Loss Of Morality In Shakespeare's 'Macbeth'

Macbeth is a greedy person like us all but he unlike most of us is willing to cross anyline to get what he wants. Macbeth was willing to kill someone he considered a dear friend to gain more power as well as killing Duncan's servants to frame them. His greed out-weighed his loyalty for his king and friend showing how much he’s willing to do to accomplish his selfish goal. Macbeth is so greedy that he’d turn against his own best friend to keep his position as king.

He believed that the deaths of others might help his motives. Macbeth states, “ And on thy blade and dudgeon gouts of blood… Now o’er the one half world nature seems dead, and wicked dreams abused the curtained sleep” (Act I, Scene 1, Lines 31-65). In this quote we see evidence of Macbeth's motive in killing the king. His goal was to become king, and by killing the current king, he believed he would accomplish his wish to become king himself.

In those days, kings would murder even their own families to maintain their position of authority. Macbeth gives the command to kill his best buddy. Why? Since the witches foretold that his sons would rule as kings. Another instance of Macbeth seeking to influence the future is his effort to kill Macduff after hearing the second round of witches' prophecies.

Shakespeare’s play, Macbeth, is a tragedy that centers around the Scottish general Macbeth and his journey as his ambition leads to his own destruction. Macbeth is told by three powerful witches that he is destined to be the King of Scotland. Macbeth enters this interaction skeptically until two of his three prophecies come true. It is at this point, Macbeth decides to take his destiny into his own hands and propel himself to become king. Macbeth, and his wife, Lady Macbeth, come up with a plan to murder the current king and in Macbeth’s soliloquy from Act 2 scene 1, he shows guilt about his plan to kill King Duncan.

When Banquo and Fleance arrive at the murder, Banquo tells Fleance, “Fly, good Fleance, Fly, fly, fly!”(Act 3 sc. 3 lines 17) because he knows what’s already going to happen. Banquo dies and Fleance escapes and disappears in this act because Banquo was suspicious of Macbeth’s actions. Macbeth’s decision on killing Banquo was an immoral decision because they were really good friends at one point. Macbeth’s actions were influenced by his Lady Macbeth and the weird sisters in my opinion.

In the play, Macbeth attempts to control his future many times. He does things that he probably should not have done, which then causes many more issues; he feels the need to try and correct them. Throughout the play, Macbeth involves many people in things that he forces them into doing by scaring and threatening them. Throughout the play Macbeth has many people killed in order to benefit him. He doesn’t believe that anyone knows what he is doing, but as people find out he begins to send murderers after them.

With Macbeth being a general in the Scottish military, he had major influences on people and their daily lives. After the murder of King Duncan, Banquo’s suspicion of who committed the murders arose around a single suspect, Macbeth. Knowing that Banquo most likely knew the truth that Macbeth killed King Duncan, Macbeth went back to his evil ways with ease. Through his attendant, Macbeth summons three murderers. Shakespeare introduces the murders with stage direction “[Re-enter Attendant, with two Murderers]” (Shakespeare, 363), in which Macbeth he uses Banquo as bait in order to gain their graces and loyalty “That it was he in the times past which held you so under fortune, which you thought had been our innocent self: this I made good to you in our last conference, pass'd in probation with you, how you were borne in hand, how cross'd, the instruments, who wrought with them, and all things else that might, so half a soul and to a notion crazed, Say 'Thus did Banquo.'”

His desire for the crown outweighed his conscience to do what was morally right. Now, void of morality, he kills the guards to cover up and divert any suspicion from himself. And, as his thrust for power grows, he kills his friend Banquo to eliminate all threats that would stand in his way. His tyranny did not stop there; not only was he a lying murderer, but he now personified evil as he set eye on “The castle of Macduff” by ordering the killing of everyone in the household (4.1.151). Macbeth reigned with fear, berating those around him or killing them to maintain control.

Humans are known for being insightful and looking into their soul, asking questions and exploring philosophy. One of the greater philosophical questions is how to be a moral person. These questions prompt many stories. One such story is Macbeth, a Shakespearean play about a corrupt Scottish king who becomes a murderer to achieve power. Macbeth teaches us that to be a moral person, one must not let their desires control them.

As he accrews more and more guilt Macbeth descends further into a spiral of insanity, he stops sleeping, kills those who were once his friends, and becomes a harsh dictator that is the complete opposite of the man we see in the beginning of the play. After the murder of Duncan Macbeth cannot contain his feelings and his guilty conscience comes pouring out of his mouth saying, “Who can be wise, amazed, temp’rate, and furious, Loyal, and neutral, in a moment? No man. Th’ expedition of my violent love Outrun the pauser, reason. Here lay Duncan, His silver skin laced with his golden blood, And his gashed stabs looked like a breach in nature…”

Macbeth is trying to clear the obstacles that could withhold him from kingship by killing the only other person that was mentioned in the prophecy. The witches said that Banquo will be the father of kings, which made Macbeth uneasy about his continuous rule over Scotland. In conclusion, Macbeth having the heart to kill two of his close friends for the throne shows how he has

It truly reveals the lack of morals that he has, compared to Banquo. Being that Banquo was predicted to be father of kings (his sons), while Macbeth will be a king himself, one would think that Banquo would be the one complaining, since he is the only one not serving as a king. However, he is satisfied that, at least, his legacy through his three sons will live on. This reveals that he is humble and fair spirit. Macbeth does not want any competition.

This hallucination is a clear indication of Macbeth’s disturbed and tormented mental state after committing the murder. Furthermore, Macbeth expresses the feeling of remorse that the guilt and shame of his action will never be washed away. He says, “Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood / Clean from my hand” (2.2.57-58) as he recognizes the severity of his crime, and regrets of his wrongful act, “o, yet I do represent me of my fury / That I did kill them” (2.3.113-114). William Shakespeare portrays the theme of guilt through Macbeth’s murder of Duncan as it marks the initiation of his eventual descent into

However, Macbeth failed to show compassion towards his men, a dependable leader should always provide for his people and his actions are not showing the characteristics of a true

I am afraid to think what I have done; Look on 't again I dare not.” (Act II, sc ii, Lines 48-50). Macbeth is getting extremely paranoid and feels bad killing Duncan. Macbeths ambitions caused him to murder Duncan, but he also had Banquo murdered, and wanted to murder Banquo 's son, Fleance. Macbeth wants Banquo killed because he saw him as a threat; however, Banquo had been Macbeth 's friend and thought he could trust him. "