Macbeth: Power Is The Paradox
People have a hard time getting what they want; in fact, the things they
want can be incompatible with each other. In Shakespeare's Macbeth, the
protagonist is lured to murder the king, Duncan, by the desire for power, an
appetite honed by witch's prophecies and his wife's encouragement. But when he
reaches the kingship, he finds himself insecure. He attempts to remove threats
that decrease his security, including his companion Banquo and his son Fleance,
predicted to be king. His lords grow angry and revolt successfully, after
witches lure Macbeth into a false sense of security by further foretelling. In
Macbeth, we see that, despite appearances of contradiction, man's goals of
comfort ...
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After he commits the
murder, Macbeth says, "To know my deed, 'twere best not know myself." (Act II,
Scene 2) Knowing that has committed such a vile act makes him uncomfortable. It
will be difficult to act innocent and to deal with his guilt. When he later
decides to murder Banquo and Fleance, he tells his wife, "Be innocent of the
knowledge, dearest chuck, / Till thou applaud the deed." (Act III, Scene 2)
Hecate sets Macbeth up for his final fall. The security provided by the second
set of predictions is only short-lived. Feeling there is no threat to his power,
Macbeth acts wildly, bringing his downfall and loss of both comfort and security.
The problem with knowledge was that it was power resulting in a decline in
comfort.
Those most comfortable have the least power. The enjoyment of security
prevents strength. The Porter delivers an ironic speech on the evils of drink,
explaining, "Lechery, sir, it provokes and unprovokes: it provokes the desire,
but it takes away the ...
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"Macbeth: Power Is The Paradox." Essayworld.com. Essayworld.com, 6 Apr. 2004. Web. 25 Apr. 2024. <http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Macbeth-Power-Is-The-Paradox/5778>
"Macbeth: Power Is The Paradox." Essayworld.com. April 6, 2004. Accessed April 25, 2024. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Macbeth-Power-Is-The-Paradox/5778.
"Macbeth: Power Is The Paradox." Essayworld.com. April 6, 2004. Accessed April 25, 2024. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Macbeth-Power-Is-The-Paradox/5778.
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