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Macbeth Greed Quotes

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Ellissa Kierstan Coutts Mr. Malboeuf ENG2D1-03 December 23, 2022 “Greed makes man foolish and blind, and makes him an easy prey for death.” The contents of this quote show displays of anger, compassion and lust. The quote derives from pure sentiment felt by the poet and social activist Nestor Zurita. The play Macbeth in contrast is about trickery, greed and political ambition. The play Macbeth carefully examines politic-like principles, through different examples of kingship by Duncan, Macbeth and Malcolm. Macbeth is a direct ascendent of king Duncan as he fights to protect his county for he is a brave soldier without virtue. Macbeth’s morality is forgotten when power is within reach of him. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are both linked by their …show more content…

Macbeth at this time is blinded by greed as he kills his best friend in order to keep his political status. Macbeth and Banquo are connected spiritually because Banquo was with Macbeth as the three witches told him his prophecy. “All hail Macbeth! Hail to thee, Thane of Glamis! / All hail Macbeth! Hail to thee, Thane of Cawdor / All hail, Macbeth, that shalt be King hereafter!” (1.3.46-49) This quote sets the motion for the rise and tragic fall of Macbeth. Macbeth after hearing these words spoken to him is filled to the brim with mixed feelings that cause him to lose grasp upon himself and his nobleness. Macbeth was ordinarily noble and devoted to his country prior to the incident with the witches which led him to be blinded by his overwhelming sense of cupidity. “Lesser than Macbeth, and greater / Not so happy, yet much happier / Thou shalt get kings, though thou be none.” (1.3.65-68) These words captivate Macbeth as they are said by the witches to Banquo as Banquo stands baffled by the words escaping the witch's mouths. This quote, once unriddled, talks about Banquo and the crowning of his adolescents. Macbeth at this time is overwhelmed with uncertainties and decides his best course of action is to end the chain of power before it begins. Macbeth’s need for political status takes over him as he disregards the friendship …show more content…

The ambition in Macbeth's characters was easily fuelled by the ambiguous prophecies of the deceiving witches. In conclusion, the play Macbeth showcases feelings of trickery, greed, and vice. “Virtue has a veil, vice a mask.” This work by French poet Victor Hugo explains that virtue is covered in a sheath of truths whilst still being near to invisible, but on the other hand, vice is visibly hidden behind lies. At first, Macbeth a hero covered by a mask of vice maintains control and channels his ambition into helping those he is loyal to but after hearing what could be, he yearns for more. 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. Macbeth takes drastic measures to meet

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Macbeth’s jump to murder illustrates the depth of his greed clouding his rational judgement. Shakespeare spotlights the hold greed can take on a righteous individual to emphasis the need for self control. Secondly, Macbeth, jealous of the prophecy stating Banquo “Shalt get kings” Macbeth fears he wears a “fruitless” crown, Macbeth orders the murder of his friend to

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136 Words | 1 Pages

The rise in paranoia and insomnia leads to further problems. Macbeth feels the irrational need to cover up his tracks, and the only witness he cold suspect is Banquo. His impression of Banquo is that he has the qualities of a king, which make Macbeth anxious and jealous, “Our fears in Banquo/ Stick deep; and in his royalty of nature/ Reigns that which would be fear’d" (3.1.53-55). In fear of his own sovereignty, Macbeth quickly becomes apprehensive of Banquo’s prophecy of him being the father to forthcoming kings, “Thou shalt get kings, though thou be none” (1.3.70). Furthermore, it convinces him into believing that Banquo is a threatening enemy, and he can only be safe if Banquo is killed.

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672 Words | 3 Pages

Seeing Banquo had to be a sign of his guilt because he misses him and they were best friends that fought battles together. Macbeth wishes he could take back what he has done to Banquo, but he knows he can't because his ambition is telling him to continue and fight for becoming king. By showing how guilty he is, and it tells us that this is one way ambition can impact on

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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.

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651 Words | 3 Pages

The play entitled Macbeth by William Shakespeare portrays Macbeth, a loyal and brave thane to the king. When a prophecy reveals he will become king, Macbeth is overcome with ambition and greed. Convinced of this prophecy and the encouragement from his wife, he is able to kill the king and take the throne. Although Macbeth was able to obtain the throne, he was was overwhelmed by power and guilt leading to internal conflict, which suggests that success is not desirable through cheating and corruption and ultimately cost more than its actually worth, Macbeth`s reckless pursuit of killing and becoming the king is representative of the power he has and what he is able to do with the power he's gained; therefore. His relentless ambition for king reveals the guilt behind power.

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861 Words | 4 Pages

“There is a sufficiency in the world for man 's need but not for man 's greed.” This quote was spoken from a wise Indian activist, what he says is a correlation towards the rising greed aspect of the character Macbeth. This play Macbeth was about a soldier who became greedy with power. It is about Macbeth’s Tyrant display when he kills Duncan and orders Banquo to be killed and other violent acts.

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1143 Words | 5 Pages

Hail to thee, Thane of Glamis! All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, Thane of Cawdor! All hail, Macbeth, that shalt be king hereafter” (I.3.51-53). The witches' words are a catalyst, fueling Macbeth's ambition and setting him on a treacherous path.

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1313 Words | 6 Pages

Both greed and power, if not controlled, can lead to destruction. Throughout William Shakespeare’s play Macbeth, Shakespeare uses both characters Macbeth and Lady Macbeth to demonstrate how ambition can change one’s personal relationships. As in the beginning of Act 1, Scene 7 Macbeth and Lady Macbeth do not share the same ambition, and it is because of this that their relationship lacks love and affection however through the use of persuasion and other means, Lady Macbeth is able to get Macbeth to pursue her ambition. This not only changes their relationship drastically but it also changes Macbeth’s attitude towards ambition. Throughout the play, Shakespeare shows us through Macbeth, the possibility for ambition to eventually turn into greed and how the lust for power may corrupt us.

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1489 Words | 6 Pages

So far, Macbeth has gotten away with murder and is now the new king of Scotland. Banquo hears the news of Duncan’s death, and even though he was laughing at the prophecies, he recalls what he was told and tries to connect the dots. Banquo isn’t 100% sure of it, but he is concluding that Macbeth is the real killer who is trying to make the witches' Prophecies come true. Macbeth finds out about Banquo's suspicions and is afraid he will get caught, but has a plan. “Your spirits shine through you.

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639 Words | 3 Pages

One of the first examples of Macbeth’s course of action being swayed is when he is faced with the three Witches. They greet him as “Thane of Glamis…, Thane of Cawdor…, and king hereafter…” (Act 1, Scene 3). Not even a scene later, they are proven to be a semi-trustworthy source by the announcement of Macbeth being the new Thane of Cawdor.

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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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824 Words | 4 Pages

At the beginning of William Shakespeare’s ‘Macbeth’ the protagonist Macbeth is described as ‘brave’, ‘noble’ and ‘honourable’, however Lady Macbeth’s and Macbeths desire for power consumes them. Macbeth’s ambition overrides his conscience and transformed his greatest strength into his greatest weakness. Macbeth’s inability to resist temptations that led him to be greedy for power, Macbeth’s easily manipulative nature which allowed his mind to be swayed, Macbeth having no self control and his excessive pride was what allowed him to renew his previously honourable and celebrated title into one of an evil ‘tyrant’. Macbeth is led by the prophecies of the witches after they foretell he will become the Thane of Cawdor. Not only the witches, but also his wife easily manipulate Macbeth as she attacks his manhood in order to provoke him to act on his desires.

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1057 Words | 5 Pages

Macbeth is a play that is written by William Shakespeare in 1606 and the main goal is to make the audience members or readers think that excessive ambition will have horrible consequences in the end. Over the course of the book Macbeth receives prophecies from multiple people, his wife tries to make him something that he is not, by getting him to kill anyone that she wants him to. Throughout the book the main character Macbeth drastically changes from being brave to being cowardly. He also changes from being loving to being greedy, and last he changes from being very trustworthy to being very untrustworthy. As a thane of Scotland, Macbeth loves and serves King Duncan even if it means his own death.

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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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569 Words | 3 Pages

Hail to thee, Thane of Cawdor, All hail Macbeth! Thou shalt be king hereafter” and to Banquo “… Thou shalt get kings, though thou be none” (Act 1, Scene 3). After Macbeth hears of his promotion to Thane of Cawdor, he quickly begins to believe the witches and prophecies

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