Exploring the nature of conflict in Macbeth
If you ask two people to look at the colour red, one may perceive it as love and the other
may perceive it as bloodshed. Human nature is all about perspective, it is very specialized to the
individual. The same concept applies to conflict, more specifically the nature of conflict. The
many different conflicts in the play Macbeth are specialized to each character. This
differentiation between each person's reaction to the conflict allows the play to progress and
become the tragedy it is. Macbeth written by William Shakespeare, is a story of great tragedy.
Macbeth is a brave soldier, greatly respected by the king. However, when he receives a prophecy
from three witches that one day, he may become king, he develops an overwhelming ambition
and greed for power. After murdering the current king, King Duncan, he becomes king. As time
goes on, he starts to lose his grip on sanity and lets evil take over his life, which ultimately leads
him to his downfall. Shakespeare explores the nature of conflict through the influence it has on
the relationships in this play as well as how it drives the plot.