Ambition In Macbeth

English 11 Pd. 2

1 January 2013

_MACBETH_

Ambition is what drives you to do what you need to do to get something done.

Ambition is the driving force throughout _MacBeth_. It is the "engine" running the whole story. A tragic hero is the great character in a dramatic tragedy that is destined for defeat. The main character, MacBeth, is the one who ambition is driving the most. He is also the tragic hero of this story. Ambition is big in three ways in _MacBeth_. The three ways are three witches created and added more ambition in Macbeth throughout the play, ambition drives him to commit murder, and it added to his cockiness and his feeling that he is invincible.

One way ambition was big because it was right there from the beginning. The three
Not even just one murder, he committed multiple murders. The first murder he committed was when he killed Duncan. He killed Duncan because he saw no other way to become king. After killing Duncan, Malcolm and Donalbain, his sons, fled to Ireland and England fearing they will be the next ones killed. This made MacBeth king. This wasn't the end of Macbeth's murder spree though. He was there when the witches told Banquo "Hail! Hail! Lesser than Macbeth, and greater. Not so happy, yet much happier. Thou shalt get kings, though thou be none" (I.iii.62-67). This meant Banquo's son will become king and MacBeth did not wan this so he had Banquo killed. Also, after MacBeth learns from the first apparition later on in the story that he needed to fear MacDuff, so he had all of MacDuff's family killed to send a message to MacDuff. This was another way that ambition played a role in the
The second apparition told him "Be bloody, bold and resolute; laugh to scorn the pow'r of man, for none of woman born shall harm MacBeth" (IV.i.79-81). This contributes to this feeling that he is invincible because he thinks that no one can not be born of a woman. This will later lead to MacBeth's demise and death, as he is not ready to face MacDuff, who was born through a C-section, which means he is technically not "born" of a woman. Also, the third apparition says, "Be lion-mettled, proud and take no care who chafes, who frets, or where conspirers are. MacBeth shall never vanquished be until Great Birnam Wood to high Dunsinane Hill Shall come against him" (IV.i. 90-94). This made him think that he will not be defeated until the forest of Birnam Wood moves and he doesn't think a forest will move. While he feels invincible because of this, the army MacDuff and Malcolm assembled is using the Birnam Wood as camouflage so it technically looks as if the forest is "moving". MacBeth, after feeling invincible and very cocky, dies by the sword of MacDuff, the man who was not born of woman. This is the third and final way ambition plays a big part in the