When ambition is overlooked, it has the ability to become extremely dangerous. Macbeth from Shakespeare is a clear example of this. As he rises to power, he becomes more and more of a threat to those around him, killing those he was once loyal to. Destruction when ambition goes unchecked is present throughout the play because of Macbeth’s strong desires that ultimately lead to the deaths of Duncan, Banquo, and nearly Macduff.
Macbeth is also one of the most ambitious character as he does many crimes to achieve the power and become the King. Macbeth’s ambition started when the witches told him about the prophecies because of these prophecies he killed King Duncan and planned to kill Banquo. Before Macbeth killed the King, even though he was really ambitious he still thought before killing Duncan this shows ambition in a positive way. However, he still killed King Duncan this shows ambition in a negative way. The first time Macbeth met the witches one thing they said to Banquo was that his son will rule the world in the fear that someone will take his kingship he tried to kill Banquo’s son. Most of the characters who were killed in the play died off stage and Macbeth was killed on stage this shows that due to his evilness and the crimes he committed Shakespeare showed that this is what will happen to you and too much ambition is not a good
Greed for power has always been evil and even made a saint turn into a demon. As the quote goes “All power tends to corrupt and an absolute power corrupts absolutely” (unquote), which is true not only in the fictitious stories but also in real life and Shakespeare, th9e greatest writer ever known, has always been in habit of making fictitious character come alive and Macbeth is no exception to the rule. The character of Macbeth has two sides, one which is wholesome while other been dubious. He symbolized great ambition but went overboard and in the process not only became corrupt but also became a killer. Macbeth reflects great strength but within he has his own weakness and thus good over took evil resulting in its downfall and finally his own death. His wife, Lady Macbeth, was the most influential person as far as Macbeth was concerned and any decision of his would have trademark of his wife, Lady Macbeth. The greed of Macbeth for more power led him to commit monstrous acts however
Ambition has a major role in the play Macbeth. One of the main things for a character such as Macbeth. Ambition lead him to commit the murder of Duncan, and losing Everything he had. In the beginning of the play Macbeth celebrated as he was brave soldier as he rewarded. He becomes the thane of Coward, as predicted by the three witches. Since Macbeth has got his prophecies of getting all the power, which that lead him a striving man. The three witches (the weird sisters) had gave him the prophecies which turned Macbeth into a single- minded and ruthless man. An encounter with the three witches’ changes everything to Macbeth, Macbeth premonition said “shalt be king hereafter,” (Shakespeare 1.4 22-24) Which triggers ambition and murderous consequences. Which saying everything will come
MacBeth is the main character in Shakespeare's MacBeth and rightfully so. He is the character that changes the most and has the greatest impact on the story. MacBeth is the one whom the tragedy is placed on, and because of this it is his story. MacBeth's dynamic character changes throughout the play driving the story forward and showing the theme of visions of power create ambition in individuals.
In the novel, Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, ambition evolves into a form of obsession with revenge. But the result of vengeance is a curse to human life and its longevity. Both main characters in the novel, Victor and the monster become obsessed and let vengeance be their downfall.
Hamartia is the fatal flaw of a tragic hero. Macbeth’s hamrita is being too ambitious. One if the time that Macbeth showed his ambition is when he killed Duncan. Macbeth killed Duncan because he wanted to be king, but before that, Duncan, the King of Scotland had just pronounced his son next in line for king. Macbeth says this to himself when he is preparing to kill Duncan.
The play “Macbeth”, by William Shakespeare illustrates many themes through the characters from the beginning to the end of the story. But the main central theme introduced is Ambition and Greed. As the play goes on we read how Macbeth permits his Ambition and Greed to dictate the outcomes and tragedy’s that occur to himself and others. The main examples of Ambition and Greed is seen through Duncan, Banquo, and Macduff.
Frankenstein’s mother, a character who’s non-existent for most of the novel, plays a big part of Victor’s ultimate demise. Soon after her death, Victor felt as though he could 've done more as if he could 've saved her. The absence of his mother drove Victor to invest into his interests and go to Ingolstadt. While at Ingolstadt, Victor became interested in the studies of science. “But this state of mind had place only in the first steps towards knowledge: the more fully I entered into the science, the more exclusively I pursued it for its own sake.” (30). Victor becomes enamored with science and ideas that come with the subject. Victor wants to unlock all of the knowledge that science brings for the sake of his own enrichment. This leads Victor to become obsessed with the idea of creating life and soon finds a way to do so. “ It was with these feelings that I began the creation of a human being.”(33). His drive to create a human being circulates around the idea that he wants to preserve life and keep loved ones alive. On the night of the creatures creation, Victor was at a loss for words. “How can I describe my emotions at this catastrophe, or how delineate the wretch whom with such infinite pains and care I had endeavoured to form?” (35). Catastrophe? This is everything that Victor Frankenstein wanted and more. He created life, he beat death, but was that worth the monstrosity that he created? Victor did nothing but question his belief and sacrifices he made. “I had
Simultaneously, Victor failing to take responsibility for his own creation leads the creature down a path of destruction that manufactures his status as a societal outcast. The creature's dissolution from society, his search for someone to share his life with, the familiarity with intense anguish, his thirst for retribution, each of these traits coincide with Victor as he is depicted throughout the novel. Victor unknowingly induces his own undoing through his rejection of the creature. Shelley foreshadows his downfall by stating that “the monster still protested his innate goodness, blaming Victor’s rejection and man’s unkindness as the source of his evil” (Shelley 62) The creature essentially places Victor at fault for the creature becoming an outcast of society, by expressing this Shelley constructs a very austere portrayal of man’s contact with outsiders. Virginia Brackett asserts in her analysis of the novel that “Due to the monster's rejection by the cottagers and other humans, Victor serves not only as his creator but also as the only social construct on which he can build his reality” As the creator of the creature, Victor adopted the responsibility of his creation and the duties that accompany it, however, instead of answering the call of duty he fled and disregarded his obligation to the creature. The creature
Macbeth’s greatest weakness is his ambition, but it is also his greatest strength. Despite his ambition being one of his major weaknesses, it is not his sole weakness he exhibits that contributes to his inevitable death. 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’.
People today are so concerned with how they can better their life by speeding up the natural process of things. Victor also wishes to see modifications in lifestyle, by creating life himself. He becomes obsessed with the idea of being a human creator of life that it leads to corruption. One of shelley’s arguments goes along with how modifying the natural process of some things can lead to monstrous actions. The life that Victor created was not able to fit into society correctly, but was also too powerful to be destroyed. The creation was so powerful in fact that Victor, its own creator, was even horrified by it. One of the questions Victor asks himself is “Had I right, for my own benefit, to inflict this curse upon everlasting generations” (Shelley 220)? This is a good foreshadowing of what was to come of technology in the future. It sets the idea that technology has a long term effect on the world, and those who created it are the ones who must integrated it wisely into society. Victor reflects on the hvac the creation has caused in his life and feels guilty that “future ages might curse me as their pest, whose selfishness had not hesitated to buy its own peace at the price, perhaps, of the existence of the whole human race” (Shelley 220). He can only imagine the further damage that the monster can do to the world, and while he wanted to
A very explicit theme in the play Macbeth is: lust and ambition. This is can be probably seen in every character in the play: Macbeth, Young Siward, Malcolm, Lady Macbeth and many more. All of the characters are driven by a desire to do what they believe is best: it usually begins with ambition. Ambition tends to lead a person to lust whatever they desire and to try to achieve it. Lust is usually thought to be a bad emotion: in such a way that it tends to become evil, but in Macbeth it also shows a good side: showing the perseverance and pride it gives to the person.
Through the tragic play Macbeth, William Shakespeare depicts that unchecked ambition unsupported with effort will lead to nothing but detrimental outcomes. More specifically, Macbeth's “vaulting ambition which o'erleaps itself” ended up being a larger hinderance than advantage, single handedly leading to the demise of himself and the demise of others around him.
The road to a fatal outcome can be observed through many different qualities but excessive ambition is one of the main downfalls for most of us in society. Evil motivation due to uncontrollable and unnecessarily high ambition produces difficult obstacles in our lives. We could also become blind to making the right and moral decisions when our ambition is unrestrained. Additionally, all of the paths and routes for immoderate ambition leads to destruction and disorder. Another important note to keep in mind is that chaos and complications will be rooted from not only extravagant ambition but also poor decision making. The choices we make reflect ourselves and represents what we have been through with our lives and what experiences we have with certain areas in life. In the play Macbeth, William Shakespeare uses the concept of ambition to explore its impact on Macbeth’s personality and thoughts.