Macbeth and Leadership

William Shakespeare’s Macbeth is the tragic tale of a man corrupted by power and greed whose world comes falling down around him. At the beginning of the play, Macbeth is in the perfect position to become a great leader and an important man in Scotland. However, he is prevented from becoming such a leader because several internal and external influences on his life make him thirst for power. These forces include his wife, Lady Macbeth, the Weird Sisters, and his own conscience; all three share in process of corrupting Macbeth and leading him to his downfall. Macbeth was a man born to leadership. In act one. Macbeth has everything he could want. He has a noble and honorable position, and this was further promoted with the reward of his new rank as the Thane of Cawdor. He also has the recognition from King Duncan as being a brave and heroic soldier, who addresses him as "My worthiest Cawdor" (I.iv.54). Macbeth could have lived a very happy and prosperous lifestyle; his fellow soldiers and others who lived near his home knew of his bravery and good deeds. But the story takes its first twist with the introduction of one of the affecting forces, presented after Macbeth and Banquo win the battle. The Weird Sisters appear and they greet Macbeth: "All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee. Thane of Glamis! / All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, Thane of Cawdor! / All hail, Macbeth, that shalt be King hereafter!" (I.iii.51-53). Macbeth is startled by their prophecies, and he has no knowledge at this point that he will be given the title Thane of Cawdor, let alone that he might become King. With this change from being simply the Thane of Glamis to being the Thane of Cawdor, Macbeth finds that he enjoys the increased power and importance. After realizing that the first prophecy had come true, Macbeth contemplates the possibility of becoming king. This was the beginning of the end for Macbeth. Essentially, just as his life starts to improve and he begins to get a good reputation for