Macbeth Analysis: Becoming a Monster

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Becoming a Monster In Shakespeare’s Macbeth, Macbeth, a respected Scottish general with good morals, becomes victim to his wife’s devious plan for him to kill the king to become king. At first, Macbeth only kills those necessary to become king however progressively develops into a character that kills whoever inhibits him from getting to his goal. His shift from killing those with a purpose to killing whoever gets in his way shows his transition from a man easily tempted yet morally good at heart to a monster that is easily succumbed to power. This contributes to the overall theme that a man, when tempted, can become a power-hungry monster. It is evident that Macbeth was once good, or rather, more compassionate towards the beginning of the book. The way he talks to the King of Scotland (Duncan) in such a high honor and respect (“the service and the loyalty I owe, in doing it, pays itself” (Shakespeare 1.5.46)) is a fine example of this. However, Macbeth, easily seduced by women and the supernatural, was so overtaken by the witches’ prophecy about him becoming king and his wife’s impulse that he would have to kill to become king, becomes unable to think straight and instead becomes overwhelmed. In this state, Macbeth is taken advantage of by his wife, Lady Macbeth, who convinces him by questioning his manhood: “it is too full o’th’ milk of human kindness” (Macbeth 1.5.50). Ultimately, it is Macbeth’s wife, symbolic of temptation and evil, that is responsible for pulling out the monster of Macbeth. She is the one who sets off the trigger that ultimately leads to Macbeth’s demise, however it is Macbeth that is to blame. He doubted his wife’s judgment however chose not to act on it. This is shown through the scene when he questions Lady Macbeth’s plan to kill Duncan by asking, “If we should fail?” (Macbeth 1.7.64). If it weren’t for his conscience, which he chose to
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