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Macbeth Power And Ambition Essay

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Absolute power corrupts absolutely… unless, your absolute power is a “God-given” privilege, obviously. The ambition for power can drive a man to murder anyone (men, women, and children). When analyzing Macbeth, it becomes clear that the character of Macbeth demonstrates the potential destructiveness of power and ambition. His traits of being ambitious, a fighter, and (after Lady Macbeth persuades him to commit his sinful deeds) an overall evil figure (murdering all who stand in his path in being the ruler of Scotland) leads to destruction through power and ambition. The ambition of Macbeth seems to make him even more villainous as he seeks to be the ruler of Scotland. His "black and deep desires" (Act 1, Scene 4, Lines 55-60) make it clear that he (Macbeth) is ambitious for immoral goals, in which he wants none to know of. And when Macbeth is honest with himself, he admits that there's no good reason to kill Duncan, because Duncan is perfectly good being the King of Scotland. It is because Macbeth only want the power of King for himself (Act 1, Scene 7, Lines 25-28). Even as his ambition for becoming the King of Scotland is unraveled, Macbeth seeks to know more about being in power, such as when he asks the Three Witches how he will be King of Cawdor (Scene 1, Act 3, Lines 72-80). Macbeth's character as a fighter (both on the …show more content…

This leads to Macbeth becoming a tyrant, a murderer, a liar, and eventually being killed (by Macduff) in an attempt to restore order and balance to Scotland. Whilst being one who doesn't give up, he does anything in order to fulfil his ambition for becoming the King of Scotland. Macbeth's traits demonstrate the potential destructiveness of power and ambition throughout the entire play as they become the force behind Macbeth, allowing him to perform the evil acts that he

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