No One Man Should Have All That Power

Image credit: www.imdb.com/title/tt2884018/

"Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely." - Lord Acton

Shakespeare would have likely agreed with this statement to a slight extent. Shakespeare would have likely believed that the prospect of power, and the quest to grow one's power is what corrupts, not the power itself. Shakespeare presents this idea in many of his plays, Macbeth and Hamlet are the two I can think of offhand. In Macbeth, the idea of the quest for power corrupting an individual is easily seen through Macbeth's drive to get the crown, while ideas of power not corrupting are present through Malcolm and Macduff, one a son of Duncan, and the other a thane of Scotland. The quest for power is also present in The Lion King, which is based on the story of Hamlet, in Scar's corruption due to his greed and desire for power.

In Macbeth, corruption in the quest for power is present through the rise and fall of Macbeth, and the use of power for good is present through the story of Malcolm and Macduff. In the line where Macbeth says, "The castle of Macduff I will surprise, seize upon Fife, give to th' edge o' th' sword his wife, his babes, and all unfortunate souls that trace him in his line" (4.1.171-174). In this line, the readers see Macbeth using his newfound power as king, and using his prior murders of Duncan and Banquo as signs of his ability. He sets out to now bring his fight to Macduff's family, including women and children, showing how his murderous rampage and his fear over losing power drives him to perform terrible acts. Macbeth suspects Macduff of treachery, and even before he confirms his suspicions, he already sets out to have Macduff's family killed. This shows the reader how Macbeth's desire for power has led him to murder anyone who may jeopardize it. However, this is not Shakespeare's way of saying that power corrupts anyone who possesses it, as evidenced through the line where Malcolm states, "I am yet unknown to woman, never was forsworn, scarcely have coveted what was mine own, at no time broke my faith, would not betray the devil to his fellow, and delight no less in truth than life" (4.3.144-149). This line shows how Malcolm, another besides Macbeth in a position of power (being the son of Duncan), still maintains the virtues and values of a traditional and ideal king. Thus, based on these two quotes, it may be concluded that Shakespeare would likely have believed that the quest to take power is what corrupts, not the power itself.

Another place this corruption can be seen that I can experienced in my own life, is the story of The Lion King. In this story, the lion Scar betrays his fellow lions and teams up with the Hyenas in order to gain the title of king, even going so far to kill his brother. This story is based on the Shakespeare play of Hamlet, and is yet another example of how Shakespeare feels about the quest for power. Also in The Lion King, is the character of Mufasa, Scar's brother. Mufasa represents how a king should act. He is noble, brave, and stands up for his family and subjects. This is an example of how one can have power without it corrupting them, while Scar's quest for power corrupts him absolutely.