William Shakespeare's Macbeth is a compelling work that thoroughly examines universally timeless concepts that captivate audiences in both the Renaissance and contemporary eras. Shakespeare analyzes the destructive aspects of the intense hunger for power, which then leads to the annihilation of the individual's mental peace. This is caused by ruthless ambition, which then creates irreversible decisions. Once these decisions are made, the consequences cause one to suffer from immense, uncontrollable guilt. This vicious cycle is fascinating but extremely relative to the universal audience as it is a frighteningly common act of human nature. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay The show demonstrates how excessive amounts of brutal ambition for power create dangerous results. Shakespeare explores this concept through the protagonist, Macbeth, who experiences horrific mental consequences from killing potential threats to power, such as Duncan, Banquo, and Macduff's family. These events in the play were used as a form of flattery towards King James 1 as it expresses the devastating outcomes that come from those sins. This allowed Shakespeare to impress James 1, making him the most popular playwright in England and part owner of the Globe Theatre. Macbeth's transformation from the beginning to the end of the play is drastically repugnant. At the beginning, Macbeth is loyal, courageous with a hint of humility, which makes him a perfect specimen of the royal family. Once ambition for greater power takes hold of him, his traits deteriorate showing signs of selfishness and lacking sensitivity. Macbeth's initial loyalty and integrity are seen in “First, for I am his kinsman and his subject/Strong both against action; then as his guest'. This quote portrays Macbeth's loyalty to Duncan through the use of membership pronouns. The anaphora of the word “his” indicates Macbeth's loyalty to Duncan, showing his good morals as he is completely disgusted by the thought of killing him. The first sign of excessive ambition on Macbeth's part is present when he is content to kill Duncan if the consequences remain on Earth. While his fear lies in the punishment he will encounter in the afterlife. This is evident in the quote "That, but this shot / Could be the end and end of it all here / But here, on this shore and on this shoal of time / We'll skip the life to come." The “bank and shoal of time” metaphor suggests that Macbeth is comparing life to a sandbar with shallow water and the afterlife to the immense deep ocean. This is because "bank" refers to "sandbar" and "shallow" is translated as "shallow." By the end of the play, Macbeth transforms into a recognizable figure for contemporary audiences. Macbeth exemplifies all the characteristics of a modern dictator as he is distrustful of those around him, imagines threats to his rule that do not exist, and has an elaborate network of spies and informants. Its extermination of real or potential threats occurs in a ruthless and merciless manner. Shakespeare's illustration of the protagonist is clearly universal and timeless. Shakespeare explicitly explored the mental and physical manifestation of guilt in the body resulting from decisions made when he was ruthlessly ambitious for power. Macbeth examines the dangerously powerful force of the unconscious mind that presents itself as conscious when it feels guilty. This emotion caresses the body after having performed an irreversible action, which in this case is Macbeth killing any threat to.