Macbeth’s Battle with the Thane of Cawdor

Macbeth changes from a loyal servant to the crown into an ambitious maniac who tries anything he can to keep his legacy and himself alive. Shakespeare uses Macbeth as the prime example of how your actions have consequences. Macbeth learns of a prophecy told by three witches which promises that he will be king, instead of letting his destiny unfold, he decides to take the throne himself. The forced taking of the crown ultimately leads to Macbeth’s demise.

Macbeth’s battle with the thane of cawdor is described by the captain to king duncan in act 1 scene 2. Macbeth’s combat is illustrated in great depth as Shakespeare describes how “he unseam'd him from the nave to the chops.” This as well as act 1 scene 4, where macbeth shows thanks the king for allowing to serve under him and that it’s payment enough shows him as a modest hero. Despite the hero’s honor that macbeth carries, his ambition shows near the beginning of the play in act 1 scene 4 where he speaks to himself of having to kill the king after thinking of the prophecy that the 3 witches told him, which said he would assume power of the throne. Macbeth’s final decision however, was in act 1 scene 7, when he was swayed by Lady Macbeth to carry out with the murder. The guilt and the paranoia in his time holding the crown goes to show how much he’s changed since the decision of overthrowing the