The pursuit of power and the constant struggle to maintain it leads to the deterioration of the mind. In the play Macbeth, Shakespeare demonstrates this concept through Macbeth's power struggle and subsequent downfall. This is evident in his complete loss of honor and loyalty, his newfound constitution of duplicity, and his lack of value for life itself. To start, Macbeth slowly loses his sense of integrity throughout the play until there is none left. Macbeth is presented as a valiant and successful general. His drive for power, however, causes him to taint the perfect image of himself that he has created. Once the witches flaunt the idea of ​​being king before man, his natural urge to gain power and prestige is ignited and he begins to rampage to achieve his goal. It is this human quest for power that causes his mind to ignore truths he once thought self-evident, such as valor, loyalty, and patriotism, giving way to cruel anger. The goal of increasing power causes Macbeth's mind to warp his morality and make diabolical decisions, such as killing the king he once loved so dearly. Furthermore, the threat of losing power also causes Macbeth great mental distress and leads to further loss of loyalty and morality. He fears that Banquo is plotting against him shortly after his coronation and hires assassins to kill his old best friend. This shows that Macbeth's paranoia is placed above rationality, due to his fear of losing power. “We killed the serpent, we did not kill it” (III,ii,15). This quote demonstrates Macbeth's desire to maintain his fleeting power, illustrating that he does not feel secure in his current position. He is ready to defy his moral compass and loyalties and kill those he loves... middle of paper... Birnam Wood forces his way onto Dunsinane Hill, forcing him to seek even further influence, despite the incomprehensible odds against him him. The thought of omnipotence, when it waves before Macbeth, makes him lose sight of the need to protect his life, whether by running away or surrendering, because he believes he is capable of gaining even more power. Therefore, Macbeth's loss of perception of the value of human life clearly demonstrates the effects that the human desire for power has on the mind. In conclusion, human ambition for greater amounts of power and influence causes the degradation of morality. This is demonstrated by Macbeth's newfound untrustworthiness, his transformation into a deceitful tyrant, and the loss of meaning to his life and the lives of others. It is clear that power can drastically transform all those who seek to seize and/or control it.