William Shakespeare wrote The Tragedy of Macbeth in 1606. The play Macbeth is portrayed in Scotland during the medieval times and follows the life of Macbeth as he changes from a war hero to a murderer. Throughout the novel Macbeth, as all people do, must make choices that will ultimately determine his fate. Numerous people influence his life, but none as manipulative as the Weird Sisters also known as the three witches which begin the play with a darkness that confuses good and evil “Fair is foul, and foul is fair” (I.i.10). These witches initiate the events that consume Macbeth’s innocence and honor. Macbeth’s private passion of power and the need to continually feed that passion conflicts with, and eventually displaces …show more content…
As the play begins, Macbeth is a noble and honorable man that was rewarded for his heroism in the war that had just been fought. Macbeth and Banquo leave the battlefield and the three witches appear prophesying that Macbeth will become Thane of Cawdor and King. Also, Banquo’s descendants will be the heirs to throne although he will not be king. The friends continue their journey and laugh at the witches until Ross informs Macbeth that King Duncan has “bade me, from him, call thee “Thane of Cawdor” (I.iii.105). In that one second, Macbeth feels that the witches were correct and he could be king. Macbeth is consumed by the thoughts that he could become king. The wealth and power bestowed upon him as Thane of Cawdor has replaced the honorable man that fought for his country. Macbeth no longer feels the need or desire to be loyal or protect the people of Cawdor because the need for power is in his …show more content…
Macbeth reveals that there is no turning back and he must continue to protect himself. “All causes shall give way. I am in blood/ Stepped in so far that, should I wade no more,/ Returning were as tedious as go o 'er”(III.iv.136-138). The Scottish lands are in turmoil and the leader within Macbeth has been fully consumed in his own power and hallucinations. Macbeth murders Macduff’s family as Macduff is in England trying to secure troops to overthrow Macbeth. Macbeth feeling protected by the prophecy feels invincible but his ego will be the death of him. Macduff along with English troops challenge the throne of Scotland but Macbeth the soldier does nothing to protect the kingdom and his people. Unbeknownst to Macbeth, Macduff was not of woman born and would fulfill the prophecy of killing him.
Macbeth and his private passion of power consumed him and turned him into the evil tyrant of Scotland. Macbeth was an honorable war hero with no intention of becoming a powerful king; however, by allowing himself to be manipulated by others over time he began to believe that his power was more important than the subjects that he was responsible for protecting. Once Macbeth gained the wealth and ultimate control for himself, he lost sight of his moral compass and spent all his energy in maintaining his power for his personal gain to the point that there