How Power Poisons as Depicted in William Shakespeare Book Macbeth

Macbeth by William Shakespeare is a riveting play that thoroughly examines universally timeless concepts that are alluring to audiences in both a Renaissance and Contemporary era. Shakespeare analyses the destructive aspects of one’s intense hunger for power, then resulting in the annihilation of the individual’s peace of mind. This is caused by ruthless ambition, which then creates irreversible decisions. Once these decisions have been performed, the consequences cause one to suffer immense uncontrollable guilt. This vicious cycle is fascinating yet extremely relative to audiences universally as it is a frighteningly common act of human nature.

The play demonstrates how excessive amounts of brutal ambition for power creates dangerous outcomes. Shakespeare explores this concept through the protagonist, Macbeth, who experiences horrible mental consequences due to killing potential threats to power, such as Duncan, Banquo and, Macduff’s family. These events in the play were used as a form of flattery to King James 1 as it expresses the devastating outcomes that become of those sins. This enabled Shakespeare to impress James 1 making him the most popular playwright in England and part owner of the Globe Theatre. Macbeth’s transformation from the beginning of the play to the end is drastically repulsive. At the start, Macbeth is loyal, brave with a hint of humility, making him a perfect specimen for royalty. Once ambition for more power overtakes him, his traits deteriorate showing signs of selfishness, and lacking in sensitivity. Macbeth’s early loyalty and integrity is visible in “First, as I am his kinsman, and his subject/ Strong both against the deed; then as his host’. This quotation portrays Macbeth’s allegiance towards Duncan through the utilisation of belonging pronouns. The anaphora of the word “his” indicates Macbeth’s loyalty towards Duncan, showing his good morals as he is completely repelled by the thought of killing him. Macbeth’s first indication of excessive ambition is present when he is content in killing Duncan if the consequences stay on Earth. While His fear lies in the punishment he will encounter in the after life. This is evident in the quote “That but this blow/ Might be the be-all and the end-all-here/ But here, upon this bank and shoal of time/ We’ld jump the life to come.” The metaphor “bank and shoal of time” suggests that Macbeth is comparing life to a sandbank with shallow waters and the after life to the deep wide ocean. This is because “bank” refers to “sandbank” and “shoal” is translated to “shallow”. By the end of the play, Macbeth metamorphosis into a recognisable figure to a contemporary audience. Macbeth exemplifies all the characteristics of a modern dictator as he is mistrustful to those around him, imagines threats to his rule that do not exist, and has an elaborate network of spies and informers. His extermination of real or potential threats is proceeded in a ruthless and merciless fashion. Shakespeare’s illustration of the protagonist is clearly timelessly universal.

Shakespeare has explicitly explored the mental and physical manifestation of guilt in the body stemmed from the decisions made when ruthlessly ambitious for power. Macbeth examines the dangerously powerful force of the unconscious mind that presents itself as conscious when feeling guilt. This emotion caresses one’s body after the execution of an irreversible action, which in this case is Macbeth killing off all threats to his power. “Is this a dagger which I see before me…” this is the first hallucination Macbeth visualizes after the killing of King Duncan. Macbeth’s use of rhetorical questioning emphasizes the confusing state of mind the character is in. He is baffled yet frightened over the fact his murder has lead him to acute insanity. The imagery of the dagger is a powerful symbol as it is a dangerous weapon and can kill malignantly. This highlights Macbeth’s immense guilt for his actions as his performance has caused him to feel a schizophrenic-like state. There were various reasons that lead to Macbeths killing rampage. The combination of ambition for power, the prophecies of the witches, and the insisting urging of his wife. Shakespeare purposely included use of the supernatural to stimulate King James 1’s fascinations. He was well aware of the James 1’s curiosity of witches and thereby it played a pivotal theme throughout. Lady Macbeth heavily influenced Macbeth’s murders. She was very manipulative and belittling in her approach causing Macbeth to feel threatened of his masculinity. This is evident in the quotation “What beast was’t then/ That made you break this enterprise to me? When you durst do it, then you were a man;/ And, to be more than what you were, you would be so much more the man”. Lady Macbeth’s use of rhetorical questioning diminishes Macbeth as she challenges his courage and manliness. Her sense of moral judgment is terribly lacking, as she is willing to place her husband in danger, and barbarically manipulate him in hope for power. Soon after the murders have been made, her punishments begin to cause her to self-destruct as they are from within. Her unconscious mind is now made conscious as she is feeling extreme guilt. Hallucinations now bombard her in an extremely destructive manner. “Out damn’d spot! Out, I say! – one; two;/ Why, then ‘tis time to do’t – Hell is murky – Fie my lord, a soldier and afeard? What need we fear who knows it, when none can call our pow’r to accompt? – Yet who would have thought the old man to have had so much blood in him?”. Iambic pentameter has been utilized to create a chaotic stream of unconscious thought. This highlights the severe mental state Lady Macbeth is in. The “spot” Lady Macbeth refers to contains a double entendre. Literally, the spot illustrates a bloodstain that is impossible to get rid of as it is illustrated by her psyche. Symbolically, this “spot” has a supernatural element to it. In the renaissance era, people who thought to have been possessed by the devil or witches entailed a spot on their hand. Some could argue that Lady Macbeth’s evil nature created her this demonic mark. This passage is a powerful representation of the fight within her brain. This argument consists of her feelings of endangerment of being caught out along with her reassurance of innocence. Shakespeare’s use of rhetorical questioning emphasizes her state of vulnerability and confusion. A contemporary audience would appreciate this portrayal of the destruction of one’s mental health as modern people are much more aware of mental diagnosis’. It is also appealing to all audiences as the motion of the mind is relative amongst all. Guilt is a dangerous emotion that becomes unleashed following an irreversible act. This causes the unconscious mind to present itself as conscious, therefore causing extreme emotional distress on the mind.

The annihilation of one’s peace of mind is caused by immense quantities of guilt. This guilt can be brought about by irreversible decisions created due to ruthless ambition for power. Macbeth is the epitome of this vicious cycle that expresses it though various dramatic techniques and character analysis. These concepts are all genuine acts of human nature that are extremely destructive to all beings of both the Renaissance and Contemporary era.