Macbeth: How Money Killed :: Macbeth essays

Macbeth How property Killed         Many of our friends at Wall Street have serious pith jobs some ofthem even die years before they should because of the stress that is brought onby the money and greed of Wall Street.  Money is also unmixed as a health riskin Macbeth and The Merchant of Venice, both written by William Shakespe be.  OnWall Street people are driven by the greed of the people they represent, theirown greed, and a worldwide atmosphere of greed.  In Macbeth, Macbeth is driven by personalized ambition and his wife to become king at any expense, including slayingsome of his personal friends and their families.  Also, in The Merchant ofVenice, Shylock the Jew is driven by a villainy for Christians and personal greed.In both plays the character with the greed driven personality end up on theshort end of the stick.         Macbeths and Shylocks drive of greed is revealed after just the firstfew scenes. Macbeths drive of greed is translucent after his encounter with thethree witches after which he tells Banquo that he is impatient to specify more abouthis future as king.  Shylocks greed is revealed when we learn that unlikeBassanio, Shylock charges interest on all his loans, and that he is quite anruthless in getting payments for money owed.  Three thousand ducats. Tis agood round sum./  Tree months from twelve, then let me see, the /rate--(1.3.112-114).  Upon this Bassanio asks Shylock if he will really owe him anyinterest Shylock reacts as almost offended, and further explains that Bassaniowill indeed owe him interest.  For both Macbeth and Shylock, this is the ancestor of the end.         Macbeths greed starts to become a problem when people start calculateout the truth behind Duncans death.  Macbeth realizes that he is well beyond to stain of no return and that the only thing left to do is to progres s eliminatingpeople whom may potentially stand in his way, or transgress his political figure suchas when Macbeth sends orders to have Macduffs family assassinated becauseMacduff stick out Macbeth politically by not showing up at the political party.  The fastness ofMacduff I will surprise/Seize upon Fife give to th edge o th stigma/His wife,his babes, and all unfortunate souls/That trace him in his line (4.2.150-153).Macbeth plots to kill Macduffs wife and child just because he didnt show up athis party where he was being blundersome any way.  Shylocks greed goes frombeing a problem for Antonio to being a problem for himself.  As Antonios ships