Theme Of Macbeth's Ambition

In 1606 William Shakespeare wrote a play about a tragic hero named Macbeth who later turns into a tyrannical ruler due to believing the prophesies of three witches. The main theme of the play is ambition and how it compels the main characters to pursue it. Macbeth and his wife Lady Macbeth’s relationship is greeted with nothing, but irony throughout the play due to their greed for power. This is different from Shakespeare’s other plays as they mostly rely on romance and trust. Ambition is defined as the strong desire to achieve something, and this is obviously evident in the play as Macbeth strives to make himself King, and prevent fate from occurring. Not only is ambition present in Macbeth, but in Lady Macbeth as well. Ambition motivates both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth to commit dreadful deeds, and later, Macbeth’s ambition turns into obsession. By the end of the play, Macbeth’s ambition ultimately causes his demise and that of Scotland.

The source of Macbeth’s ambition is the meeting of the witches and receiving the prophecies of Macbeth becoming king. In act one each witch gives their prophecy of Macbeth’s rise to power,” All hail, Macbeth! hail to thee, Thane of Glamis, All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee,
To make them kings, the seed of Banquo kings! Rather than so, come fate into the list, and champion me to th' utterance. Who’s there?”(Act 3, scene 1, 74-76)He kills Banquo his only trusted confidant and witness to the witches prophesies to further his goal of becoming king, but fails to prevent Banquo’s son Fleance from taking his place in line to the throne. Fleance ends up escaping, and Macbeth worries that the boy will grow up and come back to take the throne. (Act 3, scene 1,110-11) Macbeth feels threatened by Macduff, so he orders Macduff's murder. Macduff is not home, but his family is