Macbeth persuasive essay

         The story of Macbeth is about Macbeth’s ambitions for power, and how he will do anything to obtain that power. With the help of his wife and a prophecy, given to him by the witches, he has become an evil monster capable of committing hideous acts. Do his ambitions for becoming king make him evil, or is it his actions in pursuit of that power? Macbeth explains his actions by saying, “Fair is foul, and foul is fair.” -(Macbeth, Act I, Scene I), he is expressing his confusion about whether his actions are good or evil. His ambition for becoming king runs deep, and he knows that murdering is wrong. Yet, he is whiling to set aside all of his beliefs and morals to reach his goal. He describes himself and his dark ambitions by saying: “The Prince of Cumberland! That is a step on … which I must fall down, or else o’erleap, for in my way it lies. Stars, hide your fires; Let not light see my black and deep desires. The eyewink at the hand; yet let that be which the eye fears, when it is done, to see.” -(Macbeth, Act I, Scene IV) Macbeth also describes himself as an evil person filled with greed and guilt. He states that it’s too late to turn back now: “For mine own good all causes shall give way. I … am in blood Stepp’d in so far that, should I wade no more, Returning were as tedious as go o’er.” -(Macbeth, Act III, Scene IV)

         Macbeth had a conscience that told him right from wrong in the beginning but, over time of selfish thoughts and selfish acts he lost himself. All that was left was the guilt and shame that he brought on himself. The start of this was the planning to assassinate the King of Scotland.

Both Macbeth and his wife planed this murder. The one person that pushed Macbeth into killing the king was his wife. She filled his head with thoughts of becoming king and that this little task was all that was needed. He knew that it was the wrong thing to do yet, the thought of becoming king overwhelmed him to do it. If it wasn’t for his selfish thoughts he could have spared the King’s life. He ignored the thought of right and wrong and just started doing what was in his best interest. His best friend Banquo knew about this crime that was committed but, went along with it because of his own ambitions. Banquo on the other hand was a good man and stayed loyal to the king. He stated to Macbeth, “Thou hast it now: King, Cawdor, Glamis, all, As the weird … women promised, and I fear Thou play’dst most foully for’t;” -(Banquo, Act III, Scene I) Macbeth started to worry that Banquo would say something to someone about his crime. So he hired men to kill his best friend. Macbeth sinks deeper and deeper into the hole he is digging himself. He knows that it’s too late to turn back now.

         By now Macbeth will do anything to survive and it has become easier for him to commit evil deeds. He has murdered many to get to the position of king. He has lost the ability to sense right and wrong. He has become twisted and deformed, evil; as he and so many others put it. Macbeth had got what he had worked for and promised. He became king by killing and becoming evil. Sadly, “what goes up must come down” with all of his murders it lead someone to become suspicious of him. Macduff realized that Macbeth had been doing these terrible things and had to put a stop to it. All of Macbeth choices lead to his death. Macduff killed Macbeth in order to stop his tyranny. So was it his actions that made him evil or was it his plan of action? Both of these played a part in his conquest for power. He could not see the mistakes he had made until the very end.