Effects Of Ambition In Macbeth

One theme that is present in Macbeth is ambition. This theme becomes evident when the witches give the prophecies to the Macbeths and they do everything they can in order to fulfill their desires. The first account of when Macbeth allows his ambition to overwhelm him is when he kills Duncan. In ActⅠScene ⅶ, Macbeth is contemplating whether or not to kill the king by listing out the reasons against and he discovers that ambition is his only motivation to kill. He says “I have no spur / To prick the sides of my intent, but only / Vaulting ambition which o’erleaps itself / And falls on th’other”(ActⅠScene ⅶ) Macbeth has enough self-awareness to realize the dangers of killing the king yet his temptation to complete the prophecy is too strong.

Banquo’s mention of the devil should warn Macbeth of the lies they create, but Macbeth ignores his friend’s advice. Banquo notices Macbeth in a daze after hearing of his rise to power. Intrigued at how Macbeth is in such a state, Banquo asks the witches that if they can truly “…look into the seeds of time,” to speak to him as well. He says to them, “Speak then to me, who neither beg nor fear, / Your favours nor your hate,” (I. iii. 60-61).

Present fears are less than horrible imaginings” (1.3.150). The show that Macbeth thought has terrify himself that he think in order to the prophecy come true he has to kill King Duncan. After Lady Macbeth has found out about the witches’ prophecy of Macbeth latter. Her strong desire and ambition of power has led Macbeth to assassinate Duncan by insulted him “wouldst thou have that Which thou esteem 'st the ornament of life, And live a coward in thine own esteem, Letting “I

“Let not light see my black and deep desires: The eye that wink at the hand; yet let that be which the eye fears,when it is done, to see” (Shakespeare 1.4 58-60). Macbeth is admitting that he has his own hidden desires and wants to become king because of his own passion and drive. He is trying to justify what he knows he will have to do in order to make himself king. He knows that he has to kill to become king and to keep his throne, and is trying to convince himself that this will all be worth it in the end when he becomes king. Some would argue that Lady Macbeth made him king, but his own desires were truly what fuelled his ambition to do whatever it took to make himself king.

However, part of the prophecy had already come true. Macbeth is now Thane of Cawdor, so by his logic, there is little to stop him from becoming King as well. So despite his internal debate, Macbeth decides to discard his obligation to Duncan and kill him. With the decision made to kill Duncan, Macbeth and his wife come up with a plan. Once Macbeth’s signal to commit the act sounds, he says “I go, and it is done.

Although he has second thoughts about killing Duncan, Macbeth chooses to go through with it. Lady Macbeth’s influence is a huge part of his choice, but he still is not under anyone’s control. It is his free will that helps him decide to speed up his fate of becoming king. When he murders Duncan, I feel that this is when Macbeth unleashes the monster in him.

At the beginning of the play Macbeth is portrayed as a good, brave knight who is loyal to his king. However, upon hearing the prophecies of the witches, a dark, ambitious nature awakens within him – one that proves to be fatal. In Act I Scene iii, Macbeth says, “If good, why do I yield to that suggestion […] and make my sealed heart knock at my ribs” – implying that though at first he is horrified at the notion of murdering Duncan, it is an idea that he is willing to consider. Before he sends news of the recent events to his wife, Macbeth commands the stars to “hide [their] fires” so that no one can see his “black and deep” desires. (Act I, scene iv).

He visits them once more and demands that they predict his future, and the Weird Sisters prophesize: “laugh to scorn the power of a man, for none of woman born shall harm Macbeth” (IV.i.79-81), to which he responds with, “I’ll make assurance double sure and take a bond of fate” (IV.i.83-84). Macbeth keeps the prophecy in mind which gives him no reason to fear, yet takes fate into his own hands by planning to kill Macduff. Shakespeare is showing the readers how Macbeth’s violence has developed; he used to have a guilty conscious over thinking such violent things, yet now, he can effortlessly state that he is going to kill another person. Readers can clearly see that

Banquo would still be alive. The three witches like chaos and evilness and that is why they had told the best friends the prophecy. The witches might of have something to gain, causing Macbeth to go crazy or maybe they just like people to go crazy. It is morally wrong to kill anyone, it doesn’t matter if you want to be King, Queen, President, or etc. You don’t kill people, back in the day you did as they thought it was the way of the fittest.

This play is a great example why you should not believe in supernatural things. Supernatural things will leave you messed up in the end. In the beginning of this play Macbeth, a general, gets his fortune told by three witches. They told him that he would become Thane of Cawdor and king. Macbeth did not believe them at first, but when he heard the news he started to.