquo, out of jealousy and insecurity.” (Hompi 1) This is obviously an absurd idea, and prior to Macbeth’s murder of King Duncan he never would have considered it as a solution. Shakespeare uses this to show how power corrupts even the best of people. It is obvious that this is still a problem in society today, as people start off with good intentions but slowly get sidetracked. Before long, their objectives have changed completely.