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Examples Of Greed In Macbeth

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Power can change people in a way that is incomprehensible. Power can make people so greedy that they strive for anything no matter the cost. In Shakespeare’s novel Macbeth, greed is well portrayed throughout the whole novel. Following an important battle, brave, ambitious Macbeth is named Thane of Cawdor by King Duncan. When a trio of witches tells Macbeth that he will soon become king, the once loyal nobleman betrays his king. The way Macbeth himself gets corrupted, is very evident. He seems like the sort of person who wouldn’t commit the act of murder as he has a conscience. Lady Macbeth is the one that manipulates her husband to commit the crime since Macbeth is indecisive and hesitant. Macbeth Is ambitious towards becoming king but still …show more content…

Macbeth was still not sure of either to follow through the act and kill Duncan or just wait until he is crowded King in the effect of fate and time. Lady Macbeth notices the hesitation in Macbeth’s eyes, making her the only person that could make change in Macbeth’s somewhat loyal heart. Lady is more than willing to kill King Duncan but has to convince Macbeth since he’s the one that could commit the crime. When Macbeth states that "We will proceed no further in this business," Lady Macbeth uses rhetorical questions to persuade her husband. She questions his ambition and asks whether Macbeth was drunk when he expressed the desire to assassinate Duncan. She questions his courage, asking if that which he had previously so bravely declared has now been overtaken by a lack of courage and conviction. {Was the hope drunk? Wherein you dress'd yourself? Hath it slept since?} in these quotes Lady Macbeth questions Macbeth's courage, trying to increase his willing to proceed with the crime. {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.} In the quote above, Lady Macbeth questions Macbeth's manliness, knowing that this is the greatest insult she can say to him. Because Lady Macbeth and Macbeth are so close at the beginning of the play, she knows exactly how to manipulate him into committing

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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.

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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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Like the quote before, this lady Macbeth is the speaker, these two quotes show the progression of her character over a short time, but the change in thinking is still noticeable. The two quotes perfectly capture how her greed and ambition are growing as the story progresses and how it is influencing more than

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Macbeth transformed from a likeable character who was noble and helpful, into a villain, who cared only about himself. Ambition corrupted the morals and values both of the Macbeths once had. Macbeth says in Act I scene vii, "Vaulting ambition, which o'erleaps itself / And falls on th' other". After committing the murder of King Duncan at the end of Act II scene i, the Macbeths believed they would be happier and have everything they had hoped for. This, however, was not the case.

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She becomes fearful that Macbeth will not go through with it and begins to manipulate him. She begins to call him a coward and that he has never been a man. She says, “When you durst do it, then you were a man” (1.7.55). She uses this kind of talk to her advantage. She knows that Macbeth fears her and if she accuses him of never being a man, he will do whatever it takes to prove to her that she is

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This is shown in the quote “Fill me from crown to the toe top full of direct cruelty.” This also shows that she is a megalomaniac. Lady Macbeth puts shame on Macbeth to try and convince him to kill Duncan. This is shown in the quote “and live a coward in thine own esteem”. When Macbeth states that "We will proceed no further in this business," Lady Macbeth uses rhetorical questions to persuade her husband.

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Lady Macbeth uses many different tactics that ultimately convince Macbeth to go through with the murder plan she creates. One idea she uses is questioning and degrading Macbeth's masculinity by saying, "Wouldst thou have that/Which thou esteem’st the ornament of life,/And live a coward in thine own esteem,/Letting “I dare not” wait upon “I would, ”(Macbeth 1.7.41-44). She is basically asking Macbeth will you take the crown you desire so badly, or will you love as a coward. Macbeth is still troubled by the idea of actually killing King Duncan and the fact that his wife is urging him on as well.

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It is in this quote that Lady Macbeth stresses her power over Macbeth and twists his arm to do her doing. She forces his own manliness against him and makes him feel weak for not wanting to carry out the murder. In the quote the lines “When you durst do it, then you are a man”. Lady Macbeth made it clear that if, and only if, he commits the murder he will prove is manliness. When she is doing this it’s simple to see that Lady Macbeth is only doing this for personal gain, using Macbeth like a pawn.

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Greed for power leads corrupt leaders to pursue power through ruthless and violent ways, putting their countries in an unstable state. Macbeth commits murders and violent acts to earn his absolute power, but his corrupt mindset of yearning power leads to instability in the Scotland. After hearing from the witches, Macbeth admits that, “My thought, whose murder yet is but fantastical/ Shakes so my single state of man/ That function is smother'd in surmise /and nothing is but what is not.”

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Whenever Lady Macbeth does this it causes a serious internal conflict within Macbeth because he feels as if he needs to show Lady Macbeth that he is not weak. Because Lady Macbeth wants royalty so bad when Macbeth starts to take into question about killing Duncan, she speaks condescendingly to him to make him feel more obligated to kill Duncan. One example of this is when Lady Macbeth says to Macbeth, ”When you durst do it, then you were a man;” This quote literally shows her calling Macbeth out and questioning his masculinity(1.6.54-56). Coincidentally, after she said this to Macbeth, he went and killed Duncan. Later in the story Lady Macbeth also says, “... Are you a man?...

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Lady Macbeth says these things in a condescending tone which conveys her disdain for her husband’s reluctance to complete the murder and her belief that a man should be stronger than a women. After Macbeth hears this he goes along with the murder plot tentatively. Lady Macbeth’s words reveal that manliness in this society is seen as being strong enough to unmercifully kill someone and Macbeth’s reaction shows that the need to be seen as masculine is so intense that he will do anything, even kill his cousin and king whom he was fiercely loyal to, in order to achieve it. Throughout the play, Macbeth’s need to meet Lady Macbeth’s and societies view of masculinity increases. Until he pushes those ideas onto other men.

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1932 Words | 8 Pages

Greed in this play is able to take an upright man and drag him to the lowest point and destroy everything that he has dedicated all his time to achieving. It shows that the most destructive force to a person’s goals can be themselves and not knowing when enough is enough. Unknown to this, the tragic hero Macbeth, like many people today, becomes enticed by the trap of wealth, power, and selfish ambition. His first problem is that he craves to have something that is not rightfully his from the person who actually deserves it. Greed first may cause someone to commit one sin, but it soon creates a snowball effect of many changes to a person's actions and character.

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Initially, Lady Macbeth manipulates Macbeth by planning Duncan's murder and also telling him to stronger then who is. Lady Macbeth convinces Macbeth into killing Duncan. Lady Macbeth tells Macbeth that he is not a men, “And live a coward in thine own esteem / letting I dare, not wait upon I would / like the poor cat i’ th’ adage” (1.7.46-49). Lady Macbeth calls him a coward and a pussy cat. Afterwards, she is mocking him by saying, he is afraid to do what it takes.

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Power can change people in a way that is incomprehensible. Power can make one so greedy that he/she will do anything for it and won’t let anyone, or thing stand in his/her way. The play Macbeth portrays this well, and clearly and therefore will be used throughout this essay by taking various quotes and examples to show the impact and consequences that the greed for power has on some people. This essay will also compare the character of some that get pulled in by this greed for power, and one that doesn’t get taken in by this greed for power.

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Blind Ambition and Greed The play “Macbeth”, by William Shakespeare illustrates many themes through the characters from the beginning to the end of the story. But the main central theme introduced is Ambition and Greed. As the play goes on we read how Macbeth permits his Ambition and Greed to dictate the outcomes and tragedy’s that occur to himself and others.

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