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Macbeth Corruption In Power Essay

494 Words2 Pages

Corruption In Power The play The Tragedy of Macbeth by William Shakespeare tells of a Scottish thane by the name of Macbeth. He is a Scottish hero who is recognized by some as brave for all his accomplishments in war. Macbeth later receives a prophecy of him becoming king and decides that he must kill to achieve the title of king. In a haze to keep his newly earned power, he kills anyone that questions his authority. Macbeth Acts 3 sc. 4. Reveals how much Macbeth has been affected by his murders and how truly corrupt he has become. The banquet in 3.4 is when Macbeth encounters Banquo's ghost. Shortly before the banquet, Macbeth had Banquo killed. Unfortunately for Macbeth, Banquo’s ghost returned to haunt Macbeth during this important dinner, …show more content…

Macbeth is scared and confused on why nobody else can see what he is seeing. He is in a state of disbelief and later has a self-realization that he is going crazy and that his consequences are slowly eating away at his mind. Another pivotal part in 3.4 is the conversation between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth when everybody leaves the banquet. As soon as they leave, Macbeth, still in shock, begins to ramble on about the paranoia of being caught and that vengeance is coming for him. He later snaps back to reality and begins to talk normally. After this, Macbeth admits to more murders to his wife and says, “I am in blood / Stepped in so far that, should I wade no more, / Returning were as tedious as go o’er”(Mac 3.4 168-170). He reflects on his actions and feels guilt for all the pain he has caused his friends and other families and realizes he is at the moral crossroads of good and evil. However, Macbeth chooses the path of murder and destruction instead of redeeming himself and accepting his consequences. This just shows how far Macbeth has come from being a brave hero to now a corrupt murdering tyrant willing to do anything to stay in

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