The Influences Of Evil In Shakespeare's Macbeth

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The Influences of Evil As the play is told, Macbeth is brave and loyal Thane to Cawdor by King Duncan. After hearing of what the prophecy foretold he will become king himself. Macbeth begins to be overcome by ambition and greed. Increased by the prophecy and his wife’s encouragement, he kills King Duncan and takes the throne. Afterwards, Macbeths guilt and fear lead him to commit more murders to secure his power and throne of Cawdor. His confidence in the prophecies is what leads him to his downfall and is killed by those who he has wronged. The witches have a strong effect on Macbeth’s character; they highly influence and manipulate his accomplishments and ambitions. “Macbeth shall be named as Thane of Cawdor and then king, Banquo although, he shall not himself rule in Scotland, will be father to future generations of kings” (Act 1, Scene 3). As a result, this particular quote explains the depth and …show more content…

They have the appearance of women and yet they don’t look like inhabitance of the Earth. Banquo as well notes, that they are difficult to gender because of their beards. These unusual characteristics create a very interesting mystery because the very appearance of the supernatural usually begins a major kind of change or transition for the human involved. “How far is’t call’d to Forres? What are these so wither’d and so wild in their attire, That look not like the inhabitants o’ the Earth, And yet are on’t? Live you? Or are you aught That man may question? You seem to understand me, By each at once her choppy finger laying upon her skinny lip. You should be woman, and yet your beards forbid me to interpret That you are so” (Act 1, Scene 3). The witches have taken a man, Macbeth, who was being rewarded by King Duncan for his loyalty and courage in defeating and protecting the Scottish realm, and managed to turn him into a murdering, power-hungry evil being by simply saying “Someday you’ll be