ipl-logo

What Is Greed In Macbeth

858 Words4 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: The play macbeth characters analysis

Greed is Murder Sometimes people wish they could be a king, or queen. In William Shakespeare’s play “Macbeth”, the protagonist had so much pressure on him from others he thought differently and decided to kill King Duncan. Macbeth over time became greedy and dishonorable which led him and Lady Macbeth to their downfall.
The witches gave him the idea of becoming Royalty through blood, murder, and greed, which caused him to turn against everyone. The witches completely manipulated, changed, and developed a monster out of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. The witches brainwashed Macbeth into killing King Duncan which would scare the King's sons and they would leave Scotland to stay safe. Malcolm and Donalbain whisper to each other saying how they …show more content…

Macbeth and Lady Macbeth have so much greed and ambition which moves them to do bad deeds. Lady Macbeth had a strong desire to become royalty, she even started planning on how she would have the king killed . They both wanted to go ahead with the murder but Macbeth had some concerns, He did not want to kill his beloved king. because he was still loyal to the king and which made it difficult to kill him. The witches got into his head and so did Lady Macbeth. Macbeth decides against murdering his King but Lady Macbeth belittles him for not being able to murder, threatening to …show more content…

Witches getting into his head changed him into a greedy selfish king, which leads him to numerous murders. If someone tried to leave town because of him he would have there family killed on spot. Everyone was scared of Macbeth because he turned into a monster. They say once a murderer always a murderer which is exactly what Macbeth has changed into. Macbeth realizes Banquo is the only man in Scotland he actually is scared of so he sends two murderers to kill him (3.1). He was so scared and greedy to stay King that he killed his best friend. That really shows how much a person has changed, how could someone go through with killing their best friend. It didn't faze Macbeth because he was too worried about staying king. Macbeth also sends his army to kill Macduff but he wasn't there so the army kills his family (4.2). Lady Macbeth realizes how much he has changed and is also scared of him becoming a monster. Macbeth changing and becoming king caused him to quit caring about Lady Macbeth. He's just so selfish and greedy he only cares about him becoming king, him abusing that he has higher power than everyone.The fact that the honours for which the murders were committed, are after all of very little worth to him.(Spurgeon

Show More
Related
668 Words | 3 Pages

When the witches told Macbeth that he would become king he wanted to make it happen for himself so he killed King

Read More
1464 Words | 6 Pages

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

Read More
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.

Read More
390 Words | 2 Pages

Macbeth’s Greed William Shakespeare's Macbeth is a play in which Macbeth is has an internal battle with himself on whether or not to stay loyal to the king or succumb to his dark desires of seizing the crown. Greed affects Macbeth, Lady Macbeth, and Banquo differently, which leads to a power struggle in Scotland. The primary example of Lady Macbeth exemplifying greed comes when she is trying to convince Macbeth to kill king Duncan by stating “chastise with the valor of my tongue All that impedes thee from the golden crown” (Shakespeare 1:5:17-18). The idea of being in control entices Lady Macbeth enough to convince her husband to kill king Duncan. Lady Macbeth’s greed in her pursuit of power leads her to go as far as framing the guards for

Read More
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.

Read More
863 Words | 4 Pages

Macbeth was a very power-hungry individual, which ultimately led to him becoming selfish. The incident that led to the change in character would be when he had a chance in becoming king. “All hail, Macbeth, thou shalt be king hereafter” (Act 1 scene 3, line 53). This quote from

Read More
1516 Words | 7 Pages

Greed for power has always been evil and even made a saint turn into a demon. As the quote goes “All power tends to corrupt and an absolute power corrupts absolutely” (unquote), which is true not only in the fictitious stories but also in real life and Shakespeare, th9e greatest writer ever known, has always been in habit of making fictitious character come alive and Macbeth is no exception to the rule. The character of Macbeth has two sides, one which is wholesome while other been dubious. He symbolized great ambition but went overboard and in the process not only became corrupt but also became a killer. Macbeth reflects great strength but within he has his own weakness and thus good over took evil resulting in its downfall and finally his own death.

Read More
1027 Words | 5 Pages

Although Macbeth may be responsible for his own downfall, Lady Macbeth’s actions are to blame since her desires and attitude have influenced Macbeth in a negative way, ultimately leading him down the wrong path. Lady Macbeth’s support for the dark arts as well as her criticism of her husband’s “unmanly” and vulnerable behavior have served to draw out the ambition and avarice apparent in Macbeth. Macbeth’s ambition and desire to be king may have been large factors in corrupting his outlook, but it was Lady Macbeth who released those desires emanating from him. Macbeth even seems reluctant about holding such an ambition and hoping that the king is murdered.

Read More
1113 Words | 5 Pages

Macbeth is a tyrant during his rule, manipulating the minds of the people and using murders to clear out anyone that stood in his way, so that he can stay in power. Malcolm worries about the state of Scotland as he exclaims, “I think our country sinks beneath the yoke./ It weeps, it bleeds, and each new day a gash/ Is added to her wounds. I think withal…” (Shakespeare 4.3.49-51). Malcolm notices the true state of Scotland under the rule of Macbeth, as he has forcefully gained his

Read More
846 Words | 4 Pages

His wife, Lady Macbeth, wanted him to be a king after hearing his so called prophecies that she manipulated him and belittled him into thinking that if he didn’t go through with the murder of Duncan then he was a wimp. She created a monster of a man after talking him into committing that first crime. After the first one, Macbeth had the mentality that he was already going to hell so why stop now. He killed his best friend next because he started to suspect Macbeth for the murder of the beloved King Duncan; from there on out anyone and anything that got in his way of his throne had to go. He wanted to be the King so bad that he stopped having the emotions of a normal human being and saw anyone in his way as a future target; because of this he no longer was the man that everyone knew him as before, he had changed

Read More
969 Words | 4 Pages

William Shakespeare’s Macbeth shows how greed and paranoia affect one’s actions. Macbeth, a war hero who seeks prestige and power, loses control of himself, and commits heinous acts of violence and corruption. With his actions being enabled by the three witches who prophesy his ascension to the throne of Scotland, Macbeth becomes overwhelmed with pride, and acts rashly with the belief that he is infallible. He aggressively pursues any threat to his rule by ruthlessly killing any of suspicious individual, even his ally Banquo, whose descendants are foretold to succeed Macbeth’s rule of Scotland.

Read More
1288 Words | 6 Pages

Macbeth had become everything that he had ever wanted to be which was the king of Scotland and when the witches told him that someone else was going to take his crown he went to extremes to try to keep them from doing that which was eventually what lead to him dying. The witches had told Macbeth that the sons of Banquo would take his crown so he decided to have Banquo and his son killed Macbeth said, “Our fears in Banquo stick deep/ And in his royalty of nature reigns that which would be feared”(3.1.49-51). Macbeth did everything he could to protect his crown, but that is eventually what lead to his downfall and his death. He killed his best friend Banquo which was when his ambition had gone to far and was the beginning of his decline.

Read More
999 Words | 4 Pages

This led to him going insane. Macbeth didn 't have to do this, he had already been promoted and had a better job than he had had beforehand. he was very well off and did not need the responsibilities of a king. he could have moved on and lived his life but, he killed the king. This event in the movie was portrayed with much more emotion than expected.

Read More
569 Words | 3 Pages

Blind Ambition and Greed The play “Macbeth”, by William Shakespeare illustrates many themes through the characters from the beginning to the end of the story. But the main central theme introduced is Ambition and Greed. As the play goes on we read how Macbeth permits his Ambition and Greed to dictate the outcomes and tragedy’s that occur to himself and others.

Read More
814 Words | 4 Pages

He’s ambition rise up and with his wife Lady Macbeth’s ideas, he changed from a loyal courtiers to a regicide. Having murdered king Duncan, he usurped the throne. As king he began his tyranny, killing his friends, courtiers and their families, which ultimately caused his own doom. All the great king in the history they all have big ambition. but Macbeth’s didn’t get the things his ambition want, so his ambition drive him to the evil side.

Read More

More about What Is Greed In Macbeth

Related Topics

Open Document