This greed that drove Macbeth made him eager to acquire kingship. In order for Macbeth to become king, he chose to kill Duncan. Macbeth did not deserve to be king if he was immorally willing to kill an innocent man whom he had nothing against. He was not entitled to his kingship. But Macbeth's greediness kept the thought of murdering Duncan lingering in his mind: Present Fears are less than horrible imaginings. My thoughts, whose murder yet is but fantastical, shakes so my single state of man that function is smothered in surmise.
This thought of murdering Duncan was tempting to Macbeth. He had only one reason to kill Duncan, and it was his ambition. He said, "I have no spur to prick the sides of my intent, but only vaulting ambition." The ambition Macbeth possessed began to revolve around his greed, which made him eager and hungry for power.
Lady Macbeth by George Cattermole.
English: Poster of Thos. W. Keene in William Shake...
Macbeth and Banquo with the Witches by Henry Fusel...Macbeth put himself above all others. He was selfish and greedy and this caused him to ignore all rights of others to satisfy his wants. He obviously violated Duncan's rights as a human being and as a king. He murdered Duncan for his own sake and benefit due to his greediness and ambition to become king. Even before killing Duncan, Macbeth foresaw that Malcolm, Duncan's eldest son, would still be in the way of his desired goal. He said, "The Prince of Cumberland (Malcolm)! That is the step on which I must fall down or else o'erleap, for in my way it lies." If Malcolm had not run off, Macbeth would have seen to it that Malcolm be taken out of the picture also. Yet frightening Malcolm off, he violated his right of the throne. Macbeth did not care who really deserved the throne. He only wanted it all for himself to satisfy his desire. Macbeth also decided to take Banquo and Fleance out of the race for the throne. He could not feel secure with them still alive, therefore, putting their fate in his hands. He had no right to murder or to control the lives of others. Macbeth tells the murderers, " And with him(Banquo), Fleance his son, that keeps him company, whose absence is no less material to me than his father's, must embrace the fate of that dark hour." That was Macbeth's signal to kill Banquo and Fleance so they would not interfere with his kingship. Macbeth had absolutely no respect and he put himself in front of everybody else. He was his own number one priority.
The major problem greed produced for Macbeth was he could not be satisfied. Macbeth could not feel secure in the throne. He had achieved his main goal, and that was to become king, yet he wanted more. He wanted to feel safe and secure. He said, "To be thus is nothing, but to be safely thus.-Our fears in Banquo stick deeply, and in his royalty of nature reigns that which would be feared." Macbeth felt threatened by Banquo and his son, and he wanted the kingship to be only his. Macbeth wanted this throne all to himself.
Erskine Sanford as King Duncan with Roddy McDowall...
MALCOLM WEBSTER
MALCOLM WEBSTER