The Theme of Power in Macbeth
Power is a vacillating, confusing, and sought after concept. Put to good use it can overthrow a tyrant, correct wrong doing, fight for a cause, help the needy, and give someone the means to accomplish great things. Yet, power also has the ability to corrupt, destroy, and steal virtue from any nation, family, or individual. Although power can be the force that propels a good idea to an achieved goal, it can also serve to facilitate wickedness, selfishness, and greed. The corruption of a person through power can be studied through the literary work, Macbeth. Each of the dramatis personae is through a series of events is delegated some measure of power. The test of character tangible only by evaluating the actions, motives, and outcome of the characters action’s as they wield their power and affect others with new found power’s ramifications. The corruption wrought when ambition goes unchecked by moral constraints finds its most powerful expression in the play’s two main characters.
The clearest window into the heart is a person’s actions. The actions of someone become even more significant with every responsibility and privilege given. In Macbeth, Macbeth is thrust a large amount of power in very little time. He is tempted by witches to abuse this power and feed his avarice. Building on the foundation of his inherent ambition, both the witches and Lady Macbeth pressure his evil decisions. Before Macbeth has even come home Lady Macbeth is criticizing his morality when she says, “Yet I do fear thy nature; It is too full o’ th’ milk of human kindness. This quote reinforces the fact that Macbeth’s former actions must have shown evidence of virtue and nobility. However, when Macbeth is faced with such fantastic promises of royalty and power, his kindness is blinded by the “seeling night” and thus his actions are effected. His mind cannot stand the thought of what must take place and guiltily he states, “False face must hide what the false...