The “seduction” of power can drastically change an individual. An individual in a position of power often believes that he or she is better than others around him or her. The entitlement an individual feels after gaining power can be costly. William Shakespeare portrays the “seduction” of power in Macbeth, through Macbeth's ambition to gain more power. Macbeth acts as his own adversary, shown through his paranoia and insecurity which ultimately led him to be a corrupt individual due to his greed to gain more power. Macbeth's source of insecurity came from his wife Lady Macbeth who doubted his manhood. As shown when she used her seductive ways to convince Macbeth to kill Duncan, “When you dared to do it, then you were a man; / And be much more than man” (1.7.56-58). Macbeth became her adversary when he tried to prove to his wife that he was a "man" and killed Duncan. Because of his insecurity and lack of virility, Macbeth's soul could not be purified again. Macbeth proved to his wife that he was a “man” but the consequence of the king's murder was the beginning of the corruption of Macbeth's soul due to the sense of power he had. Macbeth considered his actions justifiable because he was motivated by his self-interest. Although Lady Macbeth pushed Macbeth to abuse his powers, it was ultimately his own doing because he had the choice to accept it or not. Macbeth decided to carry out his plan to kill Duncan: “I am settled, and I bend/Every corporal constable to this terrible feat/Away, and mocks time with fairest display/The false face must hide what the false heart knows" (1.7.92-96). Macbeth knew that it was not right to kill his king; however, Macbeth's ambition takes over the conscience in his mind. Macbe......middle of paper......king power. Macbeth's downfall was his fault because his lust for power would not stop and he was willing to kill anyone who blocked or threatened his path. A position of power therefore makes the individual feel a sense of invisibility; they think they are above everyone else. A feeling of supremacy can act as a trigger that leads an individual to be corrupt and cause him to do things that go against his morals. Works CitedAsp, Carolyn. “‘Be Bloody, Bold, and Resolute’: Tragic Action and Sexual Stereotyping in Macbeth.” EXPLORING Shakespeare. Detroit: Gale, 2003. Gale Student Resources in Context. Network. November 16, 2011. Knight, LC William Shakespeare. Ed. Harold Bloom. New York: Chelsea House, 1985. Print.Shakespeare, William, Barbara A. Mowat, and Paul Werstine. The Tragedy of Macbeth.New York: Washington Square, 1992. Print.