Preview

Overcoming Adversity In Macbeth

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
1148 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Overcoming Adversity In Macbeth
Adversity is something that one will always go through from the moment they are born to the moment they die and this is a fact that everyone knows as they grow up. One many not know about adversity while they are young but they eventually understand the meaning to it. Many are able to overcome the many adversities that lie in their path but there are a few that are not able to endure it and give up half way. Those who are able to endure the pain and suffering that comes with adversity will then receive the reward of pride. Eventually after overcoming many adversities, one will gain much confidence and one’s identity will change depending on how they overcome it, how many they have overcome, and most importantly, why they have overcome that …show more content…

Only thinking about the path he chose from the influencing Lady Macbeth, Macbeth has lost all motivation to overcome the adversities that fly towards him. After losing his righteous path and committing murder of King Duncan, Macbeth is filled with guilt and sorrow that drives him insane and causes him to lose the ability to see reality and illusion. Many, like Macbeth, lose control and cause themselves even more pain and this pain causes them to go insane but rather than continuing on, many find themselves back on the right path. Unable to stop the bloodshed, Macbeth continues to commit murder and causes him to dig a bigger hole. The murder of Banquo proves the path that Macbeth has chosen and this path causes Macbeth to eliminate anyone and everyone that lie in his path. Proceeding with his path of bloodshed and guilt, he no longer is able to endure the adversity that would lie in his way and depends on the witches. Those who have lost their way of life depends on something else and Macbeth now relies on the witches instead of his own will power that he once had to overcome any adversity. No longer able to control himself, Macbeth leads himself to the road of destruction that has no

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Satisfactory Essays

    He starts off as a great warrior, high in both status and reputation. But he has a deep desire inside his heart. When he is tempted by the prophecies, he is tested for his own inner strength and ability to fight the dark side of himself. Banquo and Macduff have both shown that they are strong and do not yield to temptation, providing a contrast to the weak-willed Macbeth, whose dark side is revealed by the three witches throughout the play. It is this flaw, his over-vaulting ambition, that made him take his first step towards his downfall “ murdering King Duncan.His change of character from the mighty and loyal warrior to the treacherous and savage King, who ultimately, dies, can be revealed through his interactions with the three witches,…

    • 133 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Macbeth's actions are so heavily defined by the one thing he desires most: an heir for his kingdom, for which he has sacrificed so much to attain (he murdered his King and a great many innocent others, destroyed his courtly reputation, gave his own life). By sacrificing all he did to attain power for his future child, Macbeth only succeeds in solidifying the claim of another mans (Duncan, later Banquo) children to the throne: "the Weird Sisters...have given the real future to Banquo." (Brooks 41) Banquo, unlike Macbeth, passively accepts the Witches' prophecy, whereas Macbeth actively conspires to "fulfill his destiny" which results in his own death and the end of his family…

    • 937 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In Act III, Macbeth becomes increasingly greedy for power leading him to fulfil ruthless actions. Even though he is already Thane of Cawdor and Glamis, his ambition, fueled by the harassment of Lady Macbeth over rules his conscience, and he is willing to do what it takes to keep the throne. In the beginning of the book, Macbeth starts with a rightful mind in which he has the ability to determine right from wrong. After the prophecy invades his life and after the unnatural events of Duncan’s murder, Macbeth’s mindset shifts to overwhelming selfishness. He plans to kill his best friend Banquo in order to destroy any chance of Banquo’s children inheriting his kingship.…

    • 270 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Shakespeare's play "Macbeth" is considered one of his great tragedies. In the play, Macbeth faces an internal conflict with his opposing decisions. On one hand, he has to decide of he is to assassinate the king in order to claim his throne. This would result in his death for treason if he is caught, and he would also have to kill his friend. On the other hand, if he is to not kill him, he may never realize his ambitious dreams of ruling Scotland. Another of his internal struggles is his desision of killing his friend Banquo. After hiring murderers to kill him, Macbeth begins to see Banquo's ghost which drives him crazy, possibly a result of his guilty conscience. Macbeth's external conflict is with Macduff and his forces trying to avenge the king and end Macbeth's reign over Scotland. One specific motif is considered the major theme, which represents the overall atmosphere throughout the play.…

    • 773 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    To illustrate, Macbeth kills the guards to try to maintain his appearence of innocence. After just killing Duncan in his sleep, Macbeth and his wife are anxious and paranoid. Macbeth wants to eradicate anyone that may know the truth about Duncan’s mysterious death; killing the guards was necessary to ensure Macbeth’s own security. However, Lady Macbeth had already framed the guards by placing the bloody knife by them. As a result, Macbeth’s action is not just act of protection, but an act of apparent loyalty in order to keep the crown. Next, Macbeth plots the murder of his friend Banquo. Banquo starts getting suspicious of Duncan’s death because it happened so incredibly close to when the witches told Macbeth he would be king. He starts to perceive that maybe Macbeth killed Duncan to get his position. Macbeth worries that Banquo would be suspicious because he is the only other person that knows of the prophecy. In addition to that, the witches also said Banquo’s children will be kings, making Macbeth doubt the safety of his reign. Macbeth is so eager to ensure his long rule that he order’s murderers to kill Banquo and his son Fleance. Now that he has the crown, he will never let it escape him. Furthermore, he also kills Banquo to maintain his kingship. After getting word of Macduff’s flee to England, Macbeth believes that he is a traitor. In order to…

    • 914 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    <br>Each successive murder reduces his human characteristics still further, until he appears to be the more dominant partner in the marriage. Nevertheless, the new-found resolve, which causes Macbeth to "wade" onward into his self-created river of blood, is persistently alarmed by supernatural events, the ghost of Banquo, an evidence suggesting Macbeth isn't at the right state of mind, that his guilt has affected him deeply.…

    • 1844 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Macbeth, by William Shakespeare, is one of the greatest Shakespearean tragedies written in the 18th century, a drama full of murder and revenge. By these mysterious prophecies of the three mystical witches, Macbeth is prompted to kill his dear ruler, and friend, Duncan, in order to seize the throne. This leads to ghosts, hallucinations, more murders, and other unnatural events, eventually resulting in the downfall of Macbeth. Macbeth develops and changes greatly, from a loyal, trustworthy person to a corrupted and murderous man throughout the course of the play. Many factors affected the shaping of the character of Macbeth, including the witches’ prophecies and foil character, Banquo. This character…

    • 1625 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    A man can either become so overcome with guilt and turmoil that he can no longer physically go on, or the individual who wields corrupt ambition will eventually be destroyed by one who wields a moral ambition, and who accomplishes their goals without the use of sinful and vile acts. Each murder of Macbeth’s accompanies some sort of hallucination, initiated by his guilt. In act I Macbeth enters Banquo’s quarters to converse about the witches. Afterwards, Macbeth plans to whisk into Duncan’s chamber and murder him while he sleeps. Before he murders Duncan Macbeth sees a floating dagger and he cries out, “Is this a dagger which I see before me…” (II.i.44) This floating dagger serves to show that Macbeth cannot keep his nerves in control. It also reveals his guilt he feels for two reasons, one the lies he told his friend inspire guilty emotions, and second, he feels guilty about the plans that he puts into action. One death leads to another and Macbeth begins to make deals with assassins. Macbeth views Banquo and his son Fleance as a threat to his crown, and decides to eradicate the threat. Then after he murders Banquo Macbeth sees the ghost of Banquo in his seat, and horror-struck Macbeth begins to converse with it in front of his court. Afterwards he recovers and tells his company that, “I have a strange infirmity which is nothing to those that know me.” (III.iv.85-86) These hallucinations show that even Macbeth’s guilt catches up with him. This guilt, all though eventually mastered by Macbeth, throws him out of character and makes it harder for him to act as though he has a clean conscience. If Macbeth cannot convince his subjects of his worthiness to be king then not only will he loose the thrown, but his life as well. Eventually matters escalate beyond Macbeth’s control. More threats have risen, namely Malcolm and Macduff, and Macbeth and his crown are in danger. Towards the…

    • 1282 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Macbeth's Ambition Essay

    • 708 Words
    • 3 Pages

    The goal to become ruler turned into a subconscious goal of becoming a tyrant, Macbeth wanted power and the prophecies and ambitions he had been given was what threw him into this state. He tries to hide his true desires at first by stating “Let not light see my black and deep desires” but is unsuccessful thereafter. He soon realises that there is no turning back that “[he is] in blood, Stepped in so far that, should [he not] wade no more”, Macbeth although began on this path due to the witches, his wife, and simply his own nature; ambitious, it was he who chose to continue it. He states that he All causes shall give way” meaning he won’t stop until his path is clear, it is shown by killing Macduffs’ wife and children, there was no need other than his will to show he is unstoppable and his idea of ‘vengeance’. Ultimately Macbeth’s power overwhelmed him creating false delusions and a numb heart to the…

    • 708 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Lady Macbeth's Ambition

    • 807 Words
    • 4 Pages

    For instance, his ambition for power causes him to lose his moral constraints and humanity. Macbeth begins to believe that he can maintain his power through murdering anyone that stands in his path. He has no morality governing his actions. This is evident when Macbeth decides to assassinate Banquo and his child, Fleance, because he does not want them to take his throne. Murdering a child and a friend that did not harm him displays how Macbeth loses his humanity and moral values because of his ambitions. He becomes power hungry and paranoid, which then leads him to his ultimate demise. Similarly, Macbeth's strong desire to stay in power allows him to believe the witches' prophecies and as a consequence, become over confident and fearless. Macbeth becomes under the impression that it is physically impossible to defeat him. This is evident when Hecate tells the witches, "He shall spurn fate, scorn death, and bear His hopes 'bove wisdom, grace, and fear. And you all know, securityIs mortals' chiefest enemy." They recognize that their prophecies will make Macbeth overconfident. They also say that overconfidence is a man's greatest enemy which foreshadows that Macbeth will destroy himself. This is indicated when Macduff beheads him after Macbeth blinded with overconfidence, says, "I bear a charmed life, which must not yield to one of woman born." His ruthless ambition to keep the Crown blinds him of the…

    • 807 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The first most prominent effect of Macbeth's ambition is the murder of multiple people. The first person that is killed as an effect of Macbeth's ambition is King Duncan. Lady Macbeth convinces Macbeth that he will prosper if he kills Duncan. Therefore, under the forceful direction of Lady Macbeth, he murders Duncan for his own gain, even though he currently realizes that what he is doing is wrong. The result of his actions can be seen when he says: "I go, and it is done; the bell invites me. / Hear it not, Duncan; for it is a knell / That summons thee to heaven, or to hell." (II.i.62-64). Macbeth felt so strongly that he would become King that he decided to kill the current King of Scotland himself. The next person who is murdered as an effect of Macbeth's ambition is Banquo. Banquo voiced his suspicion over Macbeth's contribution to Duncan's murder, therefore, Macbeth felt Banquo was a threat to his reign as King, and had him assassinated. Macbeth's role in the murder of Banquo can be seen when he says to himself after conversing with the murderers: "It is concluded: Banquo, thy soul's flight, / If it find heaven, must find it out to-night." (III.i.141-142).…

    • 1309 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Shakespeare’s ‘Macbeth’ tells the story of Macbeth, a once ‘worthy gentleman’ as he slays his way to become king of Scotland, killing whoever stands in his way. Fate plays a significant role in how Macbeth acts; guiding him to act and do things that he doesn’t necessarily intend on doing so at first, but as the play unfolds he becomes determined to do whatever it takes to maintain his reign as king. Macbeth controls his own fate as he murders Duncan, the king of Scotland, to become king, despite his own persistence not to kill him. Macbeth takes action into his own hands as he orders the murder of Banquo, his former good friend, as he sees him as a threat to his crown. Upon hearing of apparitions from the witches, Macbeth takes matters into his own hands and murders the wife and whole castle of macduff, thane of fife, as he poses as a threat to Macbeth. Some would argue that it is the influence of other characters in the…

    • 744 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Macbeth

    • 843 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Macbeth explores the destructiveness that a longing for power can have through the characterisation of Macbeth. Macbeth is a perfect example of a tragic hero, as his character begins as a well-respected Thane, who has fought bravely for his country. However, Macbeth’s ambition is the tragic flaw that causes his downfall, as he becomes so thirsty for power that his moral views are obstructed and he commits the murder of King Duncan, and orders the murders of Banquo and Macduff’s family. Macbeth’s desire for power overrules his morality. This is shown through his speech: “I have no spur/ To prick the sides of my intent, but only/ Vaulting ambition which o’erleaps itself/ and falls on th’ other –…” (Act 1, Sc. 7, ll. 25-28) Macbeth regrets that he is motivated only by ambition and not by some more worthy motive. Those propelled by ambition often end up worse than they were before, once the deed is done, which is evident in Macbeth’s case. As Macbeth undergoes change throughout the play, he becomes a ruthless and ambitious man who loses sense of his conscience and sanity – willing to go to extremes for what he wants. The…

    • 843 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Each individual will go through that stage of life where you feel that you have hit rock bottom and wonder what went wrong, why am I in this position. I agree that, “Adversity has the effect of eliciting talents which in prosperous circumstances would have lain dormant.,” spoken by the Roman poet, Horace, when one is in a misfortunate situation, one’s mentality and psychological state would strengthened. Nonetheless, each individual is different and some may be stuck at that stage of life until death awaits upon them. I, for one, have been through that phrase, experiencing and overcoming challenges, seen a family friend, let’s call him Leo, wanting to give up continuously but still held onto that tiny shred of hope, and Ralph, a character in the novel, Lord of the Flies, landing on an uninhabited island, learning how to survive, and dealing with conflict within the group.…

    • 575 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    So Macbeth becomes the king of Scotland and he kept believing the prophecies, the people that he knew like Banquo got killed by the assassins because Macbeth believed that he was a treat to Macbeth being king. Macbeth sees the ghost of Banquo and this pushes him off the brink of mental stability. All though he and lady Macbeth are accountable for the deaths of Duncan and Banquo, they don’t receive proper punishment for their sins. How ever their cold blooded murders do haunt them and punish them mentally. When his wife died Macbeth felt guiltily for his wife’s death. When Macduff finally kills Macbeth he allows to escape his sins and the guilt as well as the torture Macbeth felt for all the blood he has shed. All though Macbeth was tortured mentally, he was some how able to escape formal physical punishment for what he had done allowing him to also get away with a perfect…

    • 923 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays