In the play Macbeth, William Shakespeare uses the character Macbeth to show how the desire for power propels Macbeth forward within the play, and at many times going against his own sense of morality, ultimately leading to his own downfall by causing him to not only to be isolated and driven to madness but even causes his own death. At first he is portrayed as a loyal and noble soldier and Shakespeare completely throws this away and turns Macbeth into a power-lusted greedy King to show how the lust for power is Macbeth’s drive. Macbeth’s desire for power begins when he meets the witches. In act 1, scene 3, the witches prophesied that Macbeth will be king by saying, “All hail, Macbeth, that shalt be king hereafter!” Macbeth's encounter with the three witches plants the seed and is where Macbeth’s …show more content…
Speak, I charge you.” Macbeth did not know if he should trust the witches or not, as he could not believe that what they were saying was true. However, he was happy because he had always dreamed of being king. After the witches disappear, he begins to subside to his own curiosity and greed and wants to ensure that he becomes king. Because of this, when Macbeth hears that Duncan’s son, Malcolm, will be the heir to the throne he begins to have thoughts on whether he should or should not do something in order to take power and states that Malcolm is the only person on his way to the throne. In Act 1, Scene 3, Macbeth states “The Prince of Cumberland! That is a step on which I must fall down, or else o’erleap, for in my way it lies. Stars, hide your fires; let not light see my black and deep desires. The eye winks at the hand, yet let that be which the eye fears, when it is done, to see.” With this quote we see how Macbeth begins to have dark thoughts in his desire to become