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Examples Of Greed In Macbeth

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William Shakespeare’s Macbeth is a testimony to the difference between greed and ambition, good and evil, and right and wrong. The story shows that when one becomes obsessed with power, they will often resort to methods of manipulation and retaliation to achieve their desired outcome. In the case of Macbeth, he is approached by the Three Witches who inform him that he will one day become Thane of Cawdor and the King of Scotland. Additionally, they inform Macbeth’s comrade Banquo that his sons will one day be kings. “Thou shalt get kings, though thou be none.” (Shakespeare 6) Upon hearing this, Macbeth begins to spiral, transforming from a brave and well-respected Scottish nobleman to an aggressive and hostile tyrant. The witches’ prophecies …show more content…

In Act 2, Scene 1 Macbeth sees a vision of a bloody dagger pointed toward Duncan. This signals the entrance of dark and twisted ambition into Macbeth’s mind, showing that his greed led him to believe that killing Duncan was reasonable. “Is this a dagger which I see before me, The handle toward my hand? Come, let me clutch thee.” (Shakespeare 15) In the next scene, Macbeth and his wife execute their murder plot and temporarily escape any suspicion that they are the culprits. This murder showcases Macbeth’s greed as he was aware of the positive reputation that King Duncan had in Scotland, but murdered him anyway to eliminate anyone that stood in the way of the throne. Next, Macbeth sets out to murder his former best friend Banquo and his son Fleance as the prophecies revealed that Banquo’s sons would ascend to the throne. “So is he mine; and in such bloody distance, That every minute of his being thrusts Against my near'st of life.” (Shakespeare 25) Macbeth hires three murderers to kill Banquo, but in the meantime hosts an extravagant dinner party to eliminate any suspicions about his plans. The three murderers hide in the woods near the palace and successfully kill Banquo, while his son Fleance escapes. Macbeth became obsessed with power, and his greed is evidenced by his enthusiasm to kill his best friend for his own selfish …show more content…

At the beginning of the story, Macbeth is living a seemingly fulfilling life as a soldier and in a loving marriage with his wife, Lady Macbeth. This is evidenced by a letter he wrote to her in Act 1, Scene five referring to her as his “dearest partner of greatness.” After Macbeth received the prophecies and began his murder spree, it took an enormous toll on Lady Macbeth and their marriage. She entered a spiral of madness and tragically took her own life as the guilt weighed heavy on her conscience. Following her death Macbeth lost all passion for life, conveying his feelings in the famous “Tomorrow, tomorrow, and tomorrow” speech. He conveys that life is meaningless, “It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.” (Shakespeare 63) At this point in the story, Macbeth has realized that the prophecies have ruined his life and if he hadn’t committed the murders, his wife would not have died. His negative attitude is also evidenced by his consistent belief that everyone was threatening his power. This perception is what led him to seek revenge on so many people in his life. While his pessimism grew more apparent as the play progressed, his negative outlook began immediately after receiving the prophecies. In Act 1, Scene 7, Macbeth states “I have no spur to prick the sides of my intent, but only vaulting ambition, which

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The murders ambush them and kills Banquo’s by slicing his throat. (Act 3, Scene 4, Line 20) Macbeth is willing to kill a good friend for the title of being king and the power it comes with it.

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He tries everything he can to rid himself of the witches' forecasts. He dispatches assassins to kill Banquo and his son as soon as he recalls the prophecy that Banquo will be greater than him. When the three witches reveal their final prophecies, he feels safe. Macbeth's murder of the king exemplifies his attempt to

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1956 Words | 8 Pages

With Macbeth being a general in the Scottish military, he had major influences on people and their daily lives. After the murder of King Duncan, Banquo’s suspicion of who committed the murders arose around a single suspect, Macbeth. Knowing that Banquo most likely knew the truth that Macbeth killed King Duncan, Macbeth went back to his evil ways with ease. Through his attendant, Macbeth summons three murderers. Shakespeare introduces the murders with stage direction “[Re-enter Attendant, with two Murderers]” (Shakespeare, 363), in which Macbeth he uses Banquo as bait in order to gain their graces and loyalty “That it was he in the times past which held you so under fortune, which you thought had been our innocent self: this I made good to you in our last conference, pass'd in probation with you, how you were borne in hand, how cross'd, the instruments, who wrought with them, and all things else that might, so half a soul and to a notion crazed, Say 'Thus did Banquo.'”

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793 Words | 4 Pages

Greed causes even the best of men to brood immoral intentions. The Tragedy, Macbeth by William Shakespeare, describes the flaws of human nature and the traumatic effects unrestrained ambition may cause. The play commences, featuring Macbeth as an eminent, highly esteemed Thane and loyal warrior to the king; however, after being prophesied by the three witches, a torch of ambition is lit. Furthermore, upon hearing the witches prophecies, his reputation is downgraded as he steps into a realm of evil, and more tragically, finds that he has “in blood stepped in so far that should [he] wade no more, returning were as tedious as go o’er”. After murdering the rightful king of Scotland, Duncan, and therefore subsequently, one murder leads to another; to a point where he cannot return from his life of evil “I am in blood stepped in so far that should I wade no more, returning were as tedious as go o’er”.

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After killing King Duncan, Macbeth had to find someone else to lay the blame on so that he did not look guilty. Since Banquo had heard the prophecies, Macbeth had him killed to eliminate that source of suspicion and to ensure that his children never became kings as it was promised. However, that alone was not enough. He accused 3 men of the murder of King Duncan. Alongside of his wife, they devised a sly plan that involved setting up the king’s grooms.

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After murdering King Duncan he realizes that he is just one step closer to the crown. As a result, he has the desire to kill anyone who stands in his way of him getting the throne. Banquo stands in his way as he knows that King Duncan needed to killed. In this case, Macbeth hires murderers to kill Banquo and his son Fleance. He tells the murderers, “To leave no rubs nor botches in the work /

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In Shakespeare's play Macbeth, Shakespeare explores the consequences of unchecked ambition and greed paired with blind trust in the wrong people, and how this will ultimately result in inevitable repercussions. Shakespeare's character Macbeth explores these ideas through his political greed and desire to become King of Scotland. Macbeth was a virtuous man who was enrolled in the army, and this play represents how power can corrupt even these kinds of people. His ambition to be the king guides him to commit multiple heinous crimes, including the murder of his friends and allies. He lets this idealized version of himself control him, and lead him to malicious acts that eventually lead him to his death.

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To begin, Macbeth demonstrates desperate and ruthless choices as he reaches for power which doesn’t belong to him. For example, when Macbeth is talking to himself about what he should do about the second part of the prophecy. Banquo, one of Macbeth's friends, also received a prophecy that his children would be their heirs to the king. Wanting to keep the power of the throne he says “Given to the common enemy of man/To make them kings, the seeds of Banquo kings./Rather than so, come fate into the list,/And champion me to th’ utterance”(3.1.74-77). Macbeth is not willing to take any chances when it comes to keeping the power he has been handed.

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896 Words | 4 Pages

After Macbeth killed his first victim along with the framed servants, he says “ 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-oppressèd brain?

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1003 Words | 5 Pages

Macbeth decides he needs to take action to keep his crown, “Given to the common enemy of man/ to make them kings, the seeds of Banquo kings/ Rather than so, come Fate into the list” (3. 1. 70-72). After seeing that all of his prophecies come true Macbeth thinks about Banquo and fears losing his crown. Macbeth hires murderers to go and kill Banquo and Fleance so that he remains king.

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1462 Words | 6 Pages

With these words, Lady Macbeth manipulates her husband by reigniting his ambition to kill the king. After all, he does not want to disappoint his wife. Once Macbeth obtains the throne, his ambition fuels his insecurity and overrides his conscience, making him act in a ruthless, hasty manner. Macbeth's insecurity makes him doubt his valued friend Banquo’s loyalty to him, as he fears he knows his crimes because he was the only one with him when the witches spoke their prophecy. Macbeth also fears he destroyed his conscience for the benefit of only Banquo when he chose to kill

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1231 Words | 5 Pages

Shakespeare cautions readers of the destructive consequences of deception, especially from a person with an admirable reputation. As Macbeth tries to cover up his crimes, he behaves more deceptively as he continues to dig a deeper hole for himself. Duncan is not the only victim of Macbeth’s deception as he grows more desensitized towards committing heinous actions. With Duncan’s death, his feelings of guilt and remorse begin to shift toward relief and security. Macbeth puts the job of murdering Banquo and his son Fleance up to a group of men so that his guilt does not come from holding the knife himself.

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736 Words | 3 Pages

His capricious and malicious acts prove how naive and vile he is as a person. Macbeth even attempts to kill Banquo to prevent any trace of his nature from making him, a “fruitless crown.” Macbeth states, “Must lave or honors in the flattering streams, and make our face vizards to our heart, disguising who we are,”(3.2.45). With such desperation, Macbeth is willing to include other people in his premeditated murder. By having Lady Macbeth be part of his plot to kill Banquo, Macbeth reveals two things about himself: That he does not value those around him, even if they are his loved ones, and that he places his personal success over all aspects of his life.

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760 Words | 4 Pages

Power is always coveted in any society and the world of Shakespeare’s Macbeth is no different. In the play, Macbeth, a noble lord, shows his hunger for power with thoughts to remove an heir to the throne from power. Macbeth’s impatience to be king leads him to stain his honor by using murder. Macbeth travels further down the path of evil by arranging the assassination of a friend.

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404 Words | 2 Pages

Throughout the play, Macbeth’s ambition drives him to commit immoral acts in order to obtain and maintain power. When Macbeth first hears the prophecy from the witches, which prophesied him becoming king of Scotland. It sparks his ambition, and he becomes consumed by the idea of ruling over Scotland. This is seen in his monologue in Act I, scene 7, where Macbeth says, “I have no spur. To prick the sides of my intent, but only Vaulting ambition, which o’erleaps itself.

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