Power is a sought after status that results in the ability to manipulate others, events, and even themselves. William Shakespeare’s tragic play “Macbeth” accentuates the relativity of this idea to humans as it expresses the wilt of morals as a result of a sprouting greed for motivation and power. Macbeth’s epoch as a tragic hero begins as a representation of a “babe” with milk as blood; pure and youthful, but his hubris matures resultant of the exposure to manipulation, defiling his initial morals. So how do motivational and masculine/feminine power drive human motivations as seen in Macbeth? Motivation is a driving force that empowers an individual through their life, allowing them to neglect opposing societal and individual barriers or …show more content…
The forceful nature of humans paired with the greed for power can lead to their own and other’s downfall. Though coercive power is stereotypically influenced through authority, Shakespeare disregards authority in consideration of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s relationship. Lady Macbeth preys on her husband’s tenderness and submissive nature to gain an assertive status but, as prophesied, will ultimately ‘plague the inventor’ (Act 1 Scene 7). Macbeth’s humble but fallible identity of a tragic hero is instigated by his own wife in Act 1 Scene 5 as she challenges his manhood as written in her letter. "I fear thy nature; It is too full o' the milk of human kindness to catch the nearest way.” Shakespeare metaphorically symbolises milk as a symbol of purity within Macbeth as he inclines towards a soft nature rather than the hard-headed ruler Lady Macbeth expects. Furthermore, the phrase “catch the nearest way” foreshadows how Macbeth must be witty, ruthless and careless in order to attain his goals. These quotes highlight the evident corrupt nature of power regarding manipulative relationships while also defying the stereotypical male dominance during the Jacobean era. Guilt arises as a result of Lady Macbeth’s acquaintanceship with Macbeth’s murders as she begins to vigorously rub her hands as she sleepwalks. “Out, damned spot! Out, I say!” (Act 5 Scene 1) Shakespeare has externally represented her inner subconscious guilt and panic through the repetition of the word “Out” as she begins to scurry around trying to rub away the “damned spot of blood” stained on her hands. Allusions to previous foreshadowing of washing hands, visual and verbal imagery as well as the motif of Lady Macbeth’s blood allow the audience to connect with her guilt and consequences of her power. Contemporary audiences are opened to a bilateral relationship where Macbeth and Lady Macbeth begin at opposite