In many of Shakespeare's plays the notion of loyalty acts as a central theme. However, in many of his plays, with loyalty comes betrayal. Macbeth is no different. In this play, betrayal not only creates the power in which many characters indulge in, but also their downfalls.

Betrayal is a very important part of Macbeth because it is the driving force behind all of the changes in power in the play. The earliest example of betrayal serving as a impetus in power change is in Act 1, Scene 2, when Macbeth is rewarded for his loyalty to the king while the Thane of Cawdor is stripped of his title because of his betrayal of the king. At this point in the play Macbeth, along with Banquo, a general of King Duncan's army and a friend of Macbeth's, still exhibits great loyalty to the king. Since there is still a strong...