Gem Anthony

English 20

Block 4

December 12, 2016

Ambition Makes The Eyes Blind

A river cuts through a rock not because of its power, but its persistence. - Unknown

Author. Perseverance is what pushes a person into doing the things that are necessary to achieve

their goal, without it an individual will not be able to accomplish anything but, often times its

results do not always bear good fruit. Sometimes in life perseverance pushes a person to their

full extent to attain their goals even if it comes to doing it in a sinful way. As a result a

person may lose their virtues and good-will. This can be seen in William Shakespeares

Macbeth. Throughout the play Macbeth showed great acts of perseverance but, using it the

wrong way, which eventually lead to his downfall. This can be seen through Macbeths

battle in choosing between good and evil, Macbeths lust for power, and Macbeths

melancholia.

In the beginning of the play Macbeth was portrayed as a noble and valiant soldier, a

great example for all the followers and subjects of King Duncan. Everyone would look up

to him and praise him of his astonishing acts of bravery. Hearing the three witches

prophecy reckon malicious thoughts in his head and Macbeth had to choose, either to let

things be or to assure his future by taking matters into his own hands. To begin with, the

fulfillment of the first two prophecies that the weird sisters gave Macbeth made him believed

that the last one will soon come true. Two truths are told, As happy prologues to the swelling act

Of the imperial theme. (I, iii, 137-139) two prophecies that have been foretold have already

happened this strengthen Macbeths belief that indeed he will be king soon. This gives him the
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proof that he needs to believe that what the three witches spoke of is truly legitimate. Banquo

had warned Macbeth saying ...to win us to our harm, The instrument of darkness tell us truths,

win us with honest trifles, to betray us In deepest consequence. (I, iii, 132-135) but Macbeth did

not listen, for in this scene his thirst for power is starting to show and this put wicked thoughts in

Macbeths brain. He was ashamed of himself for thinking those horrible things but at the same

time he found himself yielding to the thought. The effect of perseverance in this situation

presented Macbeth with two choices: to do what is right, what is good or to do that evil one, the

one thought that rots his brain until it is the only thing left in his mind. This is a test for

Macbeths conscience. His actions regarding this situation will determine whether he is the noble

man that everyone thinks he is or a serpent hiding underneath an innocent flower. Secondly, in

the battle of good and evil inside Macbeth, he started contemplating whether to kill Duncan or

not. He tried to cling desperately to his good side saying that if it is meant to be then it will

happen If chance will have me king, why, chance may crown me. (I, iii, 154-155) Macbeth

tried to disregard the witches prophecy and to not succumb to the temptation of his rotten core.

This action of Macbeth showed perseverance, he wanted to believe that he is the good person

that everyone sees in him, he proved to the readers that by overlooking the temptation of sin he is

indeed a gallant man that will never commit a bad deed. Come what come may, time and the

hour runs through the roughest day. (I, iii, 160-161) Whatever is going to happen, it is going to

happen. If he is to be king then so be it. He convinced himself that if the last prophecy will come

true then eventually it will come true so let the fates do its job and let him be king, he does not

need to intervene with fate. Lastly, Macbeth finally decided that he cannot kill Duncan because it

is not the right thing to do, if anything he should be the one protecting King Duncan not the first
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one to turn on him. He was the great example of a perfect soldier, follower and leader, one would

wonder if the noblest and bravest man made an act of cowardice and defiance then there can

never be a perfect soldier. We will proceed no further in this business.. (I, vii, 33-35) Macbeth

had told Lady Macbeth who pushes him into going through the dirty deed. Lady Macbeth was

furious of her husbands decision, she wanted the power so bad that she made the example of

killing ones child than going back on an agreement with her husband. Lady Macbeth showered

her husband with insults and hateful words, calling him unmanly and a coward, that gave

Macbeth no choice but to fulfill his wifes wishes, Macbeth may have tried to win the battle of

good and evil but he lost himself to the darkness in the end. There is greed inside of him that he

let loose. Macbeth is very docile for he was easily persuaded by Lady Macbeth. Because he

wanted to be king so badly; to get a taste of that sweet trickling power down his throat he will do

whatever he can to get ahold of it even if it means going against his character, his belief and his

virtues.

After killing Duncan, Macbeths thirst for power grew and grew each passing day

which made him paranoid and obsessed with keeping the power for himself. Macbeths

status deteriorating as he grew corrupt. Firstly, when Macbeth killed Duncan something broke

inside of him broke. His sanity. Minutes after he left Duncans chamber he thought he heard

someone saying Sleep no more! Macbeth does murder sleep Glamis hath murderd sleep; and

therefore Cawdor shall sleep no more: Macbeth shall sleep no more! (II, ii, 47-48 & 55-56)

Macbeth was being delusional after he killed Duncan, his blood on Macbeths trembling hands.

Guilt had eaten Macbeth, he lost all sense of coordination and sanity. Will all great Neptunes
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ocean wash this blood clean from my hand? No (II, ii, 77-78) He believed that all the waters

in the ocean cannot cleanse his hands of the evil deed, he is scarred for life and can never go

back to his clean, pure state from before. In addition, after the murder had occurred Macbeth

does not feel safe anymore, everyone is a threat to his him and to his royalty. He does not trust

anyone anymore, before he trusted his own life to his fellow soldiers when they go into battle,

but now he does not even trust his own wife. In his frenzied state Macbeth realized that he had

killed King Duncan only for Banquo and his seeds to benefit from. Enraged from the sudden

realization Macbeth decided to kill Banquo and Fleance to ensure that his prophecy will never

come true. He does not feel safe with Banquo around ready to take his throne anytime. Upon

my head they placed a fruitless crown No son of mine succeeding For them the gracious

Duncan have I murderd Only for them; and mine eternal jewel given to common enemy of

man, to make them kings, the seed of Banquo king! (III, i, 65-74) he hired three murderers to

kill Banquo and his son Fleance but neglect to tell the plan to his wife. This can be seen as an act

of independence, Macbeth does not need Lady Macbeth to hold his hand anymore. Through

killing Duncan and sheer force of perseverance Macbeth is able to get Banquo and Fleance

murdered without hesitations. This act of perseverance made him remorseless. Lastly, because of

Macbeths demented state he placed spies all over the kingdom, proving that he does not trust

anyone and he thinks that people are plotting against him and he is right, through his spies he

found out that Macduff was on to him and without blinking an eye he ordered for Macduffs

family and all that is related to him to be slaughtered. Macbeth had become so ruthless, cunning,

and obsessed with power that he lost all the important things in his life. Love, trust, and loyalty.
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Macbeths hunger for authority resulted in a lot of deaths and heartache burying him deeper in

evil deeds making him a heartless, soulless monster that thrive on human weakness.

At the end of the play Macbeth started to feel depressed and lonely. He now realized

that he is all alone in the world with no one who loves him. He feels no security and he is

desperate to keep the only thing he is living for. The throne. Now that he knows that

Macduff plans to take him down he will do whatever the cost to fight for his supremacy. To

begin with, out of desperation in keeping his power Macbeth went to see the three wired sisters

asking for more prophecies to assure himself and attempt to make himself feel safe again. I

conjure you, by that which you profess, Howeer you come to know it, answer me: (IV, i, 51-

52) Macbeth came to their cave asking for reassurances that will calm his troubled minds. The

witches gave him three prophecies that have him hope but, when he asked if Banquos prophecy

will ever come true he did not like what he heard. This brewed a storm inside of him. Displeased

with what he just heard and see Macbeth lashed out Infected be the air whereon they ride, And

damnd all those that trust them! (IV, i, 152-153) but he trusted them, so one would wonder if

Macbeth had damned himself. Finally, during the awaited battle between Macbeth and Macduff

two of the prophecies had already happened, Birnam woods had come to Dunsinane making

Macbeths face pale. He clinged hopelessly on the third prophecy that he will not be defeated by

any woman born. This is his last hope, the only thing that keeps him going. The candle that burns

alone in his dark and hollow heart that was instantly extinguished when Macduff revealed that he

was not born of woman for he was timely ripped from his mothers womb. Macbeth was in

despair, he did not want to fight Macduff for there was too much bloodshed already and he did
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not want to add more to it. Macduff asked him to give up, bow down to Malcolm and let all the

suffering and killing end; however Macbeth is full of pride he do not want to yield to Malcolm I

will not yield to kiss the ground before young Malcolms feet, and to be baited with the rabbles

curse. (V, viii, 32-34) Macbeth thinks too highly of himself that be refuses to be placed

underneath Malcolm. His pride is the one who got him killed. Even if Macbeth knows that he is

going to die in the end he still did not back down, this shows perseverance making him

courageous into fulfilling a foolish act. He is willing to go down fighting. It can be seen as

stubbornness but can also be viewed as bravery for he fought for a lost cause.

Perseverance can not always be a good thing this is proven in William Shakespeare's

Macbeth. Effects of perseverance vary depending on how an individual use it. It may cause a

person to do horrible things, as consequence losing oneself, ones soul, and everything, everyone

that individual value. By perseverance everything reaches its target. -Catalan Proverb through

persistence anything is possible, every goal is achievable even if it is a dreadful one.