Macbeth starts the play as a hero and ends up a tyrant.

Does this mean there are no truly evil

people and power corrupts, or just that some people have bad judgment when choosing
heroes?

In Shakespearean times, the king was a holy figure, handpicked by God to be a just protector of
the people. In William Shakespeare’s “Macbeth”, the play’s namesake Macbeth undergoes a
complete shift in character. The nature of his dynamic character calls the relationship between
power and corruption into question. In a transition from hailed hero to cruel, ruthless tyrant,
Macbeth was undoubtedly corrupted by newfound power and the pursuit of his “fate.” His
dramatic change in nature gives good reason to believe that power can corrupt even the purest
of people. In analyzing the events of “Macbeth” it can be easily deduced that power alone could
change heroes into villains.

When examining the sequence of events throughout “Macbeth,” it is clear to see that Macbeth
was at first seen as a valiant hero worthy of praise. For example, in the play’s opening, Macbeth
is praised by witches who hail him when saying, “All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee,Thane of
Glamis/All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, Thane of Cawdor!/All hail, Macbeth, that shalt be King
here-after” (1.3.50-55). This proclamation of Macbeth’s fate along with his praise plants the
seed of Macbeth’s moral decline. In presenting his future along with his current status, inspires
a reluctant Macbeth to pursue aspirations which did not exist. Later on in the story, Macbeth
commits his first murder on his road to power. When contemplating the murder of King Duncan,
Macbeth says, “I’ll go no more/I am afraid to think what I have done;/Look on’t again I dare not”
(2.2.66-68). Even though he does commit a heinous killing of the king, his heartless mindset
does not exist yet. Macbeth is clearly not in a tyrannical mindset before his ascension to power.
He does not hint at being at an unstable state until after his experience with power. Finally, in
Act 3, Macbeth orders the killing of his friend Banquo in attempt to eliminate any chance of a
challenge to his throne. In such a quick reversal of mindset with only a taste of power, Macbeth
ultimately proves that power corrupts the mind and causes an unprecedented change in
morality and conscience.