To achieve a goal you must dream it, set your mind to it, and do it. This explains how Macbeth rises to the throne as quickly as he does. Macbeth makes quick work of becoming king because he dreams it and has strong ambitions about it. He sets his mind to it, and does it with Lady Macbeth 's support pushing him. However, sometimes harmless ambitions set in motion a path of negative and harmful actions required to achieve them. Macbeth 's hasty rise to the throne is due to obtaining the knowledge of the future and possessing an overpowering amount of ambition (Shakespeare). When he hears the prophecy, Macbeth instantly thinks of killing Duncan, so he will become king quicker (Shakespeare). This response is due to Macbeth 's devotion to achieving …show more content…
Lady Macbeth 's support keeps him from backing out of their plot multiple times. One time right before committing the murders, Macbeth starts to consider what being a murderer will mean for him (Shakespeare). He wonders if he really wants hell to be his final destination saying, "That summons thee to heaven or to hell." This shows the last moment of indecision before he commits the crime telling us his actions will dictate his fate (1.3). With these indecisions, Lady Macbeth assures he stays on focus by manipulating and bullying him into committing the murders of the King and chambermaids (Shakespeare). She accomplishes this by claiming she would do it if the King did not look like her father and reminding Macbeth that this act is necessary for him to become King (Shakespeare). She also supports Macbeth when suspicions point to him by fainting, which distracts the men (Shakespeare). Throughout the process of his becoming King, Lady Macbeth acts as Macbeth 's backbone by allowing him to not think of anything other than becoming king, which allows him to complete the harmful acts that quickly lead him to the crown …show more content…
Without the prophecy, being king would be a distant reality for him, but after hearing it, he realizes becoming king is in his future (Shakespeare). Although the when was unknown, he decides the time himself, allowing him to take the title much quicker (Shakespeare). If the prophecy were absent in this story, then Macbeth would have had no promise of his future, and he would have not been convinced that his actions would lead him to a great reward (Shakespeare). However, with the prophecy in play, it allows for him to act upon his ambitions with the quick actions of murdering the King (Shakespeare). Although, with the ambitions, comes the doubt of going through with the plan and creating a future with a certain end result of hell (Shakespeare). Lady Macbeth 's support and confidence in his abilities strengthens his resolve and convinces him that his actions are a necessary factor in being king (Shakespeare). If the support had ceased to exist, then Macbeth would have lost all of his resolve because in the midst of carrying out murder, he hesitates (Shakespeare). Lady Macbeth 's words are the ones that push him to finish it (Shakespeare). Macbeth 's hasty ascension to the throne is the product of harmful decisions created by pressure from a loved one, not unlike family dramas in the news
In the play, Macbeth started out as an extremely brave and loyal solider. However, after the three witches told him he was to be king one day, he changed completely, being wholly consumed by his greed. He turned his back on his friends, betrayed them, and murdered innocent people. All of this can be linked back to the predictions made by the witches.
For every occurrence there must be a motivation; this ideal is exemplified in Macbeth by Shakespeare. As this story progresses many ghastly murders unfold, furthering the ideal of how a simple drive for ambition can turn dark very quickly. Throughout this illustrious play, both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth develop, and then suffer the consequences of their cold-blooded corruption of ambition.
At the beginning of the play, Macbeth is a trusted soldier, who is honest and noble. Unfortunately, he meets three witches who tell him three prophecies; that he will become thane of Cawdor, that he will become king and that Banquo’s sons will become kings. These three prophecies slowly change his opinions on life and turn him into a greedy, dishonest, tyrant, full of ambition. Lady Macbeth’s thoughts change as well when she is told about the three prophecies that were told to Macbeth. In the beginning of the play, Lady Macbeth is ambitious, controlling and domineering. She is the one who encourages him to kill the king, she not only encourages him, she makes all the plans herself, which shows her determination and persistence."Yet I do fear thy nature, it is too full o’th milk of human kindness. To catch the nearest way thou wouldst be great. Art not without ambition, but without the illness should attend it." (Act 1, scene 5). Lady Macbeth is the force behind Macbeth’s sudden ambition and she tries to manipulate him into feeling guilty and unmanly for not following through with the murder, by using her husbands emotions, she manages to convince Macbeth to murder Duncan.
When we think of ambitious characters, we often remember the iconic Disney villains, like Scar or Maleficent. They are classic villains who follow their ambition to achieve their goal. However, the archetype for the ambitious character started from the original and vastly interesting Macbeth, from William Shakespeare’s Macbeth. Macbeth’s ambition spurs him to take action, so he murders the current king, Duncan. After he gets the position of king, he struggles to rule and take definitive action, and instead becomes overwhelmed by his lust for power. While many scholars cite Macbeth’s ambition as his tragic flaw and the primary cause of his downfall, there are many other factors that lead to his death, such as his inability to lead and his paranoia.
When the play begins after Macbeth’s encounter with the three witches and hearing their prediction, “thou shalt be king hereafter!”(Iiii), he has to make a choice to wait for the title to come to him or take some action to become king sooner. When the problem first arose Macbeth is in a state of shock. He does not know how to accept what he has heard. However, when he shares the problem with Lady Macbeth immediately begins plotting to get her husband the throne. Nervous and confused he questions his ability to be king. Macbeth wonders why me he say "why do I yield to do that suggestion whose horrid image doth unfix my hair and make my heart knock at my ribs "(Iiii). Macbeth does not know how to take over and what to do. He feels why he is getting crowned king without his impact. Confused he says “If chance will have me king, why chance may crown me, without my stir"(Iiii). First Lady Macbeth questions her husband’s ability to rule she thinks about it "yet do I fear thy nature: it is too ...
Ambition is the force that drives us all to be better and work harder; however, if that ambition is used simply to better ourselves at the expense of others it can hurt all of those involved. In his play, Macbeth, Shakespeare shows how the overriding nature of ambition can hurt not only those oppressed by the leader but the leader themselves. Macbeth is a minor lord in Scotland. He is given a prophecy that one day he will be king, by a set of three witches. After learning this Macbeth and his wife, Lady Macbeth set out to solidify their power by any means necessary. Even going so far as to murder the king and Macbeth’s best friend. However they end up riddled with the guilt of their crimes and Lady Macbeth takes her own life as Macbeth is killed on the battlefield. Shakespeare uses mirroring language to show that the detrimental effects of unchecked ambition once leaders have become intoxicated with it
Almost every person in the world can say that desires to posses certain things have driven them to take action, but at what point are people hindered by their inner moral compasses to suppress their ambitions for the best interest of society and themselves? William Shakespeare examines this question and the nature of ambition in his play Macbeth. In doing so, he suggests that acting upon unnatural ambitions and desires without morals and mindfulness leads to a manifestation of a deeply rooted evil that manipulates people’s characters and causes unforeseen results. In the play, Macbeth is told by witches that he will become Thane then King. After the first statement comes true, Lady Macbeth persuades Macbeth to kill King Duncan. He does so,
Hail to thee, thou shall be King hereafter!" (1.3.49) The witches help fate out by giving Macbeth this information. If Macbeth had never known this, he would never have had the idea of becoming thane of Cawdor or king. This is the start of Macbeth's road to success and ultimate demise.
As Shakespeare guides the audience through the rise and fall of Macbeth, they see the perilous route that ambition can take them. Within the first act of the play, Shakespeare immediately introduces Macbeth as an ambitious character. Upon hearing Macbeth’s fate of becoming king, Macbeth’s first thought is to overthrow the current king. So, in the comfort of his own home, Macbeth contemplates the witches’ prophecy and decides he wants Duncan’s power for himself. He soliloquizes: “I have no spur/ To prick the sides of my intent, but only / Vaulting ambition, which o'erleaps itself / And falls on the other” (Mac. 1.7.25-28). Macbeth admits that there is not a particularly good reason to kill Duncan; he even acknowledges Duncan’s exceptional leadership as the king of Scotland. However, Macbeth’s unrelenting
Macbeth’s ambition will lead him to doing things he will regret. In the play the witches give Macbeth a prophecy by referring to him as “All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, Thane of Cawdor!” (1.3.50) After Macbeth realizes he could be king, he decides to take it into his own hands. Macbeth invites Duncan to come over for dinner and stay the night. Lady Macbeth sees this as the perfect chance to kill
In the play Macbeth, by William Shakespeare, one man by the name of Macbeth comes across three witches who prophesize that he will acquire the highest title of nobility and become king. Macbeth decides to act upon these prophecies in collaboration with his wife, Lady Macbeth. Macbeth then proceeds to kill King Duncan, and assumes the throne. However, to maintain power, Macbeth must kill more and more of his old friends. Macbeth's misinterpretation of more of the witches' prophecies eventually lead to his downfall and Lady Macbeth, once the stronger character of the two, loses her mind and starts to feel more guildy. Lady Macbeth serves as an example of pure ambition and incentive to spur Macbeth onto more violence by her plans to kill the King,
Macbeth, just like anybody else, had some weaknesses. He was a gullible and a very single-minded person. He always thought of himself as being better than the rest. So he found nothing wrong with the witches' forecasts of him becoming the king of Scotland. 'All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, thane of Glamis! … All hail, Macbeth! That shalt be king hereafter'; This was all part of the witches' plan. They knew that Macbeth was both single-minded and gullible, and took full advantage of it. Macbeth let these predictions go to his head and he expected King Duncan to make him the next in line for the throne. When this didn't happen, Macbeth saw no other alternative than to murder King Duncan. Due to the witches' forecasts Macbeth thought he deserved the throne, almost like it was meant to be. Macbeth's clear thought of reasoning became clouded as his ego increased. He no longer knew the difference between right and wrong. He was being guided by supernatural powers.
Naturally, Macbeth was third in line to become King of Scotland. Deep in his heart, he desperately wanted the crown, and all the power that came with it. Macbeth suppressed his feelings, however, until he heard the three witches' first prophecy. "All hail, Macbeth, that shalt be king hereafter", were the witch's words. When Macbeth heard this, his desperate need for the crown revealed itself because he realized it was possible to take the thrown. When Macbeth's yearning to be king could not be overcome, he did not let anything stand in his way of being crowned, even if that meant he had to commit murder. The Three Witches ignited Macbeth's desire to be king with their prophecy.
She suggests he would not be a man if he did not kill the king. This suggests that Lady Macbeth holds the power of the relationship and she wants to be the queen.
Macbeth was always a soldier that took orders closely and felt no mercy for his victims initially. When he first encountered the witches in this story they foresaw his future where he would rule the land. Lady Macbeth and Macbeth were unhappy with the unknown wait to obtain this power that was promised to them. Therefore, the two scheme a trap to kill King Duncan who was currently in power at the time that Macbeth was given his fate. The