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Ambition And Evil In Macbeth

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In the play of Macbeth, Shakespeare tells a story of a man and wife whose ambitions get the best of them. The couple seek to gain power in their kingdom, however there is already a king in power. Lady Macbeth is determined to become queen of the throne, and decides to push her husband to do so as well. Their determination to hold power brings out the dark demons in them while causing them to lose everything. The natural and moral evil in them is exposed as they push their moral boundaries to keep their power. Lady Macbeth knows that her husband is capable of becoming king, but he lacks the sense to realize his full ambition on his own because he “too full of th’ milk of human kindness to take the steps necessary to make himself king (1.5.15). …show more content…

He must tell more lies and commit more sins to stay king. Macbeth says that “I am in blood, stepp’d in so far that, should I wade no more” (act 3, scene 4 line 134). Here he knows that his actions cannot be taken back. The murders he has committed will stain him in blood as a murder forever. There is no question that there is evil within him, and that evil is his own ambition to stay on top. In Act 1 Macbeth kills Duncan and the king’s two guards, he then kills Banquo, Lady Macduff, her family, and Young Siward. He becomes a cold-blooded killer without any influence from his wife. She can no longer be held accountable for Macbeths horrible actions. Macbeth does not seek the guidance of his wife, nor her advice to commit these crimes; his actions are his own doings. There is no one to blame but himself for those numerous homicides. Macbeth and his wife pretend to “look like the innocent flower, but be the serpent undet’t (1.5) Their actions are criminal and evil, which is why they must hide behind lies to appear as righteous rulers. Macbeth’s whole life becomes a lie that is driven by evil and sin. Soon his false persona is seeping through and his actions come back to haunt

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