The Path Of Evil In Macbeth

“Think twice before you speak, because your words and influence will plant the seed of either success or failure in the mind of another.” (Napoleon Hill). The main character of the play, Macbeth, was known to be a good, honest man who was faithful to his king and would do anything to protect his country. In the play Macbeth, by William Shakespeare, Macbeth undergoes a transformation from good to evil, which brings him the position of king, but also to his death. However terrible this may appear, Macbeth did not turn from an honest and loyal soldier to an evil tyrant alone; key motivational factors guided him into the path of evil. Outside forces influence Macbeth to do evil. Macbeth is persuaded by supernatural influence, social influence and

Banquo, King Duncan and Lady Macbeth all influence Macbeth to pursue the path of evil. In the very beginning of the play, Duncan gives the position of Thane of Cawdor to Macbeth. This in itself causes Macbeth to have his initial urge for power. Once he receives the position, he desperately wants to hold the position of king. After hearing the prophecy of the witches, Macbeth wishes to kill anyone standing in his way: “I dare do all that may become a

Macbeth is manipulated by other characters in the play by falling for their ‘mind games’. Shortly after Lady Macbeth received Macbeth’s note, she has an urge to kill Duncan. She results in playing mind games with Macbeth in order to persuade him to kill Duncan. Lady Macbeth first flatters him and calls him the “Thane of Cawdor” which excites Macbeth. When Macbeth becomes hesitant about killing Duncan, she questions his manhood: “What beast was’t then, that made you break this enterprise to me? When you durst do it, then you were a man; And to be more than what you were, you would be so much more than the man” (Shakespeare, I.vii.53-58). Lady Macbeth tries to convince Macbeth to go through with the plan by first flattering him and then questioning his manhood. She talks about how if Macbeth does not kill Duncan, he is a coward, and therefore not a man. His initial feeling of joy is eliminated and replaced with insecurity. This psychological game that Lady Macbeth plays with her husband sways Macbeth in the path of evil. Another psychological influence brought on Macbeth is the witches’ prophecy. In the prophecy, the witches tell Macbeth of his power and near invincibility. In effect, Macbeth feels much more powerful, and is reassured when doing dangerous deeds. For example, in the second prophecy, Macbeth is told that he cannot be killed by any man born from a woman. He gets overconfident and this results in