Although ambition is typically described as a positive quality that promotes the betterment of oneself and success in an individual’s life, an overabundance of ambition soon leads to the opposite effect. This lack of self-control over one's desires eventually leads that person losing their sense of morality and caution, which results in their demise. This is the case in Shakespeare’s play, Macbeth, in which the titular character’s over-ambitious nature leads him to sacrifice his honour in order to pursue his goal of becoming the king. His greed transforms him from a morally upright noble into a despicably ruthless villain. This dramatic change in character is shown through his many soliloquies and asides that reveal his innermost thoughts of initial doubt, but by the end, his arrogant and foolish personality. Through the tale of this tragic character, Shakespeare suggests that ambition without self-control is a harmful quality that leads to the corruption and the downfall of a once righteous person.…
Power and corruption are some of the major themes presented in Shakespeare’s play, Macbeth. The story deals with these themes by showing us how Macbeth’s actions have grim consequences which ensue in poor results, such as Macbeth’s complete change of character.…
Watch as Macbeth drives himself insane trying to claim the throne. He hears that the Thane of Cawdor died and he could become king. The Thane of Glamis develops an ambition to be king and kills Duncan, who is already the king. Killing Duncan drives Macbeth insane, and eventually, he loses all feelings towards life or death and goes numb. Since Macbeth’s ambition is to become king he is willing to do anything, but because of this, he begins to go psychotic by the end of the play.…
The Bard of Avon saturates the pages of the tragedy Macbeth with ugly feelings of ambition - unprincipled ambition which is ready to kill for itself. Let's thoroughly search out the major instances of ambitious behavior by the husband-wife team.…
Ambition and desire in itself are not bad traits, it is only when released from moral constraints that they can wreak havoc. These traits, which have been freed from any sense of morality and principles are explored through Shakespeare’s tragedy, Macbeth. Shakespeare developed Macbeth as a noble character who gives in to the cravings of power and superiority over others, and not only goes on a murdering rampage, but drags his morally corrupt wife with him, ultimately signing away their lives.…
Many people have hopes and goals that they would like to accomplish. They may desire powerful positions or jobs, while others may desire prosperity and riches. This is known as ambition, the spell binding force that leads people towards success. However, ambition may result in harmful acts to get their satisfaction. In William Shakespeare’s tragic play, Macbeth, the protagonist, Macbeth, is described as a very loyal and noble soldier. As the play progresses, Macbeth’s character dramatically changes because of several different factors. These factors influence Macbeth greatly and cause him to make numerous bad decisions. The influence of the witches’ prophecies, the influence of Lady Macbeth, and Macbeth’s blind ambitions are the most important factors that lead to Macbeth’s tragic deterioration.…
When Macbeth says, "Things bad begun make strong themselves by ill.", he is talking about the murders and the lies he has to keep up with. "Things bad begun" means that he started off doing wrong when he committed the first murder. "make themselves strong by ill." means that once he continued on murder to maintain the crown things had only gotten worse, and he started to lose his mind with all the guilt he had to live with. A major theme in Macbeth is unchecked ambition, or a strong drive for success that can't be controlled. This theme represents a comment on life because most of us are all caught up on what we want ourselves to become, we would be willing to manipulate other to get to the top.…
A knight’s moral code, that is taken by heart, is to always protect and serve. The Tragedy of Macbeth by Shakespeare is a tragedy about how a knight is stuck in between loyalty and ambition. Three witches tell Macbeth he would become Thane of Cawdor and later king. Once Thane of Cawdor, Macbeth pressured by his wife, begins to see his future as king, but realizes he has obstacles in the way. Pressured by Lady Macbeth, the three witches, and his ambition for the throne, Macbeth commits murder under trust and treason.…
Given these points, one can conclude the leading theme in The Tragedy of Macbeth is ambition. Through the examples of characteristics, actions and events, and quotes, one can find that the characters in the play clearly portray ambition, determination, and a strong willed attitude. The reader can also see that all the characters throughout the story provide an absolute depiction of the attribute ambition. The Tragedy…
What is ambition? Ambition is a strong desire to do something and requires hard work and determination. Do people need ambition to be successful? Many people believe they do need ambition to be successful. Ambition is a beneficial force that helps people strive to do their best.…
Is there a limit as to how far someone should go to get what they want? Is there justification in killing, lying, or stealing to achieve something one may desire? Each person has their own moral incentives and upbringings yet excessive ambition may affect or lapse one's moral standards and beliefs. Ambition is the drive and determination everyone has in order to achieve their goals. Whether someone chooses to do this consciously, and refrains from harming others, or vice versa, can only be determined once the action is completed. In Macbeth by William Shakespeare, the main character Macbeth fights to accomplish his goals, immersing himself with his motivation to take over Scotland and become King. Macbeth’s performance on the battlefield allowed…
The General statement made by William Shakespeare in the play Macbeth is that conflict that comes with the thirst of power can cause someone to conform, then is challenged to decide whether to pursue the desire of the thirst of power or conform to a regular life. More specifically, when Macbeth is given the prophecy from the three witches, he then has the thirst for power that makes him lose all of his morals.…
Macbeth; a classic play known by many, written by the one and only Shakespeare, tells a tale of a noble man who slowly loses himself transforming into a traitor and tyrant whose hands “[can all the] water in the ocean wash this blood from my hands“ for the deeds he has done are unforgivable. He’s led on by influences from the three weird witches who tell him predictions, his own wife full of greed for more, and simply his own ambitions which drive him into a world full of corruption and pain.…
Ambition can be described as a dangerous quality but also a desirable one because it sets our goals and helps lead us to where we want to be. Macbeth and Mark Zuckerberg are both ambitious in their own ways to achieve their goals. They both have the right mindset, motivation and lack the negativity to not do so. Both Macbeth and Mark went through a lot to reach their goals and they were both ambitious in doing so, but the real question that comes to mind is “what is the true cost of ambition”?…
Often times, people set goals for themselves to accomplish. These goals create great desire and ambition which fuels all action. However, when the ambition in question becomes uncontrollable, the outcome can be negative. The excessive and uncontrollable ambition of Macbeth, the brave warrior in William Shakespeare’s play Macbeth, leads to his downfall. This uncontrollable desire for power leads Macbeth to lose his morality, identity and his friends and family. With little care for the journey, Macbeth neglected all consequences which leads him to his death.…