The Lust for Power: Moral Blindness. It is demonstrated that the uncontrollable need for power ultimately leads to Macbeths downfall through the couples foolish ambition

Secondly, Macbeth lets himself get influenced by Lady Macbeth, and by his need to stay powerful. Throughout the play, it is demonstrated that Lady Macbeth has a strong influence on her husband and is the primary cause for his increasing ambition. In Lady Macbeth’s words to her husband, it is clear that she has a great desire to become Queen and hence urges Macbeth to murder Duncan. On the other hand, she is unsure whether or not Macbeth is too kind to act upon his ambition. This is demonstrated when Lady Macbeth says “Glamis thou art, and Cawdor; and shalt be. What thou art promised. Yet do I fear thy nature. It is too full o' th' milk of human kindness”. (Shakespeare, I.v.4-6) She believes that Macbeth’s kind nature will prevent him from taking action. For this reason, she influences him greatly into murdering the king. Lady Macbeth is clearly willing to do everything necessary to seize the throne. Furthermore, his wife influences him yet again with comments that question his courage and his masculinity. She is displeased with his cowardice and believes that her husband is being indecisive and weak. This is proven when she says “Come to my woman’s breasts, and take my milk for gall, you murdering ministers, wherever in your sightless substances. You wait on nature’s mischief. (Shakespeare I.v.49-52) In this speech, Lady Macbeth expresses her wishes to be a man as her femininity impedes her from performing cruel actions. However, knowing that it was not a possibility, she wanted Macbeth to overcome his fear and go through with their plan. With this influence and manipulation to peruse power, Macbeth’s mind becomes corrupted. It is clear that his actions became illogical which ultimately lead to his downfall. Moreover, Macbeth is influenced by his need to stay in power. The killings of Banquo and Macduff’s family are a result of this. Macbeth is aware of the danger that Banquo and his son present, and is keen to dispose of them. This is demonstrated when Macbeth says “MACBETH: Thou know’st that Banquo, and his Fleance, lives. LADY MACBETH: But in them nature’s copy’s not eterne. MACBETH: There’s comfort yet; they are assailable. Then be thou jocund.” (Shakespeare III.ii.39-42) In this quote, Macbeth speaks of disposing of Banquo and Fleance. His need to get rid of the two men comes from his fear of being dethroned. Macbeth’s influences cause him to become paranoid and immersed in a state of madness.  

Thirdly, Macbeth’s mind becomes corrupted by power and he experiences a complete loss of control. Macbeth is paranoid of getting caught for killing Duncan and so he begins to act irrationally. He kills Banquo, attempts to kill Fleance and kills Macduff’s family. These murders were a result of Macbeth’s paranoia. Furthermore, Macbeth experiences bizarre hallucinations that drive him into a state of madness throughout the entire play. More specifically, the first one happens before the killing of Duncan when he sees the dagger floating in front of him. This first hallucination was seen as a calling to Macbeth to go through with the plan to kill Duncan. Also, Macbeth imagines the appearance of Banquo’s ghost; this is portrayed in this conversation between Macbeth, Ross and Lennox. “ROSS: If it pleases you, your highness, why don’t you sit with us and grace us with your royal company? MACBETH: The table’s full LENNOX: Here is a place reserved, sir. MACBETH: Where? LENNOX: Here, my good lord. What is’t that moves your highness?” (Shakespeare III.iv.48-51) In this conversation, Macbeth pictures Banquo’s ghost. Afterwards, he begins to speak to him and the guests realize that Macbeth is not well. Although Lady Macbeth does well to make up an excuse, it is unquestionable that Macbeth is losing his mind. Equally, Macbeth has others hallucinations such as the armed head, the bloody child and the crowned child holding a tree. All these delusions illustrated something specific to Macbeth. For instance, the armed head was a symbol of his future, the bloody child represented that no man born from a woman would harm him and the crowned child holding a tree was a sign of Malcolm with his camouflage. These apparitions were clearly absurd and they represent the true turning point for Macbeth’s loss of control. From that point on, with Macbeth’s mind completely corrupted, it was sure that his reign as king was quickly coming to an end. Likewise, because of the witches, Macbeth believes he is invincible. It is this prediction that leads Macbeth to this way of thinking “Fear not Macbeth; no man born of a women shall ever have power upon thee.” (Shakespeare V.iii.4-5) This prediction makes Macbeth delusional in thinking that he is invincible; this later leads him to take on the entire British army. That was Macbeth’s last delusional action as he was killed by Macduff shortly after. In short, Macbeth’s loss of control demonstrates that his mind is corrupted, which leads him to his death.

In conclusion, the actions committed by Macbeth in order to obtain a position of power are those of a corrupted mind and they lead to Macbeth’s tragic ending. His corruption is shown through Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s ambition, the many influences he encountered and through his madness. It remains to be seen whether or not Macbeth would have acted differently had his wife been less keen on becoming Queen.