Macbeth

With enough persuasion a person can get someone else to do virtually anything. He or she can be easily influenced, even by his or her own ambitions. The art of persuasion is profoundly shown in the Shakespearean play Macbeth. Through the main character, Shakespeare shows how Macbeth’s actions were easily influenced by the Witches, Banquo, Lady Macbeth, and Macbeth’s own ambitions.

The witches play an important role in Macbeth's thoughts. They are the ones who gave Macbeth the first thoughts of being king, by telling him their thoughts. Through out the novel the witches tell Macbeth his future and in a sense tell him what to do. “First Witch: All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, Thane of Glamis! Second Witch: All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, Thane of Cawdor! Third Witch: All hail, Macbeth, that shalt be king hereafter!”(17). When the witches tell Macbeth he is Thane of Glamis, it does not surprise him because he is Thane of Glamis. When they tell him he is thane of Cawdor he is shocked, but even more so when they tell him he will be king one day. Macbeth does not know what to do or say. He thinks the Thane of Cawdor is alive, so how can he be Thane of Cawdor? The King is also alive so how would Macbeth ever become kin

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Now that Macbeth has killed the other men who may take his royalty, he fears Macduff. “Macbeth: Our fears in Banquo Stick deep, and in his royalty of nature Reigns that which would be feared. If good why do I yield to the suggestion…” (23). Macbeth was pushed into committing the first murder, but Macbeth himself afterward thought up the rest of the murders. “Lady Macbeth: What beast was’t, then, That made you break this enterprise to me? When you durst to it, then you were a man; And to be more than what you were, you would Be so much more the man…” (43). The play is at the point where Lady Macbeth has persuaded Macbeth into killing Duncan, the King.

Macbeth, thus far, seems as though he is the innocent character of the play. She is saying don’t you want a glittering prize, something so great is in front of you why wouldn’t’ you take the opportunity to seize it. By telling Macbeth that he will honor any King Banquo is telling Macbeth that he does not care how Macbeth becomes king, he will honor him because he is king. Although Macbeth did have doubts about killing Duncan, he folds under the pressure of Lady Macbeth. He also tells Macbeth that he will honor the King no matter who that may be. She tells him that he was a man when he said he would do it, but now he is less of a man because he is backing out of killing Duncan. By telling Macbeth to seize the opportunity Lady Macbeth is persuading Macbeth to change his own ambitions.

Approximate Word count = 1624
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)

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