Temptations Faced by Macbeth

This study will examine five different temptations faced by Macbeth in the first act of Shakespeare's play Macbeth. The worst temptation is, of course, murder, but murder would not have even been considered by a man such as Macbeth (who has earlier demonstrated the valor of a good man and leader) without the presence of the other temptations which lead to murder. Those are the temptation of power and honor, the temptation to lie, the temptation of pride (or the temptation to yield up his will to his wife in the name of love), and the temptation of greed.

The temptation of power and honor, or the temptation of ambition, underlie the other temptations. After all, had Macbeth not already been an ambitious man, seeking greater power and honor for himself, he would have responded differently to the witches' proclamation. When they address him as the Thane of Cawdor and then as King, he had the option to respond with joy at the prospect of future gifts from destiny, or with humility at his unreadiness for such power, or with many other honest and human responses. Instead, as Banquo notes, Macbeth "start[s] and seem[s] to fear/ Things that do sound so fair" (Shakespeare, 1989, 15).

Macbeth's immediately frightful response suggests that he was already considering some sort of unnatural act which would speed the process of his rise to the level of kingly power. The proclamation of the witches does not include the means whereby Macbeth will become Thane of Cawdor or King, but only

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ing it, pays itself. Your Highness' part/ Is to receive our duties: and our duties/ Are to your throne and state" (Shakespeare, 1989, 24). Macbeth is as tempted by his wife as he is by the witches' proclamations. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth have not seen each other for some time, and have apparently communicated only in letters, but immediately upon seeing each other again the unnamed evil deeds awaiting are taken for granted by the two. Macbeth has already shown his ability to lie to the King he would soon murder in cold blood, and now his wife instructs him to "look like th'innocent flower,/ But be the serpent under't" (Shakespeare, 1989, 32). Were Macbeth not already inclined to lie, not already inclined to the murder which would flow from the lies, he would have protested, but he does not protest at all. If there is any doubt remaining in the first act with respect to Macbeth's willingness to lie, the last lines of the act eliminate any such doubt. Finally yielding to his wife's pressure, he declares "False face must hide what the false heart doth know" (Shakespeare, 1989, 44). An essential part of Macbeth's tragedy is his willingness to give up his sense of morality to his wife in order to make her happy, in order to please h

Category: Literature - T