"Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely." – Lord John Dalberg-Acton
Macbeth and Lord of the Flies depict power and corruption. However in Macbeth's case it is his fear of being forgotten that leads to his ambitions for power and in turn corrupts him. In Lord of the Flies we see Jack's ambition to become chief corrupt him into doing whatever it takes to achieve that position. Both works seem to coincide with Hobbes theory that "man is naturally savage" and that savagery combined with the notion of power can only lead to one thing, corruption. In this essay the relationship between power and corruption will be explored through the lens of three texts: Macbeth by William Shakespeare (1623), Lord of the Flies by William Golding (1954), and Of Man, Being the First Part of Leviathan by Thomas Hobbes (1651).
Let us begin with The Tragedy of Macbeth. Throughout the play, we see Macbeth change from a noble and brave soldier into a shadow of his former self. In the beginning we see an internal struggle with the decision to kill King Duncan. This is most clearly depicted in act I when Macbeth says, "We will proceed no further in this business. He hath honored me of late,"(1.7. 28-30 ). It is after the murder of Duncan that we begin to notice a sinister change. Macbeth begins to murder anyone who has or could get in his way even his friend Banquo. In act 3 Macbeth's plan is first revealed in his conversation with Lady Macbeth "Our fears in Banquo/ Stick deep; and in his royalty of nature/ Reigns that which would be feared" (3.1.47-49). This corruption comes as a direct result of his rise to the throne.
In Lord of the Flies, not only do we notice a correlation between power and corruption but also a correlation with corruption and savagery. At the beginning of the novel Jack is an innocent, young boy who progressively becomes power dependent and thrives off of this power. By the end of the novel Jack has become absolutely corrupt with this power and commits terrible acts of violence such as the killing of other boys and the violent and exaggerated slaughter of a pig. For example Jack begins to test the boundaries of his power when he rudely takes Piggy's glasses, "His specs- use them as burning glasses," (Golding p.40). Also Jack's violent transition to savagery as a result of his desire for power is revealed when he shouts, “Right up her ass!” (Golding p.196). "He capered toward Bill, and the mask was a thing on its own, behind which Jack hid, liberated from shame and self-consciousness" (Golding pg 64).
Now then, in Chapter XIII: Of the Natural Condition of Mankind as Concerning Their Felicity and Misery by Thomas Hobbes, we are given a deeper insight on exactly how savagery, power, and corruption coincide. For example Hobbes states, "And from hence it comes to pass that, where an invader hath no more to fear than another man's single power, if one plant, sow, build, or possess, a convenient seat others may probably be expected to come prepared with forces united to dispossess and deprive him not only of the fruit of his labor but also of his life or liberty." This quote not only shows how power leads to corruption but also the savagery required
to achieve that power. Also Hobbes explains how man craves power when he says "Again, men have no pleasure, but on the contrary a great deal of grief, in keeping company where there is no power able to overawe them all"
In conclusion, both Macbeth and Lord of the Flies depict a clear image of how power corrupts people and both seem to coincide with Hobbes' theory of man's natural state of savagery. For example Macbeth's transition from an honorable soldier to a murdering tyrant and Jacks transition from an innocent quire boy to a bloodthirsty savage personifies the human potential for descent into complete corruption and the rejection of morals. After the analysis of all three of these works the result is clear. It is human nature to crave power and it is also human nature to be savage, however, it is the uncontrolled combination of these two entities that results in corruption.
