Macbeth's Ambition Research Paper

As the play continues, Macbeth's desire for the throne amplifies, ultimately leading him to murder the king and manipulate those around him to secure his maintained his crown. The prophecy becomes self-fulfilling as Macbeth's ambition drives him to carry out terrible acts, which in turn causes his descent into tyranny and, eventually, his tragic downfall. Through this clever foreshadowing, Shakespeare illustrates the corrupting nature of ambition and

William Shakespeare shows his audience that Macbeth creates his own downfall. Macbeth’s actions and decisions had impacted the lives around him. However, it might not be just one person’s own choice to decide their actions. Nevertheless, Macbeth shoes us how power-hungry and easily manipulated can cause his

In the beginning of Shakespeare's play, “Macbeth”, Macbeth is portrayed as an honest and trustworthy man. In act 1 scene 2, we see Macbeth in the beginning in battle, where he claims victory by killing Mcdonald. Our first impression is that he is a honest, loyal soldier. After the battle, the Captain calls Macbeth “brave” and later he is called “valiant”. Our view of him in the beginning changes as we see his character change along with his status and his meetings with the witches.

Macbeth is invoked, remembered, and feared.” At the beginning of the play, Macbeth is introduced as a warrior hero. The outcome of his great battles wins him great honor from the king. He is a fierce and noble soldier for King Duncan and the people of Scotland.

Sean Smith Mrs. Anthony Senior English 8 March 2018 The Danger of Ambition In Shakespeare’s “The Tragedy of Macbeth”, the author proposes a perpetual loop of struggle through his use of fate and imagery of the character’s deaths in order to express the consequences for one’s actions if they are foolish enough to make these decisions. “The Tragedy of Macbeth” is a uniquely portrayed concept of fate, internal struggle, and paradox; the story depicts a human with intentions to receive power.

When we are first presented with the character of Macbeth he is pictured as a noble and loyal warrior. However, once his future is presented to him by the witches saying that he, Macbeth, is to become the next great King of Scotland, he begins to lose focus and makes the wrong decisions. Macbeth begins to only make choices that will benefit only himself and to gain power. Becoming almost unrecognizable to the person he once was. After confronting his wife, Lady Macbeth, he isn't the only one with a lust for power.

The play of “Macbeth” is one of William Shakespeare’s most famous tragedies. It is loosely based on the real King Macbeth of Scotland and takes place in the early 17th century. The play itself relies on ambition as it significantly affects characters such as Macbeth, Lady Macbeth, and Macduff who will do anything to quench their thirst for ambition. Macbeth, the once noble and respected member of the hierarchy, is corrupted by the fates “weird sisters” who tinker away at Macbeth to pursue his ambitions.

This invited reading is palpable through the characters of Macbeth, Lady Macbeth and Macduff who all possess ambition of varying degrees. The relevance of power and ambition was clearly communicated to modern audiences through the character of Macbeth. The disease of

Macbeth is the Shakespearean play that features the triumphant uprise and the inevitable downfall of its main character. In this play, Macbeth’s downfall can be considered to be the loss of his moral integrity and this is achieved by ambition, despite this, Lady Macbeth and the witches work through his ambition, furthering to assist his inevitable ruin. Ambition alone is the most significant factor that led to Macbeth’s downfall. The witches are only able to influence his actions through Macbeth’s pre-existing and the three witches see that Macbeth has ambition and uses it to control his action. Ambition alone is displayed throughout the play to be the most significant cause for Macbeth’s downfall.

His disregard for consequences and his obsessive desire to gain godlike power corrupt what was once the pursuit of knowledge. Similarly in Macbeth, the ambition that initially pushes Macbeth to greatness becomes an evil force over time. Lady Macbeth says, "Nought's had, all's spent, where our desire is got without content," (Shakespeare, 3.2.6-7). This quote clearly shows the impact of Macbeth's unchecked ambition, which left him empty and disappointed after getting what he wanted. Macbeth's ambition corrupts his sense of right and wrong, leading him to commit crimes and lose his relationships and personal happiness in the process.

Macbeth loses his last scrap of morality when he orders the murder of innocents to enrage a rival. Shakespeare’s Macbeth shows that humans will do whatever it takes to achieve and maintain power by charting Macbeth’s descent from noble thane to murderous tyrant. Macbeth’s position of thane is already quite powerful but the need for more power overwhelms his loyalties to others.

These desires can simply be too much for any one person or two to overcome. In William Shakespeare’s dramatic tragedy ‘Macbeth’, ambition is portrayed throughout and Macbeth, a Scottish Noblemen is overcome by his desires. His downfall and destruction was caused by his blind ambition leading to his fatal flaw. Before his ambition overtakes him, Macbeth is a loyal, honest man. He serves Duncan, the king of Scotland, with total devotion.

Macbeth’s ambition is one of the most prominent things that drive Macbeth in the play and truly becomes evident when he hears of the Witches prophecies. When the witches stop talking, he demands to know more. “Stay you imperfect speakers, tell me more” (I, III, 73-74). This portrays his excessive curiosity on the subject as well as his craving for more desirable prophecies. This ambitious nature and craving for power is also demonstrated only moments after hearing the witches, when he starts formulating a plan to kill Duncan in order to make the third prophecy come true.

Macbeth feels his destiny is to murder King Duncan and become the King of Scotland, which is why Macbeth promises Lady Macbeth achieve his destiny. Therefore, Macbeth’s ambition for power leads to the death of King Duncan. Moreover, Macbeth’s ambition for power triggers the massacre the ones who impede him from his pathway to the Scottish Throne. First, Macbeth has murderers kill Banquo to avoid obstructions in his plan to become the King of Scotland. Macbeth tells the three murderers hired: “…

At the beginning of William Shakespeare’s ‘Macbeth’ the protagonist Macbeth is described as ‘brave’, ‘noble’ and ‘honourable’, however Lady Macbeth’s and Macbeths desire for power consumes them. Macbeth’s ambition overrides his conscience and transformed his greatest strength into his greatest weakness. Macbeth’s inability to resist temptations that led him to be greedy for power, Macbeth’s easily manipulative nature which allowed his mind to be swayed, Macbeth having no self control and his excessive pride was what allowed him to renew his previously honourable and celebrated title into one of an evil ‘tyrant’. Macbeth is led by the prophecies of the witches after they foretell he will become the Thane of Cawdor. Not only the witches, but also his wife easily manipulate Macbeth as she attacks his manhood in order to provoke him to act on his desires.