Kingsmanship In Macbeth

In times old and new, monarchy has played a significant role in shaping society. Within children’s royal and fantasy based literature, kingship has been depicted as something that guaranteed power and respect- making the status something people as young as children crave. Specifically, this outlook on kingsmanship was prevalent in Shakespearean times. Kings had been seen as representatives of god; they were people of the chiefest opinion and thought, so godly and supernatural that a simple touch of skin could even cure disease. With those qualities, the opportunity for kingsmanship was never denied. This phenomena was choreographed into a play written by William Shakespeare, Macbeth. Within the story, Shakespeare discussed guilt induced by
At the start of the play, Lady Macbeth was adamant on the murder of Duncan, and desired to be “unsex[ed]” (I.v.44), to lose feelings of compassion before the murder. In full knowledge of the evil she wanted to commit, Lady Macbeth summoned the “dunnest smoke of hell” (I.v.54-55) to hide her sins from the heavens. She had even been persuaded (by temptation) to “”pour her spirits in [Macbeth’s] ear/ and chastise” (I.v.25-26) Macbeth into completing the deed. However, over time, the secrecy of her actions developed a strong sense of guilt within her. A little while after the murder, the troubles of hiding the Macbeth’s deed became a large burden upon Lady Macbeth. In her mind, it had felt as if they had fufilled their “desire without content” (III.ii.7-8), which ultimately made the efforts useless. The guilt of the sin had consumed her to the point where she felt it would better to be the murdered victims, rather than the murderers who had to “dwell in doubtful joy” (III.ii.9). Since this was a tragic play, Lady Macbeth, once seen as a sort of antagonist, had fallen. Once the courageous, manipulative and ambitious woman she was, had become that of a completely lost and disturbed being. In sight, the murder had seemed very desirable. Nevertheless, the temptation and greed of Lady Macbeth blinded
Throughout the play, Macbeth’s desire to become king pushes him to fall. Multiple times, he challenged “fate, [to] come into the list/ And champion [him]” (III.i.75-76) in order to achieve his desires. His hubris was to be his “chiefest enemy” (III.v. 33) in the future, as he definitely was not powerful enough to defeat fate.
In all, Shakespeare developed the idea that over-ambitious motivations can shield people from the consequences of their actions, and cause unwanted misfortune and loss. Lady Macbeth, a once motivated and sinister woman, became lost and ridden with guilt after the realization that her temptations had blinded her from the true consequences of her ways. Meanwhile, Macduff’s strong loyalties in one direction prevented him from the protection of his family, and caused grief. Lastly, Macbeth’s hubris-induced doom displayed how strong pride and ambition in oneself can feel like a trap, and accumulate guilt and hopelessness. Although humans have been encouraged to display and create strong senses of ambition, their easily manipulated brains leave them vulnerable and open to the diseases of guilt, hubris, deception and