Ambition is defined as “a strong desire to do or to achieve something” (Dictionary.com). To accomplish anything, from a simple task to a daunting feat, one simply needs ambition. In William Shakespeare’s iconic play, Macbeth, the underrated danger of this initiative is introduced. Through Macbeth’s murderous rise to power, Shakespeare demonstrates the destructive force of humanity’s ambition, which remains a relevant notion today. Macbeth’s determination to become King results in his destructive and murderous tactics. Macbeth initially struggles with his decision to kill King Duncan: But in these case We still have judgement here, that we but teach… This even-handed justice Commends the ingredients of our poisoned chalice To our own lips…First, …show more content…
Days before the U.S Women’s Championships, and weeks prior to the 1994 Winter Games, her fellow competitor and rival, Nancy Kerrigan, was bludgeoned just above her right knee. The doctor who treated Kerrigan told the New York Times at the time that the assailant “was clearly trying to debilitate her”. It would later be known, the assailant was hired by Harding’s ex-husband, Jeff Gillooly. With Kerrigan injured, Harding was able to secure gold at the championships and a spot at the Olympics. The attack rattled the Figure Skating World and attracted international attention, as many people believed Tonya Harding had attempted to sabotage her teammate to ensure her own success at the Olympics. Harding later pleaded guilty to conspiring to hinder the prosecution, during the federal criminal investigation. However, six months after the attack, the U.S. Figure Skating Association (USFSA) conducted their own investigation in relation to Harding’s involvement in the attack. Panel chairman, William Hybl, announced their decision: "By a preponderance of the evidence, the five members of the panel concluded that she had prior knowledge and was involved prior to the incident,"(Washington Post). Following their investigation, Harding was stripped of her 1994 U.S. Championship title and was permanently banned from all USFSA events as a skater and coach. Every Olympian is ambitious and …show more content…
Harding endured shocking abuse by her mother and husband. Whilst, Macbeth is manipulated by his wife to continue to kill and preserve his power. After Macbeth retracts his decision and decides not to kill King Duncan, Lady Macbeth questions her husband’s masculinity: “What beast was’t, then, / That made you break this enterprise to me? / When you durst do it, then you were a man; / And to be more than what you were, you would / Be so much more the man” (1.7.29). In this quotation, Lady Macbeth tells her husband he would be more of a man if he goes through with the murder, and keeps his word. This is an example of Lady Macbeth’s consistent manipulation, in which she commonly targets his masculinity and apparent cowardice. His eventual descent into immorality and apathy is a consequence of Lady Macbeth’s malicious planning and coercion. As showcased in the mock-documentary, I Tonya, Harding was a victim of domestic violence for the majority of her life. The film depicts a particular scene in which her mother throws a knife at her arm, during one of their violent arguments. The dark comedy features Harding’s repeated abuse and her own uncomfortable tolerance of it. Her mother and husband concealed their abuse through their apparent support and “tough-love” façade. Like Macbeth, Tonya was negatively influenced by people in her life and inevitably misguided by their actions. As everyone around them
“What beast was ’t, then, that made you break this enterprise to me? When you durst do it, then you were a man; and to be more than what you were, you would be so much more the man” (Macbeth, act 1, scene 7.) Her words did the trick and he killed the king, thus keeping her hands clean and proving that women can easily control a man. Women tempt men’s willpower with their seductive nature.
Shakespeare presents the theme of ambition in Macbeth. Ambition is a strong desire to do or achieve something, ambition can also be presented in a positive and negative way. Shakespeare presents ambition in a negative way through some characters who are Macbeth, Lady Macbeth and King Duncan. The reason these characters present ambition in a negative way is because they end up dying. Ambition is also present in a positive way through some characters who are Macduff, Witches and Malcolm these are the characters who survive in the play showing that you can be ambitious but not too ambitious.
Macbeth tries to defend his decision by saying: “I dare do all that become a man” (1.5.46) in one last attempt to try and sway his wife to see things his way. But she continues to disparage him in her reply. She also reminds him of their child. She tells him that even if it had been their own child she still would have killed it if she had promised him that she would. Which further ensues his guilt causing him to reluctantly agree to their original plot.
Tonya Harding is debatably one of the best figure skaters to have ever skated. She overcame some rough family struggles and money issues. With all of the circumstances being stated, Tonya Hardings “built up” reputation was quickly ruined when she was implicated in the attack of Nancy Kerrigan at the 1994 Olympic trials. Since the 1994 Olympic trials, there have been numerous suggestions as to if she had anything to do with Nancy Kerrigans injury. Tonya is now in her late 40’s and has “moved” on from the scandal.
Another person; the chief executive of USA Gymnastics quit because of the way that he handled all of this. Perhaps he knew he would get in trouble, or he knew that everyone would find out that he did not do everything in his power to protect these girls. It poses the question of why? Why he did not do his job the way he should have, and why he did not protect these girls from the horrible sexual abuse they experienced. And while the answer is not 100% clear, it seems to be because he simply did not care.
With this in mind, if a man couldn’t do something a woman can, he was a disgrace; Lady Macbeth is taunting Macbeth with the gender gap, which makes him want to prove he’s more masculine and can keep it together. Even though, Lady Macbeth is viewed as a manipulative character, towards the end, she changes and shows signs of remorse/regret, which is not like her character. Lady Macbeth begins to feel remorseful because she has made an outright killing machine out of Macbeth. Lady Macbeth starts to ask herself “The thane of Fife had a wife. Where is she now?
Then, when he still had second thoughts she begins to tell him that she would do a better job than he would. Lady Macbeth also call Macbeth not a man, telling him to man up. Lady Macbeth also said, “When you durst do it, then you are a man; and to be more than what you were, you would be so much more than a man.” (pg-43). Lastly Macbeth tell Lady Macbeth that his biggest fear is failing at killing the king so she said, “We Fail?
In the beginning Shakespeare’s Macbeth, Lady Macbeth was a ruthless and masculine woman. She showed the audience that, mentally and emotionally, she was stronger than Macbeth. Although as the story started to continue the audience began to see that she was becoming mentally insane. Throughout the story there was also evidence of shakespeare showing the more masculinity you had the more cuel you became.
Ambition is a natural part of human existence, every person has it at least a little. It is when ambition grows too large and takes control of us that it becomes dangerous. It becomes obsessive and soon nothing will stop the person obsessed. Just by looking around at our world today, one can clearly see the results of unchecked ambition. Unchecked ambition can be destructive to a society and cause the society's downfall.
William Shakespeare portrayed the character Lady Macbeth to be extremely ruthless, malicious and manipulative. Thus, being the reason she could easily convince Macbeth to do her will, yet still put on such a convincing performance in front of those who knew nothing of her and her husband’s actions. Lady Macbeth shows her complexity constantly throughout the story when she shares her view-point on masculinity by demasculinizing her own husband, when she strategically plans the murder of the King Duncan, and finally when she finally goes crazy because of the guilt she possesses for not only her own actions but also turning her own husband into a
Lady Macbeth tried and attempted to fasten onto Macbeth’s inner feelings and attacked his level of masculinity. He is a easy person to manipulate once the future queen questioned his manliness. Macbeth tells Lady Macbeth that he cannot go through with killing King Duncan, she proceeds to tell him that he is a coward. To further convince her husband to kill Duncan is the utmost importance she said that she “would, while (her unborn child) was smiling in my face, have plucked my nipple from his boneless gums and dashed his brains out.” (Act 1, Scene 7, Lines
“Come, you spirits, That tend on mortal thoughts,/unsex me here, And fill me from the crown to the toe top-full/ Of dire cruelty” (1.5.41-44). Lady Macbeth is the personification of male dominance, ruthlessness and violence. She hopes that she could take control of all action. She yearns to be a man and her implication is that she is more masculine than Macbeth. Her drive and violent nature is more akin to men and their masculinity.
What is ambition? Ambition is the determination to achieve one’s goals. In the play Macbeth by William Shakespeare the protagonist, Macbeth, possesses ambition, which led to his downfall. In the play Macbeth’s ambition is driven by prophecies from witches and his wife’s aspiration. Ambition caused Macbeth to commit multiple homicides and after those wrongdoings Macbeth is left with nothing.
Macbeth’s pride allowed his wife to use his ambition as leverage calling him a ‘coward’, ‘lesser than a man’. Macbeth was unable to withstand the belittlement and his masculinity mocked. Previously, Macbeths desire to obtain the
Macbeth is hesitant to murder but Lady Macbeth questions his manhood and tells him how much more of a man he will be if he would kill