Power Corrupts by Kayla J.

In the book Macbeth, the character Macbeth is corrupted by power. He starts out as a good guy and a war hero, but throughout the story he becomes corrupted and kills constantly because the witches said he would rule. His first victim is the king, then his best friend, then women and children. Macbeth is never satisfied and is only able to be slain by Macduff.

In the beginning of Macbeth, Macbeth is a solider and he fights his hardest for the king. While on his way to see the king, some witches tell him that he will soon be king. “Hail Macbeth who will be king later on” (1.3.52)! This is what starts his psycho killing spree. First he kills the king, but he blames somebody else, so he would be able to be king himself. After the king died, he did become king, but was constantly worried about his life. He had to keep going to the witches to see what his future would be. “I command you by the black arts that you follow; however you came to learn them, to answer me. Even if you unleash the winds and let them storm against the churches; even if foamy waves destroy and sink ships; even if ripe wheat is flattened and trees blown down; even if castles fall on the head of those who live in them; even if the tops of palaces and pyramids are leveled to their bases; even if the precious seeds of all uncreated things tumble together until destruction itself grows sick of its work, answer the questions I ask you”(4.1.51-62).

Macbeth became so worried about his best friend, Banquo, that he got some murderers to kill Banquo and his son. “You both know that Banquo is your enemy” (3.1.124-125).This also affected his mind, because Banquo was his best friend. After that he went to the witches again to find out more about his future. They told him not to worry about anyone but Macduff, and that he would fail when the woods moved towards his castle.

Macduff knew about what Macbeth had done, and he had a plan to kill him. Macduff went to get help from Malcolm and they used branches from the forest to make weapons. “Let every soldier cut down a bough and carry it in front of him. That way, we will hide the size of our army, and Macbeth’s lookouts will give incorrect reports of us” (5.4.6-9). They came to the castle and Macduff and Macbeth began fighting. Macbeth was confident because the witches said he wouldn’t be defeated by any man born by a woman, but Macduff was taking from his mother’s womb. “Lose hope for your charmed life, and let the demon you’ve been serving tell you that Macduff was prematurely ripped from his mother’s womb” (5.8.17-20). In the end, Macduff wins and Macbeth dies.

Macbeth relies so much on what the witches say that he is blind to what is really going on. The power that he had received had corrupted Macbeth. He killed and continue to kill until he was finally killed him self. This shows that power does corrupt people and even a good man with too much power can become an evil man.