However, Macbeth starts to form a desire to be King. His goal to
Even if he was pressured into killing Duncan he did it anyway. After he has committed the murder of Duncan, Macbeth is plagued by guilt and remorse. This suggests that he recognizes the gravity of his actions and is
His disregard for consequences and his obsessive desire to gain godlike power corrupt what was once the pursuit of knowledge. Similarly in Macbeth, the ambition that initially pushes Macbeth to greatness becomes an evil force over time. Lady Macbeth says, "Nought's had, all's spent, where our desire is got without content," (Shakespeare, 3.2.6-7). This quote clearly shows the impact of Macbeth's unchecked ambition, which left him empty and disappointed after getting what he wanted. Macbeth's ambition corrupts his sense of right and wrong, leading him to commit crimes and lose his relationships and personal happiness in the process.
Greed and guilt are two characteristics that can wreak havoc on the human mind and soul, and give someone what they deserve over time. Therefore, nothing seems more satisfying than when the villain or protagonist gets what they deserve for their bad deeds. In The Tragedy of Macbeth, William Shakespeare shows these traits, along with their affects, through the tragic hero of the play, Macbeth, and his wife, Lady Macbeth, also leaving the reader with the question: “Could this happen today?” After gaining the corrupt title Macbeth craves, being king is not as significant as he implies. Macbeth admits to his reign being spoiled saying, “To be thus is nothing, but to be safely thus”(Act III, Scene I, lines 50-51).
Macbeth knows that if he kills Duncan, he gets the satisfaction in being king. Once Macbeth receives the position of “Thane of Cawdor” for his bravery so easily. “If chance will have me king, why, chance may crown me without my sir”(1.3.143-144). So he begins to think that since he received this higher position with doing nothing, then maybe doing nothing can crown him king. Although he was a very nice person, down deep he wanted to become king.
Of all the failures human beings experience none are as crushing as those that are a result of following someone else’s desires. In Shakespeare’s play Macbeth, the protagonist self-destructs because of his external forces as well as his own poor choices. An external force that influenced Macbeth includes Lady Macbeth’s strong goals, which she forced on her husband. Additionally, the witches impacted Macbeth’s choices by offering him their tricky prophecies. The blind greed that took over Macbeth’s life also impacted his choices.
The Destructive Force of Human Ambition In Shakespearean time and within his plays, ambition was viewed as a downfall in character and a defiance to human nature. In today’s world, ambition is viewed as a respectable attribute in both males and females. Yet, In William Shakespeare’s play, Macbeth, the destructive force of ambition transcends time. Although centuries apart, Macbeth, a noble who wants to seize the position of King, and Tonya Harding, a figure skater who wants to win an Olympic gold, are two examples of ambition, its misuses and consequences.
Almost everybody wants to have a lot of power, but when a person gets told that they are going to be something they want to make that something come by even faster so that they do not have to wait. In the story Macbeth by Shakespeare it shows how two men will achieve their destinies, but one of them is told that he will be king and the other is told that his descendants will be king. It shows how one man will do anything just cause he wants him and his wife to be king and queen, plus they will not let fate make them king and queen they will make themselves do that. Early on in the play Macbeth starts off as an honest, honorable, loyal subject of the king, but towards the end of Act one he changes to greedy and dishonorable. In this quote it says, “New honors come upon him, Like our strange garments, cleave not to their mold But with the aid of use”(Act 1 Scene 3 Page 6 Lines 149-151 Banquo).
At the beginning of the play Macbeth, the main character Macbeth learns that he will become King. When he realised he could be the leader, the power he desperately craves motivates him to alter his character. “Tis unnatural, Even like the deed that's done.” (2.4.6-14)
Macbeth’s ambition is one of the most prominent things that drive Macbeth in the play and truly becomes evident when he hears of the Witches prophecies. When the witches stop talking, he demands to know more. “Stay you imperfect speakers, tell me more” (I, III, 73-74). This portrays his excessive curiosity on the subject as well as his craving for more desirable prophecies. This ambitious nature and craving for power is also demonstrated only moments after hearing the witches, when he starts formulating a plan to kill Duncan in order to make the third prophecy come true.
Primarily, Macbeth craves power but is too weak to obtain it rightfully, leading him to a second internal struggle in which his ambitious attempts to obtain power conflict with his conscience. Finally both of these struggles are results of his struggle to be admired. Firstly, a contributing factor towards Macbeth’s internal struggle is his hunger for power that is contrasted by his cowardice which prevents him from independently attaining power. Macbeth hopes that “chance may crown (him) //
The play Macbeth involves a lot of ambition and negation. Macbeth was a great Scottish general. Macbeth comes along three witches and they tell him that he will be king. He listens to him and his strong leads him to wanting to become king. He will kill anyone that gets in his way.
There were numerous factors that led to the selfish acts that Macbeth portrayed, but, in the end, he only had himself to blame. One of the most prominent themes throughout the story is that ambition can lead to greed which can be problematic. After being awarded Thane of Cawdor, Macbeth is told, by witches, that it his fate to be king one day. Instead of Macbeth allowing fate happen as it should, he took matters into his own
Macbeth’s wish to become the king encouraged him to achieve his goals by any means. His intention is
Macbeth realizes that the Witches evil plan have only helped him in his destruction. At the end, his fate led him to his