Macbeth's Ambition Essay

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.
Macbeth after experiencing the witch’s prophecies has begun to change and advance through to see the prophecies. Macbeth is told prophecies from the witches explaining how Macbeth will be “...Thane of Glamis.., ..Thane of Cawdor... And all hail Macbeth that shalt be king thereafter.” Macbeth sceptical at first brushes it off as some crap, but as soon as Thane of Cawdor is bestowed upon him his trust lies with the witches and
begins to believe the other prophecies. Macbeth returns to the witches looking for more apparitions and predictions which only drive him further into his ambitious nature trying to do everything he can to get to what they say no matter the cost. Believing all that they say Macbeth soon believes he himself is invincible, “for none of woman born can harm Macbeth”, ultimately driving him into the feeling of invisibility and soon a spiral of numbness. He’s soon a follower to the prophecies and will do whatever in his power to become more powerful and see them through.
Lady Macbeth, full of thirst for her husband’s power creates a devious plan for Macbeth to become king sooner than intended by the death of King Duncan. Lady Macbeth puts together a plan to kill Duncan through deception exclaiming “Look like the innocent flower, but be the serpent under’t.” Wanting fame and greed and good high quality items, but Macbeth rejects the idea out of shear fear exclaiming that he doesn’t want to get into such deeds. Lady Macbeth uses varying degrees of peer pressure and guilt to trick Macbeth into the first murder of Duncan where it all began; it was her peer pressure that ultimately started this chain of events. Macbeth is basically forced into such a deed for Lady Macbeth cannot ‘if he looks like my father while sleeping”, she continues to press Macbeth to the deed, Macbeth sees “...a dagger of the mind, a false creation’’, which is basically his conscience providing him with a choice, the crossroads of good and evil. But his choice was to continue with the murder. Although receiving pressure from his wife Macbeth had a choice, and he chose to do the murder.

Macbeths own vision of his ‘bright’ future for himself threw him into a lust for greed and power, the only thing that mattered was his ambitions.
The goal to become ruler turned into a subconscious goal of becoming a tyrant, Macbeth wanted power and the prophecies and ambitions he had been given was what threw him into this state. He tries to hide his true desires at first by stating “Let not light see my black and deep desires” but is unsuccessful thereafter. He soon realises that there is no turning back that “[he is] in blood, Stepped in so far that, should [he not] wade no more”, Macbeth although began on this path due to the witches, his wife, and simply his own nature; ambitious, it was he who chose to continue it. He states that he All causes shall give way” meaning he won’t stop until his path is clear, it is shown by killing Macduffs’ wife and children, there was no need other than his will to show he is unstoppable and his idea of ‘vengeance’. Ultimately Macbeth’s power overwhelmed him creating false delusions and a numb heart to the
world.
Therefor in the end it was the influence Macbeth received that constantly drove him farther and farther into his ambitions, and soon after madness encased his thoughts and his confidence rose, that’s when it was his choice, it was to continue with such deeds he chose as he saw no going back. Ultimately Macbeth is partially responsible for his actions.