Macbeth Ambition

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To many, ambition is one’s dedication to achieving their goals; enabling an individual to either create or destroy. Although ambition is a necessity when it comes to being a motivating factor in one’s life, driving ambition can contribute to a significant downfall that is often times consequential. In William Shakespeare’s play “Macbeth”, ambition is a crucial force in characters such as Macbeth, Malcolm, and Lady Macbeth, evolving the play into the tragedy that it is. Each individual’s ambition is derived from one’s aspirations, especially when it comes to acquiring the throne. One’s aspiration has the ability to impact an individual’s mindset towards reaching their goals. In the beginning of the play, Shakespeare portrays Macbeth to be a good-natured man known for his bravery, but his intentions to become king begins to reconstruct his morals. When Macbeth says, “I have no spur/To prick the sides of my intent, but only/Vaulting ambition, which o’er leaps itself/And falls on th’ other-” (1.7.25-28) one can interpret that his ambition is beginning to uncover as his desires grow …show more content…
It has an uplifting effect that compels individuals to fulfill their aspirations, but excessive ambition can lead to the opposite. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s ambition can be compared in the sense that it turned out to be disastrous for both of them once they let their desires get the best of them. Both of their goals were reached dishonourably, but the two disregarded the potential consequences that were to come with their actions. Malcolm’s ambition is one that had a positive effect that benefits not only himself, but others. His plot to destroy Macbeth, who was a tyrant unlike his father, helped restore the kingdom rather than obtaining the crown for his own selfish needs like Macbeth. In the end, each characters intentions is what assisted in shaping the play into the catastrophe Shakespeare created it to

Ambition In Macbeth

Ambition The article “Is Ambition Good or Bad?” written by Neel Burton, defines ambition as attempting to achieve some excellence or accomplishment. It first includes the want for success, and second, the drive and willpower to achieve this success even in the face of danger and disappointment. Neel Burton emphasizes the psychological and philosophical ideas of ambition. Not all ambition is taken in a good way. In the Shakespearean play, Macbeth, ambition plays a large role in establishing a theme…

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Banquo's Ambition In Macbeth

activity of believing the witches. Macbeth not being careful about the witches prompts to his downfall and in the long run, his passing. The witches have three greetings upon Macbeth's arrival, the most essential one is “All hail, Macbeth, that shalt be King hereafter” (1.3. 50). This is a predication that Macbeth will be King in the near future. Macbeth hears the news of Malcolm being named Prince of Cumberland and himself being named Thane of Cawdor. Macbeth takes comfort in the witches, while…

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Shakespeare's Ambition In Macbeth

Ambition; a strong desire to do or to achieve something. Everyone has an ambition in life. Some people choose to use it as a positive or a negative outcome in life. It affects an individual in the long run whether they choose to use it as a positive or negative outcome. A good example of a negative outcome is Shakespeare’s Macbeth. Macbeth, the lead character in the play, let his ambition of becoming the king of Scotland get the best of him and take over his life to the point of murder.…

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Essay On Ambition In Macbeth

In William Shakespeare’s 8th tragedy Macbeth, the idea about life that is explored is, having too much ambition with no guide to its proper use, can irreversible change how a person thinks, feels and acts in or about the world around them. The idea is strongly represented by how the character of Macbeth and his wife Lady Macbeth change throughout the play; first a soldier and then a thane, finally a murderer. While Lady Macbeth held herself as vigorous and zealous, and then fell into a psychotic…

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Macbeth: Macbeth and Ambition Essay examples

13, March 2012 The King of Ambition Macbeth by William Shakespeare is a tragedy about a war hero Macbeth, who follows his ambition with evil and who is repaid with evil. In the play, it show us the different sides between good and evil; heroes and villains; loyalty and treachery; and ambition and morality. Macbeth is a victim of circumstance because the witches and Lady Macbeth have influenced him, but on the other hand he is ultimately responsible for the actions that led to his…

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Uncontrolled Ambition In Macbeth

uncontrolled ambition is a theme in shakespeare’s play “Macbeth”. The play so far shows Macbeth's ambition for power is unquenchable, after he receives a prophecy from three witches that he would be king.Instead of waiting for the time for him to be king he decides to kill Duncan so he can become king quickly.For example in Act 1, Scene 7 Macbeth says “I have no spur to prick the sides of my intent, but only Vaulting ambition, which o’erleaps itself and falls on the other.” Macbeth is saying to himself…

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Effects Of Ambition In Macbeth

In addition, other effects of ambition in Macbeth had a small effect on others. It hit Lady Macbeth and Macbeth the hardest. Later on in the play Lady Macbeth became very ill and started to do strange things. She would get up in the middle of the night and sleepwalk and talk. Lady Macbeth then would began to start rubbing her hands together for like twenty minutes or more thinking that she was washing the blood off her hands from the murder of Duncan. Lady Macbeth could not be treated for what she…

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Greed And Ambition In Macbeth

In the tragedy, Macbeth (1623), William Shakespeare implies that only a person has the will to stray away from things such as greed and ambition if they want to because if they let themselves get influenced by such things it doesn’t matter who tries to help them as it is up to them. The author supports this claim by showing how Macbeth’s greed and ambition for power led him to order the murder of Banquo and his son when Banquo was one of his if not only best friend that he had by his side. The author’s…

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Ambition In Macbeth

Twisted by power, Macbeth is a thrilling tale revealing just how far a man will go to retain his rule. “Upon my head they placed a fruitless crown And put a barren scepter in my grip, Thence to be wrenched with an unlineal hand, No son of mine succeeding. If ’t be so, For Banquo’s issue have I filed my mind,” Macbeth stated, showing his deteriorating mental state, and immense hunger for power. This play was a work of fiction, nevertheless the reality of the issue is all too real. This disastrous…

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The Theme Of Ambition In Macbeth

In Macbeth, one of the major themes we see is ambition. This trait is mostly portrayed in Macbeth himself and his wife, Lady Macbeth. There are different types of ambition and it is not necessarily always bad. Ambition can be controlled or uncontrolled. In this play it is uncontrolled and leads to greed, insanity and even death. Macbeth's ambition eventually leads him on a path of self destruction. Macbeth's desire for power and rule is not to be messed with. “Stars hide your fires; Let not…

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