The cast of Hamilton: The Musical once sang “ambition is my folly”. This quote, sung by Alexander Hamilton himself, was showing that having too much ambition will lead to your downfall in life. One character that comes to mind when hearing the word, ambition, is Macbeth from the Shakespearean play Macbeth by non other than William Shakespeare. Macbeth follows the story of a former general named Macbeth who goes crazy with greed and power and does anything to remain king, even murder. Although Macbeth's journey to becoming king may seem simple, it was full of not only emotional but physical triumphs. Throughout the book, Macbeth’s ambition is driven by numerous factors including: the prophecy of the witches, Lady Macbeth, and wanting to stay king. Initially, Macbeth’s emotional and physical journey begins with the prophecy that the three witches had told Macbeth about. Once the witches tell Macbeth that he will become the future king, his ambition become prominent as it is shown in the same scene as the witches when Macbeth says “Why do I find myself thinking about murdering king Duncan?” (21). So, right after the witches tell Macbeth that he will become king he already has this ambitious feeling of needing that power and doing whatever it takes to get it. However, at this point in the book Macbeth still is fighting the urge of wanting that power. To continue, in the next scene Macbeth finds himself becoming more consumed by the thought of becoming king that while with
Ambition is often the driving force in one’s life. It can have an extremely dominant impact on not only yourself, but also many people in your surroundings. You have the ability to control if the outcomes either have a lasting negative or positive effect. When a goal requires determination and hard work to complete, personal morals often take a back seat to the aspiration of accomplishing the goal. In Shakespeare’s Macbeth, it is clear that like many other great leaders, Macbeth exemplifies the necessary leadership virtue of ambition. Macbeth’s ambition does not just drive him to do great things. It in fact controls him. The playwright explores the idea of how an individual’s ambition can cause them to deceive others, make irrational
There are many different themes displayed in Shakespeare's famous play Macbeth. Many of these themes play with nature, the supernatural, and fate. From ghosts to horses eating each other the play uses symbolism, language, and characters to portray these themes. During the play the audience learns of several themes such as ambition, guilt, fate versus free will, nature versus the unnatural, and how things are not always as they seem.
We have all made mistakes in our lives, things we cannot reverse. I personally have never made such a bad mistake its life-changing but we see this happen in MacBeth, a play written by William Shakespeare. It has many themes and insinuates several different messages.
As we finished reading and analyzing the story of Macbeth, we have found out his ambition which is the pursuit of power. Macbeth's ambition led him to his own downfall and have done things that is out of his characteristics. Macbeth's ambition represents a universal human pursuit of power because they will do anything to an extent to obtain power, they can be encouraged by someone to take action to get what they desire, and it can lead them to their own "downfall".
And thou opposed, being of no woman born, Yet I will try the last. Before my body. I throw my warlike shield. Lay on, Macduff, And damn'd be him that first cries, 'Hold, enough!’’ Macbeth’s heinous and savage acts are driven by his consuming desires and ambition.
Julian Casablanca once said : "Greed is the inventor of mischief." Greed and ambition can ruin one’s life and can lead to death,.which is also known as a tyrant's best friend. In the play Macbeth by William Shakespeare, Macbeth is controlled by his greed and his ambition which lead him to a tragic ending. His thirst for power, ruthless killings and change of personality can be seen through literary devices such as foreshadowing, similes and metaphors.
The Tragedy of Macbeth by William Shakespeare recounts Macbeth's meteoric rise as a soldier and promising future leader whose megalomaniacal ambition led to his tragic downfall. In addition to Macbeth's ambitions, which initially enable him to be strong leader and soldier, he is influenced heavily by his wife, Lady Macbeth, and the three witches that prophesize his ascent to the throne, as well as warn him of his eventual demise. It can be argued that it is Macbeth's ambition that allows him to succeed in his endeavors, however the goals to which he is working toward influence the results of his hard work. Macbeth's ambitions help him to become a war hero, and as his goals change, his ambitions drive him to become a tyrannical villain.
One of the main themes in William Shakespeare's play, Macbeth is ambition. Ambition can build up a person as they drive towards a goal, but it can also cause a person to destruct. In the cases of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, ambition is a dangerous weapon with which they harmed many people. Ambition can be healthy and even beneficial usually, Shakespeare develops the idea that ambition is dangerous to oneself and others and leads to extreme repercussions. In the play, Macbeth, William Shakespeare explores the negative impacts of ambition on oneself and others when an individual’s motives are near sighted and selfish.
Ambition is a strong desire to do or to achieve something, typically requiring determination and hard work. In Williams Shakespeare 's Macbeth the characters Lady Macbeth and Macbeth have a strong desire to ascend the throne and they are determined to do whatever it takes in order to achieve this goal, including deceiving and killing those they are closest to. The zeal of ambition predominately persuades both characters actions in Macbeth. Lady Macbeth portrays how the forces of ambition strike her to instil a powerful drive in her husband, also how she demonstrates an overweening pride and lack of morals in order to reach a goal and lastly how ambition leads Macbeth to betray those cares about most.
Ambition is a strong desire to do or to achieve something, with determination and hard work. Neither Macbeth nor Frankenstein are monsters, in fact at the start of their stories, both show acts of courage and loyalty, which are later diminished by their wants. These desires, they both obtain leads them to their major downfall. To work hard for something you want is not bad as long as you don’t take things too far. In both Shakespeare’s “Macbeth” and Marry Shelley’s “Frankenstein”, ambition creates negative consequences.
Many Shakespearian dramas, like Macbeth, are inspired by the ancient Greek notion of tragedy and the fall of man; much of which is powered by one’s lust for greater gains. Correspondingly, the play reveals how ambition creates the capability of deteriorating a man’s morality and world. This is presented through the titular character and his “dearest partner of greatness” (P. 23) and the consequences of their actions.
Ambition the correct definition is a strong desire to achieve something of someone, ambition is own everybody's nature every human can feel ambitious over something the key is not to control who you are or do something you will regret in the future. In the play of "macbeth" one of the major themes that can be derived from the play is ambition getting the best of people which is supported by three motifs , Macbeth wanting to be king at no costs , Lady Macbeth wanting her husband to have power , and the witches creating ideas of ambition in Macbeth's and Banquo's head.
People should be ambitious in life to reach toward success, they should always seek to achieve their personal goals for their own betterment, they should also plan for the unforeseen effects of their operations, which otherwise could lead them the point where they end up losing. In Shakespeare’s play Macbeth displays all the traits of a tragic hero who is overwhelmed and murdered because of his own covetous and self-obsessed ambition. At the beginning of the play Macbeth is brave and respected man, but as it goes along we start to see the reflection of his inner desire. “I have no spur to prick the sides of my intent, but only vaulting ambition, which o'erleaps itself, and falls on th'other”( I, VII, 25-28). Macbeth is hallucinating about killing the king, he does not have a clear reason for killing the king except his unchecked ambition. Macbeth’s ambition is not just an ambition it’s more of obsession or power hunger. The more strives excitedly to acquire or secure the highest
The undeniable power of unbridled ambition and its ramifications are extensively portrayed within William Shakespeare’s tragedy; Macbeth. Within this play, ambition is portrayed as a corrupting and unquenchable force through the main concepts of mental imbalance, supernatural behaviors and betrayal. The consuming desires of Macbeth and their repercussions are vividly enhanced through the use of various expressive literary techniques. Ultimately, Macbeth is a play that explores and reiterates the tragic and pestilent nature of unreasoned aspirations.
Ambition, a trait which underlines success, but while unchecked can lead to self or societal corruption. In William Shakespeare’s tragedy, “Macbeth”, a brave general falls into tyranny and paranoia after he acts immorally upon the witches prophecies. Macbeth’s pursuit of long lasting power reveals the consequences of hubris and unchecked ambition, which ultimately leads to the the deterioration of his human nature and the corruption of the kingdom. Through the use of thematic motif, the theme of Macbeth’s unchecked ambition and hubris is examined through his struggle to alter and actuate fate, his haunting hallucinations, and the apparitions.