Macbeth's Ambition In Macbeth By William Shakespeare

William Shakespeare, one of history’s legendary writers, created the play Macbeth with a tragedy that still burns with pity and sadness for Macbeth to this very day. From Macbeth’s tragic flaws, his continuous errors in judgement, to his complete downfall, this character actively demonstrates many characteristics of a Shakespearean tragic hero. The character Macbeth is a tragic hero in the play Macbeth. One of the reasons how Macbeth is a tragic hero is by his tragic flaws. In the play, the audience receives a sense of Macbeth’s ambition from this quote: “I have no spur/to prick the sides of my intent, but only/vaulting ambition, which overlaps itself/and falls on the others” (1,7,25-28).

“A man with too much ambition cannot sleep in peace” as stated by Maxx Mitchell. This statement describes that the people will have some trade off in order to pursue something they have, to give up on something. However, the goal is really the choice It could lead to different consequences either positive or negative. Shakespeare 's play Macbeth is described as a tragic character and his action has been influenced by his wife. Shakespeare believes that ambition, when taken too far leads to our destruction as shown through Macbeth and Lady Macbeth.

Yet, in the end, it is all for nought. Macbeth is seen for who he truly is and the country turns against him. Macbeth ends up losing the position he gained through murder by being killed himself. Shakespeare’s lesson that “blood will have blood” is the reason Macbeth loses all he has gained by blood. Not only does the blood signify the immovable guilt Macbeth feels, but it also is a picture of the fragility of Macbeth’s power.

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. Another example of ambition is when Lady Macbeth plans the murder of Duncan and continually urges Macbeth to do it in order to fulfill the prophecy and desire. Lady Macbeth puts aside her reasoning and lets her temptation run her actions. Ambition is what drives the both of them to commit such atrocities. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth wanted to be powerful so bad that they were willing to compromise their morals in order to be successful.

Shakespeare’s play “Macbeth” is about a man named Macbeth who is an ambitious person, will commit atrocious acts to achieve his desires. At the end of the play, Malcolm expresses Macbeth and lady Macbeth as “this dead butcher and his fiend like queen”. Lady Macbeth’s evil is restricted to the first murder, but on the other hand, Macbeth who starts off as a noble hero, goes from one ruthless killing to the next. Even though Macbeth has made immoral decisions, you still need to consider the fact that the audience has a clear understanding of both Macbeth and lady Macbeth’s conscience and guilt from the murders afterwards. Therefore, since they have conscience and experience guilt, it is difficult to say they deserved this epitaph.

In William Shakespeare’s play, Macbeth, the leading motif, ambition, equally serves as the catalyst for Macbeth’s demise. Throughout the play, Shakespeare gradually exposes Macbeth’s weak character and internal darkness as he presents Macbeth with the seductive illusion of power and ambition. Macbeth’s ambition turned him from a noble Thane to a murdering King, encouraged by his wife until his tender character turned ruthless, and eventually led to the final deaths Lady Macbeth and himself. In the beginning of Macbeth, the protagonist possessed respectable qualities. Similar to Oedipus, Macbeth desired to save their kingdoms either from the plague or Scottish traitors.

Tamara Z. In Shakespeare's tragic play Macbeth , The named character finds himself in conflict with what he believes to be morally right and his lust for power. This burning desire leads Macbeth to make corrupt decisions which ultimately result in his downfall and the downfall of the kingdom . When Macbeth hears his prophecy he is swayed by the witches and later by his wife , who challenges his manhood and fuels his desire . Macbeth quickly takes matters into his own hands and disrupts fate and nature .

It is painfully obvious that envy is a poisonous feeling with no good outcome. Later in the play, Macbeth has a different person to envy. “And to that dauntless temper of his mind, he hath a wisdom that doth guide his valor to act in safety. There is none but he whose being I do fear, and under him, my genius is rebuked, as it is said” (3.i.55-59 Macbeth). Macbeth has been crowned king and has gained the most powerful position in Scotland but he is not happy.

For mine own good, All the causes shall give way. I am in blood Stepped in so far that, I wade no more, Returning were as tedious as go o’er, Strange things I have in head that will to hand, Which must be acted ere they may be scanned. So then Macbeth sees the ghost of Banquo who shames Macbeth bringing regret to himself and pushing him deeper into remorse. Even though Macbeth regrets what he has done and wants to go back in time and undo what he has done, but he is stuck with guilt, remorse and contrition. This quote shows that Macbeth wishes he could go back to having a clear consciences and had not committed those crimes.

As the play progresses, Macbeth starts to turn into a greedy, ambitious king who does anything he can to preserve his title, while Lady Macbeth loses all her ambition and turns crazy. Even though both the characters have a lot of similarities and differences in terms of ambition, they both realized that they made a big mistake after the murder of King Duncan and chose the wrong path to live their