Ambition: The Destruction of Shakespeare’s Macbeth

1188 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: How is the theme of power corrupts portrayed in Macbeth?

One of William Shakespeare’s most famous tragedies is that of Macbeth. It is also known as “the Scottish play,” primarily because of its Scottish setting and because it is based loosely after the life of a real King Macbeth of Scotland. (Mendham) This play is considered a tragedy because the protagonist of the play, Macbeth, will suffer a terrible downfall as the result of his actions. From the beginning of the play, Shakespeare effectively establishes the atmosphere of the play as one of doom and despair, where even nature is at war with itself. The main themes of this tragedy are power and betrayal. Throughout Macbeth, Shakespeare explores aspects of the human conscience. He pays particular attention to our sense of right and wrong, innocence and guilt. Once Macbeth has a taste of power he is continually driven by his desire for it. His fear of having his power taken away from him drives him to continue to act ruthlessly in order to eliminate all threats of being found out for his treasonous deeds and to maintain his position of power.

Macbeth has many admirable qualities. The first of his three greatest qualities to be brought forward is his courage as a dauntless war captain. “… As sparrows eagles, or the hare the lion. They were as cannons overcharged with double cracks, so they doubly redoubled strokes upon the foe.” (Macbeth Act 1, Sc 2) It is admirable to have such courage when fighting for something one believes in or to defend one’s home and King. In the beginning, fighting for his kingdom was the primary application of Macbeth’s courage, but as events progress and his morals are corrupted we will find that his courage becomes a resource for his wicked deeds. Macbeth’s original pure-hearted courage fades away and wha...

... middle of paper ...

... itself.” (LitCharts) He is haunted in his sleep by guilt. “Macbeth does murder sleep.” (Macbeth Act 2, Sc 2) “Sleep symbolizes innocence, purity, and peace of mind and in killing Duncan Macbeth actually does murder sleep.” (LitCharts ) He murders the peaceful rest the kingdom had during the reign of King Duncan as well as his own peace and rest. “Our king was ruled by troubled sleep, undone by the ghosts of his secret self.” (Greider) In the end Macbeth has gone from an honorable and courageous man to one who is overly ambitious and morally corrupt.

Works Cited

God. "The Book for Teens, NLT." Solomon, King. Proverbs. Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 1999. 694.

LitCharts. litcharts.com. 2008-2011. 29 March 2011.

Mendham, Trevor. Macbeth. 2008-2011. 29 March 2011.

Shakespeare, William. Macbeth. New York: Simon and Schuster Paperbacks, 1992.

Show More
Related

  • Macbeth: The Evolution of Corruption

    1423 Words  | 3 Pages

    Perhaps the most fundamental theme of Shakespeare’s Macbeth is the inherent corruptibility of even a seemingly good man when ambition turns to greed, and Macbeth himself exemplifies this concept throughout the play. While at the outset he is seen to be loyal to his king, generally considered trustworthy, and displaying numerous other laudable qualities, Macbeth ultimately succumbs to the influence of those around him and becomes unequivocally evil, setting aside all his previously held morals and coming to be driven only by his lust for power. This transition is brought about by a wide variety of factors and plays an integral role in the development of the plot. In his tragedy Macbeth, William Shakespeare employs

    Read More

  • Essay On Mental Deterioration In Macbeth

    1386 Words  | 3 Pages

    Macbeth, one of the darkest and most powerful plays written by Shakespeare, dramatizes the disastrous psychological effects that occur when evil is chosen to fulfill the ambition for power. Throughout the play, Macbeth’s character loses mental stability and becomes enthralled with the idea of being king. Empowered by the three witches, this situation consumes Macbeth’s consciousness until his mental state becomes deranged. This mental deterioration is evident in what he says and does as he evolves into a tyrannical ruler attempting to protect himself from enmity and suspicion. In an attempt to fulfill his ambition for power, Macbeth displays mental deterioration and becomes increasingly bloodthirsty.

    Read More

  • Macbeth: The Mysterious Third Murderer

    859 Words  | 2 Pages

    William Shakespeare's play Macbeth is a five-act drama that shows a clear example of how pride, greed, and power can alter a man's actions and personality. The taste of power blinds the story's main character, Macbeth. Sparked by Lady Macbeth, he becomes heartless and cruel as he kills anyone who is a threat to his power due to his paranoia of losing the throne. This fear ironically leads to his downfall and loss of the throne. The theme of the story is deceit and evil and how they affect a man's decisions.

    Read More

  • Macbeth’s Deteriorating Mental State

    1648 Words  | 4 Pages

    William Shakespeare’s Macbeth is a tragedy in which the main characters are obsessed by the desire for power. Macbeth’s aspiration for power blinds him to the ethical implications of his dreadful acts. The more that Shakespeare’s Macbeth represses his murderous feelings, the more he is haunted by them. By analyzing his hallucinations it is possible to trace his deteriorating mental state and the trajectory of his ultimate fall. Throughout the play Macbeth is never satisfied with himself. He feels the need to keep committing crime in order to keep what he wants most: his kingship. The harder Macbeth tries to change his fate the more he tends to run into his fate. His ambition and struggle for power was Macbeth’s tragic flaw in the play. Macbeth’s rise to the throne was brought about by the same external forces that ensure his downfall.

    Read More

  • Macbeth and His Mental Deterioration

    1302 Words  | 3 Pages

    William Shakespeare’s Macbeth is a play centred around opposing forces trying to gain power in the succession for the throne of Scotland. Macbeth, in the beginning, is known to be a noble and strong willed man, who is ready to fight for his country. However, one may see that Macbeth has a darker side to him, he is power hungry and blood thirsty, and will not stop until he has secured his spot as King of Scotland. Though Macbeth may be a tyrant, he is very nave, gullible, and vulnerable.

    Read More

  • Essay On Human Nature In Macbeth

    857 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the early 1600’s, William Shakespeare penned an Aristotelian tragedy ‘Macbeth’ which provides his audiences both then and now with many valuable insights and perceptions into human nature. Shakespeare achieves this by cleverly employing many dramatic devices and themes within the character of ‘Macbeth’. Macbeth is depicted as an anti-hero; a noble protagonist with a tragic flaw that leads to his downfall. This tragic flaw of Macbeth’s, heavily laden with the themes of ‘fate or free will’, and ‘ambition’, is brought out by Shakespeare in his writing to present us with a character whose actions and final demise are, if not laudable, very recognisable as human failings.

    Read More

  • Unbridled Ambition in Shakespeare's Macbeth

    2198 Words  | 5 Pages

    Where is there a page in William Shakespeare's tragic play Macbeth which does not present the selfish virtue of personal ambition. This paper addresses the problem of ambition in the drama.

    Read More

  • Blind Ambition in Macbeth

    855 Words  | 2 Pages

    Among the greatest gifts that the renaissance produced was the eloquent and incredible Shakespearean plays. Written mostly in the 1590s these plays have been performed and admired countless times; entertaining mass audiences by providing interesting tales that explore the depth of human insights and the different universal themes. Among the many Shakespearean plays Macbeth, written in 1606, stands out with its short composition but multiple themes. This tragedy narrates the tale of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s quest to grasp ultimate power by ignoring their morals and succumbing to their dark desires, which ultimately leads to their downfall. This tragic play portrays the desires, needs, and temptations that accompany ambition in men and women. However the ambition in Macbeth is blind, it does not abide to the morals, but it allows space for dark actions as means necessary for accomplishment. Blind ambition serves as the main driving force that drives Macbeth to subdue to his dark desires, defy his noble behavior, and ultimately his downfall.

    Read More

  • Ambition in Macbeth

    1798 Words  | 4 Pages

    In the play of “Macbeth”, Shakespeare gradually and effectively deepens our understanding of the themes and most importantly the relationship between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. The main theme of Macbeth is ambition, and how it compels the main characters to pursue it. The antagonists of the play are the three witches, who symbolise the theme appearance and reality. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s relation is an irony throughout the play, as most of their relation is based on greed and power. This is different from most of Shakespeare’s other plays, which are mostly based on romance and trust. There is also guilt that leads Macbeth and Lady Macbeth to the final consequences of the play. As the progresses, the constant changes in Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are exposed.

    Read More

  • Ambition And Greed In Macbeth

    523 Words  | 2 Pages

    Macbeth shows how greed and ambition can bring down a person as well as others and how the changes of power occur because of loyalty and betrayal. Macbeth is the play’s main unhappy character. The play tells of Macbeth's greedy thirst for power is a dangerous trait.

    Read More

  • The Corrupting Power of Ambition in William Shakespeare's Macbeth

    1335 Words  | 3 Pages

    The vigorous desire to achieve and willingly attain something holds the capability to greatly affect one's life. William Shakespeare's play Macbeth establishes the immense effect and influence of ambition. After gaining power over his country Scotland, the protagonist, Macbeth, experiences an internal downfall as he battles between his wants and moral judgement. He struggles to maintain stable relationships with others as his selfish desires and goals hurt those around him when achieved. In addition to clashing with himself and others, he is seen as a tyrant leader and is slowly turned against by Scotland's nation as well as England. Shakespeare's play Macbeth provides the reader with a clear understanding of ambition's corrupting power in Shakespeare's tragic character Macbeth, through his inner conflicts, struggle to maintain stable relationships with those surrounding him, and clash with society.

    Read More

  • Macbeth's Desire For Power

    1584 Words  | 4 Pages

    Macbeth is a brave general who fights for his country Scotland, defeating the King of Norway. He is loyal to his king Duncan, but Macbeth has ambition to take over the kingdom for himself. He has lots of doubts of if he is doing the right thing, but still murders Duncan and then Banquo who is another general who fought with Macbeth. These murders and guilt about his treason are leading Macbeth to become insane. This essay shows that although Macbeth’s strong desire for power is influenced by the three witches in the play and also the planning and ambition of his wife Lady Macbeth, in the end he is responsible for his self-destruction.

    Read More

  • The Corruptive Force Of Ambition In Shakespeare's Macbeth

    1315 Words  | 3 Pages

    Macbeth is a play about the corruptive force of ambition. Discuss this statement with particular reference to the characters in the play.

    Read More

  • Struggles of the Conscience in Macbeth by William Shakespeare

    1060 Words  | 3 Pages

    Shakespeare’s “Macbeth” explores a fundamental struggle of the human conscience. The reader is transported into the journey of a man who recognizes and acknowledges evil but still succumbs to its destructive powers. The character of Macbeth is shrouded in ambiguity that scholars have claimed as both being a tyrant and tragic hero. Macbeth’s inner turmoil and anxieties that burden him throughout the entire play evoke sympathy and pity in the reader. Though he has the characteristics of an irredeemable tyrant, Macbeth realizes his mistakes and knows there is no redemption for his sins. And that is indeed tragic.

    Read More

  • Tragedy of Ambition as a Description of Macbeth

    901 Words  | 2 Pages

    shadow … It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury

    Read More

More about Ambition: The Destruction of Shakespeare’s Macbeth

Open Document