"By the pricking of my thumbs,
Something wicked this way comes.
Open, locks,
Whoever, knocks."
Second Witch, Macbeth 4.1.44-47
What makes a man a monster? Shakespeare explores that notion in the bleak tragedy that is Macbeth. In the opening act, Macbeth is a decorated war hero and brave soldier. He’s a Scottish general. By the end of the play, he’s compromised to a permanent end leaving a path of blood behind him.
Yet, Macbeth is not a monster. A murderer, yes. He lacks virtue but not a conscience. Macbeth is a tale of the corrupting influence of unchecked power.