From the beginning, Macbeth’s intentions are made clear to the reader; he wants power and authority. After hearing that he will become king, Macbeth’s mind immediately turns to the thought of murdering Duncan as demonstrated in his aside where he says, “... Why do I yield to that suggestion / Whose horrid image doth unfix my hair / And make my seated heart knock at my ribs/ Against the use of nature?” (Shakespeare, Macbeth 1.4.134-37). If he were truly a loyal patron, this thought would not last as long as it did in Macbeth’s head, but his ambition transformed him. As Macbeth’s downfall advances he loses his integrity since his vision is clouded by his ambition and maintaining his rule. Macbeth’s mania gets to a point where, “[the Witches] no longer need to go and meet him; he seeks them out.
The entire driving force of the play is Macbeth’s desperate desire to become king. And in order to achieve that, he must get rid of the current king, King Duncan. He expresses these desires in act one during which he is in a discussion and says aside “Stars, hide your fires;/ Let not light see my back and deep desires./ The eye wink at the hand, yet let that be/ Which the eye fears, when it is done, to see” (I.iv.57-60). From early on Macbeth exhibits these evil minded ambitions. He experiences guilt and questions whether or not he should go through with killing Duncan.
Macbeth recognizes that this means the prophecy cannot come true despite the Thane of Cawdor prediction becoming a reality. This displeases him greatly despite the fact that the king has bestowed upon him a great honor. He feels that because the witches said it that it must be true no matter what the consequences in the future are. This is a leading factor that causes Macbeth to decide to murder King Duncan. Macbeth consciously makes the decision to commit treason and knows that it will have consequences.
Shakespeare believes that ambition, when taken too far leads to our destruction as shown through Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, however after he has realize what he has done it. He has notice it was too far to turn back, so he continues his murderous, bloody path. In the beginning of the play Macbeth is a heroic soldier who fights for the king without mercy but he has strike for ambition, his curious nature and his wife ambition leads him to the witches who give him the prophecies. After the second prophecy has come true is
Shakespeare believes that ambition, when taken too far leads to our destruction as shown through Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. Macbeth noticed it was too far to turn back, so he continues his murderous, bloody path. In the beginning of the play, Macbeth is a heroic soldier who fights for the king without mercy but he has strikes for ambition, his curious nature and his wife’s ambition leads him to the witches who told him the prophecies. After the second prophecy has come true Macbeth has become the thane of Cawdor. He has led to growth of his ambition by his thought “whose horrid image doth unfix my hair and Ames my seated heart knock at my rib again the use of nature?
Shakespeare shows us that faith is complicated by our actions through Macbeth’s misunderstanding of the witches’ prophecy. In the beginning of the play, Macbeth proves himself to be stronger than the fate of a soldier. First, it started after the victory of Macdonwald. When Macbeth won the battle, everyone was surprised to see him coming back alive. The captain assumes that he would be dead in the battlefield.
Throughout the play, the temptation is what keeps us engage with Macbeth and his actions to fight it. Temptation leads to murder in which Macbeth does. Macbeth doesn’t just murder Duncan he also murders Banquo and Macduff’s family which is also led by temptation. Macbeth 's blinded by his actions and all he cares about is protecting his seat for the crown ignoring all life around him. Macbeth ignores that Duncan is a humble king and that he should protect him.
There be no unnatural case here. Tell him I have sent for Reverend Hale of Beverly, and Mr. Hale will surely confirm that.” In the first Act he is convinced that there is no witchcraft involved in Betty’s sickness, but later he is one of the greatest proponents of this view. One of the main reasons for this is that he yet again puts his own reputation over the truth by using his high status and the power of religion. In Act III he shows his selfishness and desire to maintain his social status as the minister as he commits perjury by omitting the part in which some of the dancing girls were
William Shakespeare is considered as one of the best play writers in history. One of his most well known plays is Macbeth where a Scottish general named Macbeth has a strong desire to be king which leads him to betray and murder his king, Duncan. He also kills the nobles who have been loyal to him in order to maintain his title as king. Throughout this play, Shakespeare uses the motif of ambition, guilt, and fate to characterize the characters, show the different themes present within the play, and how the motifs are still relevant today. One of the most important motifs is ambition.
Macbeth is responsible for his destruction because in life we make our own decisions however he was heavily influenced by the three witches and Lady Macbeth. The witches foretell Macbeth becoming king and Lady Macbeth persuades him to kill the king, which backfires on her. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth can be compared to Ahab and Jezebel in the Bible in that they both got selfish and went after things that would catch up with them and cost them their lives. Macbeth is ultimately responsible for the decisions he made but he was first influenced by the three witches visiting him telling him he would be king. All hail, Macbeth!