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Passion and Responsibility in Macbeth

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About this sample

About this sample

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Words: 730 |

Pages: 2|

4 min read

Published: Jun 14, 2024

Words: 730|Pages: 2|4 min read

Published: Jun 14, 2024

Table of contents

  1. Table of Contents
  2. 'Passion and Responsibility in Macbeth'
  3. Macbeth's Passion for Power
  4. Macbeth's Neglected Responsibilities
  5. The Consequences of Neglected Responsibilities
  6. Conclusion
  7. Works Cited:

Table of Contents

  • Macbeth's Passion for Power
  • Macbeth's Neglected Responsibilities
  • The Consequences of Neglected Responsibilities
  • Conclusion

William Shakespeare's tragedy, Macbeth, dives deep into how passion and responsibility play off each other. Macbeth, the main guy in this drama, is all about ambition and has this crazy hunger for power. But man, he lets his desires run wild without checking himself, and that just takes him down a bad road. This essay’s gonna look at what fires up Macbeth and what responsibilities he ditches along the way. By doing this, we'll see what happens when you go after what you want without thinking about the right and wrong of it. Through key scenes in the play, we’ll notice how Macbeth gets so wrapped up in power that he forgets his duties to himself, his family, and everyone else.

'Passion and Responsibility in Macbeth'

Macbeth's Passion for Power

Right from the start of the play, you can tell Macbeth’s got a thing for power. When those witches tell him he’s gonna be king, something just clicks in him. He’s all about ruling Scotland now, and it kinda takes over his life. In Act 1, Scene 7, there’s this soliloquy where he admits:
"I have no spur
To prick the sides of my intent, but only
Vaulting ambition, which o'erleaps itself
And falls on th'other."

Basically, he's saying that ambition is driving him to do some pretty bad stuff. He's so caught up with power that he’d give up anything — even his own morals or trust of his friends.

You see more of this when he actually does things. He plans out King Duncan’s murder, kills Banquo (who was supposed to be his buddy), and knocks off anyone who stands against him. It’s like he doesn’t even care about the mess he's creating — all that bloodshed? It's just collateral damage to him.

Macbeth's Neglected Responsibilities

While chasing power like a madman, Macbeth totally forgets about important stuff he should be handling. One big thing is how he ignores taking care of himself. His thirst for power makes him lose touch with who he really is; guilt and paranoia eat at him until being king doesn't even feel good anymore. In Act 5, Scene 5 there’s another famous line:
"Out, out brief candle!
Life's but a walking shadow..."

Here, Macbeth realizes how empty everything is now. It’s sad because his quest for power left him feeling hollow inside — away from humanity or any joy outside getting more power.

Plus? His loved ones get ignored too; they suffer because of what he's done — Lady Macbeth suffers hard due to their actions together! And when she dies? He barely reacts! In Act 5 Scene 5 again:
"She should have died hereafter;
There would have been time..."

He shows no real emotion; instead goes back into talking ‘bout life dragging on forever till its end...he just can't face reality anymore since passion blinded him towards caring properly for those close by.

The Consequences of Neglected Responsibilities

So yeah…all these ignored responsibilities lead right into disaster territory big-time - deaths pile-up everywhere alongside kingdom chaos aplenty...eventually leading straight onto destruction squarely aimed at poor ol’ MacB himself ultimately falling victim unto madness wrought upon by unchecked ambitions alone.

Wider society also feels ramifications caused directly via irresponsibility shown forth leading lost leadership amidst instability breeding despair throughout entire regions affected negatively thereafter following said actions taken originally.

Conclusion

In short? That hunger blinded dear MCB from seeing beyond personal gains versus obligation owed both internally alongside externally thus causing untold misery unnecessarily accrued whilst warning others alike not repeating mistakes past encountered firsthand so heed cautionary tale advised moving forward mindfully henceforth ensuring balance maintained lest fall prey unknowing similarly thereby preventing potential tragedy awaiting unsuspecting otherwise inevitably surely similar fate potentially unfolds again somewhere someday somehow unfortunately...

Works Cited:

  • Shakespeare,W.(1606).Macbeth.
  • Bloom,H.(1999).Shakespeare: The Invention Of Human.Scribner Publishing House New York City USA
  • Abrams,M.H., Harpham,G.Galt(2009)."The Norton Anthology Of English Literature”Vol.A.Tenth Edition.NewYork/London.Norton&Company Inc.Publisher.
  • Snyder,S.The Cambridge Companion To Shakespearean Tragedy,”Cambridge University Press(2008).
  • Get a custom paper now from our expert writers.

  • Mowat,B.A.Schreiber,S.L."The Signet Classic Shakespeare Series:Macbeth,”Penguin Classics(1998).

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This essay was reviewed by
Dr. Charlotte Jacobson

Cite this Essay

Passion and Responsibility in Macbeth. (2024, Jun 14). GradesFixer. Retrieved December 8, 2024, from https://gradesfixer.com/free-essay-examples/passion-and-responsibility-in-macbeth/
“Passion and Responsibility in Macbeth.” GradesFixer, 14 Jun. 2024, gradesfixer.com/free-essay-examples/passion-and-responsibility-in-macbeth/
Passion and Responsibility in Macbeth. [online]. Available at: <https://gradesfixer.com/free-essay-examples/passion-and-responsibility-in-macbeth/> [Accessed 8 Dec. 2024].
Passion and Responsibility in Macbeth [Internet]. GradesFixer. 2024 Jun 14 [cited 2024 Dec 8]. Available from: https://gradesfixer.com/free-essay-examples/passion-and-responsibility-in-macbeth/
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