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Macbeth Corruption Analysis

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Is burning ambition the driving force of corruption? This powerful question leaves many pondering the good or bad stigma of ambition, illustrated in Shakespeare's masterpiece, Macbeth. Looking into how modern film renditions help prove Shakespeare's stance on this thought, Kayla Ram reports. Correct me if I'm wrong but the memo of Macbeth seems all too familiar, does it not? This extravaganza still seems very relevant today even if this literature was created 400 years ago. "Thou wouldst be great; Art not without ambition, but without/ The illness should attend it" (Act I, 5, 13-16). Even today ambition is the driving force for corruption and to realize this you need to look no further than Macbeth. Shakespeare's Macbeth provides a dire …show more content…

Shakespeare establishes majority of Macbeth’s context from the Elizabethan values a great deal in his exploration of the themes of kingship. It was said that God's chosen representative on earth was the king, therefore the Duncan was supreme upholder of order on earth, which soon lead to the popularity of treason. Macbeth eerily mirrors the failed attempt to assassinate King James discovered in 1605. One year before the creation of Macbeth, officials discovered vast amounts of gunpowder in the basement below King James referred to as the gunpowder plot. Under divine rights regicide was the worst crime possible hence, it is no coincidence that one of the most striking references to early seventeenth-century England in Macbeth appears directly after Macbeth kills Duncan. At the beginning of act two, Macbeth's porter answers the knocking at Macbeth’s gate. Whilst grousing about the persistent pounding, the porter refers the knocking as an "equivocator that could swear in both the scales against either scale" (II.3.8-10). This line is a direct reference to the book of Henry Garnet who was executed for his participation in the failed assassination. The gunpowder a symbol of burning ambition, as both forces ignite with a source of power. Correlating the corrosive power ambition holds on Macbeth. Considering Macbeth was about to commit the worst crime possible during his allegiance to the throne. In Act I, scene 7, lines 25-28, Macbeth reflects on his decision to kill Duncan and concedes that he has no justifiable reason to do so. He admits, "I have no spur To prick the sides of my intent, but

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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.

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When ambition is overlooked, it has the ability to become extremely dangerous. Macbeth from Shakespeare is a clear example of this. As he rises to power, he becomes more and more of a threat to those around him, killing those he was once loyal to. Destruction when ambition goes unchecked is present throughout the play because of Macbeth’s strong desires that ultimately lead to the deaths of Duncan, Banquo, and nearly Macduff. The death of Duncan was the first corrupt act stemming from Macbeth’s ambition.

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Shakespeare presents the theme of ambition in Macbeth. Ambition is a strong desire to do or achieve something, ambition can also be presented in a positive and negative way. Shakespeare presents ambition in a negative way through some characters who are Macbeth, Lady Macbeth and King Duncan. The reason these characters present ambition in a negative way is because they end up dying. Ambition is also present in a positive way through some characters who are Macduff, Witches and Malcolm these are the characters who survive in the play showing that you can be ambitious but not too ambitious.

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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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532 Words | 3 Pages

Have you ever wondered about the importance of that random Shakespeare play you read back in high school? There are many ways that one of Shakespeare's more popular plays connects to our modern world. This play is none other than Macbeth, this timeless tale shows how greed and ambition are great motivators for people's actions, something that is still very prevalent today. Macbeth, the play written by Shakespeare in the 1600’s, has underlying themes of ambition and greed, this can be further developed by saying that greed and ambition are often great motivators. One quote from Macbeth states, “I have no spur to prick the sides of my intent, but only vaulting ambition, which o’erleaps itself and falls on the other—” (Shakespeare Act 1, scene

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To conclude, ambition is a powerful force. It can be fueled by visions of power and lead people to change. This is best seen in MacBeth's character dynamic character. He changes from a good person, to someone who will kill anyone in his way to

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1113 Words | 5 Pages

(Shakespeare 1.3.52-55). Macbeth is influenced by his greed for power to use ruthless actions, in this case to kill Duncan to receive the crown he thinks he needs to earn that power. Overwhelmed by his greed, he is already thinking about the “murder” as he

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1099 Words | 5 Pages

This passage is from Act 2 Scene 1 of Macbeth, a tragedy written by the famous playwright, poet, and actor William Shakespeare. It starts with Macbeth sending off a servant to give Lady Macbeth instructions. This leaves Macbeth alone on the stage to start his famous soliloquy, the Dagger Soliloquy. This soliloquy is important to the play as it characterizes Macbeth, foreshadows his fate after killing Duncan, and elaborates on themes touched upon earlier in the play. To start with, the Dagger Soliloquy characterizes Macbeth well, due to the fact that it is a soliloquy.

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Because Macbeth’s and Lady Macbeth’s decision to murder Duncan, Both face the guilt of the power they abused portrays on the shadows that reflect on them as well as the natural consequences they will face. During the first half of the play, Lady Macbeth expresses her unnatural feelings and this is demonstrated through the corruption of power when she want’s to hire people to kill Duncan because she thinks that Macbeth is too scared. At first, when Lady Macbeth hinted “Their drenchèd natures lies as in a death”(1.7.78). This demonstrates that Lady Macbeth is characterizing corruption of power due to the fact that she want's to kill Duncan, therefore she can be queen of cawdor while Macbeth is king.

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Moreover, corruption is further developed through manipulation. As a result, corruption manifests itself as tragic revenge. Not only corruption can lead to greed, selfishness, and having thirst for power in today’s world it can also be found in William Shakespeare’s Hamlet. Greed and selfishness are the leaders of corruption. In Hamlet, Claudius’ thirst for power leads him to murder his brother and takes the throne.

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935 Words | 4 Pages

Is it not weird how ambition for power corrupts one corrupt and leads them to their destiny? Ambition for power is lust which tempts one to be corruptive to acquire and protect it. However, in William Shakespeare’s play Macbeth, it is evident that ambition for power ultimately leads to corruption when Macbeth’s ambition for power causes the assassination of King Duncan, when Macbeth’s ambition for power compels him to execute those who obstruct his inheritance to the Scottish Throne, and finally, when Lady Macbeth persuades Macbeth to assassinate the people who impede his Kingship of Scotland out of lust for power. Macbeth’s ambition for power is the root cause to King Duncan’s assassination.

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934 Words | 4 Pages

The choices we make reflect ourselves and represents what we have been through with our lives and what experiences we have with certain areas in life. In the play Macbeth, William Shakespeare uses the concept of ambition to explore its impact on Macbeth’s personality and thoughts. Evil motivation is one of the ultimate outcomes of excessive ambition. Motivation is always apparent when the reward for accomplishment is very appealing. For Macbeth, his drive to obtain more power through evil was his ultimate downfall.

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569 Words | 3 Pages

Ambition and Greed is clearly outlined in the tragedy “Macbeth” from Duncan, Banquo, and

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1241 Words | 5 Pages

Macbeth’s ambition is what is causing him to intervene with his prophecy and pursue his goal (rather than leave it to chance). In a way, it is Macbeth’s own “black and deep desires” that make him kill in the first place as the witches never tell him to do so. Furthermore, apart from ambition, it is Macbeth’s own weak will and moral system that causes him to do the actions that result in his downfall. Macbeth’s weak will is undeniable and is illustrated before killing Duncan. “I have of spur/To prick the sides of my intent, but only/Vaulting ambition, which o'erleaps itself/And falls on the other” (I, VII, 25-28).

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1574 Words | 7 Pages

By portraying Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s loss of moral discipline, Shakespeare accentuates the calamitous corruption of human nature, and warns society that ambition without

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