ipl-logo

Examples Of Selfish In Macbeth

582 Words3 Pages

In the play, Macbeth, by William Shakespeare, Macbeth can be related to modern day problems. One of the problems present in Macbeth is selfish desires that humans have. While every human can be selfish, Macbeth takes his selfish desires to a whole other level. His selfishness was not created by only himself, but the people around him. Selfish desires can take over a person’s true self, cause them to be someone they are not, and commit acts they would not normally do. Macbeth shows how easily people can be influenced by others that are close to them, and not always in a good way. Macbeth tells his wife, “We will proceed no further in this business. He hath honored me of late, and I have bought golden opinions from all sorts of people,” (1.7.31-33). In the beginning of the play, Macbeth showed his kindness towards the king and he was not selfish. As the play progresses, he is constantly getting ideas put into his head by his wife. Just like in Macbeth, people today can have different reasons to act on selfish desires. Relationships can play a big …show more content…

Macbeth did the unimaginable and killed an entire family, just to remain king. “Seize upon Fife, give to th’ edge o’ th’ sword, his wife, his babes, and all unfortunate souls that trace him in his line.” (4.1.152-154). Macbeth was also influenced to kill Macduff’s entire family. The Bible itself even states that, “The other kind of evil behaviour is the natural result of our human nature. It appears whenever people follow their own selfish desires. People may not intend to do anything wrong, but their wrong desires cause them to do evil things (James 1:13-15).” (Simons 2016). The Bible can be related to everyday things, and it can also be related to Macbeth. It confirms that human’s will to get what they want is what can make them evil. Power can make people selfish, and selfishness can make people go insane. Actions always end up having

Show More
Related
426 Words | 2 Pages

Greed and jealousy live inside everyone, but one must refrain from these thoughts to prevent self destruction. In William Shakespeare's Elizabethan era Tragedy Macbeth, Shakespeare uses betrayal as a vehicle for obtaining power for selfish means, and illustrates the grave costs of betrayal to the individual. Greed often fuels an uncontrolled lust for power. Shakespeare reveals the extent of Macbeth’s greed when Macbeth's first thought regarding the witches prophecy stir thoughts of murder: “ My thought, whose murder yet is but fantastical”(I.iii.152). Most individuals do not think one should murder someone to obtain what you desire.

Read More
1464 Words | 6 Pages

Macbeth’s greed takes over him as he chases a fool’s dream. Macbeth's ambition leads him to secure his power; he overlooks his guilt and focuses on doing whatever it takes to hold onto his authority. Shakespeare demonstrates, in a variety of techniques, how just ambition alone can bring down the even the greatest of men. “There is something wrong with a individual’s character if opportunity controls their loyalty.” Sean Simmon’s the writer of this quote explains how blinded someone can be when given certain opportunities which can be directly related to the character Macbeth.

Read More
691 Words | 3 Pages

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.

Read More
768 Words | 4 Pages

However he soon cracks under the pressure of the crown and makes everything not what it seems. In the cunning drama, Macbeth, Shakespeare illuminates the idea that desire and pressure left unchecked will lead to unnatural troubles and wicked endings. In the beginning of the play Macbeth is known as valiant, respectable, and truthful, but goes against his moral compass which further changes him. During act one Macbeth discovers that if king Duncan dies he will become king and is thinking about killing him when he says, “He's here in double trust: First, as I am his kinsman and his subject, strong both

Read More
785 Words | 4 Pages

In the beginning Macbeth was a skilled General who would willingly risk his own life to protect his king. Not only was he loyal to his king but he showed respect to his wife, which was not common during that time. Macbeth demonstrates consideration for his wife in Act 1, when he sent a message to his wife before

Read More
533 Words | 3 Pages

Greed and guilt are two characteristics that can wreak havoc on the human mind and soul, and give someone what they deserve over time. Therefore, nothing seems more satisfying than when the villain or protagonist gets what they deserve for their bad deeds. In The Tragedy of Macbeth, William Shakespeare shows these traits, along with their affects, through the tragic hero of the play, Macbeth, and his wife, Lady Macbeth, also leaving the reader with the question: “Could this happen today?” After gaining the corrupt title Macbeth craves, being king is not as significant as he implies. Macbeth admits to his reign being spoiled saying, “To be thus is nothing, but to be safely thus”(Act III, Scene I, lines 50-51).

Read More
550 Words | 3 Pages

In time, Macbeth perishes as an aftereffect of his actions. Through the writing of his play, Shakespeare establishes that greed disrupts order, breeding fear, thus catalyzing consequences. William Shakespeare employs the motif of nature in the play The Tragedy of Macbeth to exemplify that greed abruptly disrupts order,

Read More
1516 Words | 7 Pages

Greed for power has always been evil and even made a saint turn into a demon. As the quote goes “All power tends to corrupt and an absolute power corrupts absolutely” (unquote), which is true not only in the fictitious stories but also in real life and Shakespeare, th9e greatest writer ever known, has always been in habit of making fictitious character come alive and Macbeth is no exception to the rule. The character of Macbeth has two sides, one which is wholesome while other been dubious. He symbolized great ambition but went overboard and in the process not only became corrupt but also became a killer. Macbeth reflects great strength but within he has his own weakness and thus good over took evil resulting in its downfall and finally his own death.

Read More
362 Words | 2 Pages

In Summary, desire’s can blind loyalty. MacBeth and Lady MacBeth have proved this point and payed dearly for it with their lives. This theme was expressed and expanded upon throughout the entire play, from the weird sisters prophecy, to the final battle when MacBeth was killed, he was blinded by his desires and he paid for it. This play has shown how people can let what they want become more important than the people they are supposed to have sworn allegiance

Read More
1804 Words | 8 Pages

Beowulf and Macbeth comparison By Brooklyn Robinson Beowulf and Macbeth both show affects of selfishness and false heroism. Macbeth shows both in a more obvious manner while Beowulf shows it more realistically when compared to normal human nature. They both show the destruction that selfishness causes awell how it can cause immense guilt. Macbeth is outwardly selfish.

Read More
1342 Words | 6 Pages

Beowulf and Macbeth both show effects of selfishness and false heroism. Macbeth shows both in a more obvious manner while Beowulf shows it more realistically when compared to normal human nature. They both show the destruction that selfishness causes as well how it can cause immense guilt. Macbeth is outwardly selfish.

Read More
824 Words | 4 Pages

Macbeth’s pride allowed his wife to use his ambition as leverage calling him a ‘coward’, ‘lesser than a man’. Macbeth was unable to withstand the belittlement and his masculinity mocked. Previously, Macbeths desire to obtain the

Read More
1087 Words | 5 Pages

Lady Macbeth plays a key part in driving Macbeth’s motivations and encourages Macbeth to overcome his strong sense of guilt and take action on the prophecies. Lady Macbeth tells Macbeth that he is “green” (I.VII.40) and “a coward” (I.VII.46) and that he resembles the proverbial “poor cat”. (I.VII.48) The willingness of Lady Macbeth to reach the epitome of betrayal is displaced that heightens the understanding of the overpowering and strong nature of Lady Macbeth as well as the deep and murderous motivations she wishes to impose on her husband. Shakespeare exposes to the audience to the persuasive and emotive techniques Lady Macbeth uses to manipulate and drive Macbeth's motivations. This

Read More
1145 Words | 5 Pages

Shakespeare engineered a most impressionable character in Macbeth who easily succumbs to the extensive magnitude of opposing constraints. This character is Macbeth, who is the protagonist in the play and husband to a conniving wife, who in the end is the sole cause for Macbeth 's undoing. Conflicting forces in the play compel internal conflicts within Macbeth to thrive on his contentment and sanity as he his torn asunder between devotion, aspiration, morality and his very own being. He has developed a great sense of loyalty from being a brave soldier; however, his ambition soon challenges this allegiance. As his sincerity begins to deteriorate, his own sanity starts to disintegrate until the point where he cannot differentiate between reality

Read More
967 Words | 4 Pages

Lady Macbeth uses the tactic of belittling him about his manhood. Implying that he is not a man unless he does what she asks. She offers him to ease the burden of this crime. Not only does Lady Macbeth and the witches have an impact on Macbeth, he also is the last one to accept his poor choices he will make to lead him to the failure he

Read More

More about Examples Of Selfish In Macbeth

Related Topics

Open Document