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Macbeth's Political Theory Of Jean-Jacques Rousseau

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Macbeth's Political Theory Of Jean-Jacques Rousseau
The actions of Macbeth best support the political theory of Jean-Jacques Rousseau because the wicked more powerful supernatural and also the powerfulness of being the king corrupts Macbeth with their evil spirits turning him into the maleficent person he becomes. After going to the witches and being told one day he will become king, Macbeth is deeply considering murdering King Duncan so he can have the power of being king. During the evening at Duncan’s castle where the naming of Macbeth as the Thane of Cawdor takes place, Duncan tells his son Malcolm he will be the Prince of Cumberland which means he is next in line for king. A furious Macbeth realizes killing Duncan might be the best option he has. In I. IV. 58-60 Macbeth says “Let not light …show more content…
Macbeth is contemplating the reasons why it is completely wrong to do the deed of killing Duncan. Finally, after being mocked by Lady Macbeth about how weak Macbeth is, she offers a plan for Duncan’s murder that Macbeth eventually gives in too. During Macbeth’s contemplations he states “First as I am his kinsman and his subject, strong both against the deed; then, as his host, who should against his murderer shut the door, not bear the knife myself.” I.VII.13-16. Here, Rousseau’s theory becomes visible because Macbeth realizes that making a corrupt act to become king is wrong. He begins to understand that he should be the last person to do this and that he should support Duncan not kill him. Shakespeare uses imagery when Macbeth says “against his murderer shut the door, not bear the knife myself.” The image Shakespeare wants us to create his Macbeth walking into Duncan’s chamber with the dagger in his hand, but he ends up turning around and closes the door behind him while leaving. This statement that Macbeth makes proves that he is naturally a good person, but is being corrupted by the temptation of power of being king. Macbeth is at a crossroad and isn’t sure what to do with

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