I present a case where Macbeth committed murder with his greed being his main motivator. This cold-blooded murder was not one done without a conscious. No, Macbeth was completely aware of what killing King Duncan could bring him: power. Although Macbeth’s actions were based off another’s plan, we will see that Macbeth killed with a conscious, making him solely guilty for the murder of King Duncan due to Macbeth’s prevalent characteristics of being power-hungry, deceitful, and greedy. As was said, Macbeth’s actions were not based off of his own plan. Instead, it was Lady Macbeth, his wife, who had originally created the plan. “When Duncan is asleep / (Whereto the rather shall his day’s hard journey / Soundly invite him), his two chamberlains …show more content…
Macbeth was appointed as the Thane of Cawdor and Glamis. Macbeth wanted more power than just that; he wanted the role of the King. For this to happen, he would need to get past Malcolm, King Duncan’s son, who was crown prince. “The prince of Cumberland! That is a step / On which I must fall down, or else o'erleap, / For in my way it lies.” (1.4.331-4) What is understood from Macbeth is that another human being’s existence and position lies in the way of Macbeth to becoming King. From this we see a different side of Macbeth. We see that Macbeth has the kind of greed which overpowers him, and urges him to commit harmful …show more content…
This leads us onto another deceptive act, and that is where Macbeth frames King Duncan’s guards for the murder of King Duncan. “When we have mark'd with blood those sleepy two / Of his own chamber and used their very daggers, / That they have done't?” (1.7.555-60) Macbeth marks the clothes of the guards with King Duncan’s blood and uses the guard’s daggers to kill King Duncan with. Doing that would eliminate any suspicion of him having any involvement in the crime. Macbeth knew that if he had succeeded with framing the guards, he would be let off as an innocent man.
Macbeth’s greed, hunger for power, and deception lead us to the conclusion that Macbeth is solely guilty of this crime. We see that these characteristics all lead to the tragedy of King Duncan’s death. King Duncan entered Macbeth’s home with no clue that this would be the place of his death. Macbeth committed this crime with a conscious mind. It is necessary to point out that he did not kill just anyone, but he killed the king. Macbeth should suffer the greater consequences for murdering such a significant
He’s at first guilty for the crime he commits, as shown when he says to Lady Macbeth “I am afraid to think what I have done” (2.2.66) , but he soon realizes that it’s necessary to kill Duncan if he is going to take Duncan’s place as king; his guilt slowly fades to paranoia and more greed. Macbeth takes all the necessary steps to achieve his goal no matter how extreme it may be or who he has to hurt to be
Macbeth, three witches tell Macbeth that he will be King of Scotland which prompts Macbeth to devise a plan to kill the reigning King Duncan and claim the throne for himself. In act 1 scene 7, Macbeth hesitates with continuing the planned murder of Duncan, but Lady Macbeth successfully persuades him to carry it out. Shakespeare argues that ambition causes people to become greedy which leads them to commit evil acts. Lady Macbeth's determination to continue with the murder of King Duncan
Here are the facts: we have my defendant Macbeth who has been charged with the murders of King Duncan, Banquo, and Macduff’s wife and children. There is no denying that these are heinous crimes, but this is not solely Macbeth’s fault. He was indeed duped the three witches he came across. These crimes did not come from Macbeth, but instead the witches. Although they may have not been the ones who physically committed the crimes, they are most definitely to blame.
Macbeth only becomes Thane of Cawdor, because of a traitor, but he himself later becomes a traitor. In the beginning it was easy for Macbeth to fight for his king and to honor the name of the man who ruled his land, but once he finds out his future, his entire mindset changes. Macbeth fights and wins a battle in favor for Scotland and king Duncan. A few hours after the battle, the Weird Sisters tell Macbeth what his future looks like. He becomes obsessed with the idea of becoming king and one can sense his thirst for power.
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.
Who’s to Blame Essay Who’s to blame for Macbeth’s decision to kill King Duncan. In Act one of Shakespeare’s exciting drama Macbeth, Macbeth, the Thane of Cawdor is convinced by different characters in the book to choose to kill King Duncan. By doing this, this will make Macbeth become the king which would give a tremendous amount of power in Scotland. Initially, Macbeth did not want to kill Duncan, however different characters convince him to do so. It is right to say that Lady Macbeth and the Three Witches are ones to blame for Macbeth’s decision to kill King Duncan.
However, his ambition also did play its role in the whole act. His ambition to be the King of Scotland was born when he became Thane of Cawdor and thereafter started dreaming of being the King of Scotland. “They met me in the day of success; and I have more in them than mortal knowledge. When I burned in desire to question them further”. This statement echoed the intensity of Macbeth’s greed and ambition beyond the peak of a mountain.
Macbeth deceived them, along with everyone else, to believe that they had killed King Duncan and not him. It worked until his sons became suspicious, as did the rest of the men that were loyal to King Duncan. All because of his greed for power and authority, Macbeth used whatever measures necessary to eliminate all opposition on his quest to become king; this included
Macbeth believes that the Prince of Cumberland stands in his way to more power. “The Prince of Cumberland! That is a step on which I must fall down or else o’erleap, for in my way it lies.” (1.4.48-50) Macbeth’s dissatisfaction with his current power is well illustrated with him referring to the current heir to the throne as an obstacle to overcome.
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
“If good, why do I yield to that suggestion[killing Duncan]/Whose horrid image doth unify my hair” (I, III, 144-145). This quote indicates that the force of ambition is so strong within Macbeth that even he himself cannot understand why it is making him think of killing Duncan. Likewise, Macbeth’s ambition to become king is further emphasized after Duncan names his son Malcolm as his successor. Here, Macbeth says that he will have to “oerleap,/For in my way it [Malcolm] it lies” (I, III, 55-57).
Macbeth bears the responsibility for the death of Duncan, his king, his kinsman and his guest. Macbeth was sucked in by ambition and fooled by his own conscience. Lady Macbeth may be a catalyst to Macbeth 's actions, but Macbeth is ultimately powered by his own ambitions and the prophecy of the witches. The witches ' prophecies have a powerful effect on Macbeth. Banquo asks him "why do you start and seem to fear Things that do sound so fair"(Act 1 Scene 1) .
It is because that Macbeth desires Duncan’s throne. Macbeth defeats the enemy bravely for the country at the beginning. People praise his courage and devotion. Even the king of Scotland, Duncan, admires his contribution, and greets him the thane of Cawdor. However, Macbeth’s ambition is aroused by the witches’ prophecy, which is that he will be the future king.
Macbeth” is a tragedy written by Shakespeare. The story is played somewhere between 1600 and was performed for King James 1.It is a tragedy about a man’s fall. It could be suggested that macbeth is responsible for the death of king Duncan. According to my point of view, Macbeth didn’t killed Duncan , banquo and macduff 's family because he wanted to be evil because he met the witches .He did everything because of ambition, jealousy , lust for power and because he was power hungry from the beginning.
Precisely how far his mind was guilty may be a question; but no innocent man would have started, as he did, with a start of fear at the mere prophecy of a crown, or have conceived thereupon immediately the thought of murder. Either this thought was not new to him, or he had cherished at least some vaguer dishonourable dream, the instantaneous recurrence of which, at the moment of his hearing the prophecy, revealed to him an inward and terrifying guilt. (344) Macbeth had already decided that killing Duncan would be the best way of becoming king.