Ambition is a strong desire or drive to achieve a certain goal, and it is typically accompanied with a willingness to work very hard, take calculated risks, and face obstacles in order to succeed or be noticed. The concept of ambition has frequently appeared in literature, encouraging characters to strive for greatness, overcome obstacles, and relentlessly pursue their goals. The theme of ambition is prevalent in William Shakespeare's play Macbeth in terms of ambition's destructive nature, the corrupting effect of uncontrolled ambition, and the brief duration of ambition's fulfilment. The destructive nature of ambition is one of the primary aspects that Macbeth highlights. Shakespeare shows how people can travel down a dangerous path of violence …show more content…
vii. 25-28) In this quote, Macbeth considers his desire to become king and acknowledges that it is his primary motivation, despite the fact that he has no legitimate reason to do so. He understands that his ambition has become reckless and impetuous, prompting him to seek immoral and violent means of achieving his goal, ultimately leading to his tragic demise. “To be thus is nothing, but to be safely thus. Our fears in Banquo stick deep, and in his royalty of nature reigns that which would be feared.” (III. i. 52-55) Macbeth expresses his rising paranoia and concern with retaining his newfound position as king in this quote. He considers Banquo, a former ally, to be a threat to his throne because of the prophecy that Banquo's children will inherit the realm. Macbeth's ambition to secure his position drives him to order Banquo's murder and to eradicate any potential hurdles in his way, showing the destructive nature of ambition when it becomes all-consuming and leads to betrayal and bloodshed. “Out, out, brief candle! Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player That struts and frets his hour upon the stage And then is heard no …show more content…
“Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow Creeps in this petty pace from day to day To the last syllable of recorded time, And all our yesterdays have lighted fools The way to dusty death.” (V. v. 22-26) Macbeth reflects on the brief and meaningless essence of existence in this soliloquy. He realises that, despite accomplishing his highest goals, life is temporary and will end in death. This remark emphasises how the fulfilment of ambition is fleeting and elusive, as it only provides transient gratification and cannot eventually satisfy the human need for meaning and purpose. “It is a tale Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, Signifying nothing.” (V. v. 30-31) These words are spoken by Macbeth in the same soliloquy as the previous one, emphasising the fleeting nature of ambition's fulfilment. He compares life to a meaningless story told by an idiot, full of noise and excitement but ultimately meaningless. This proverb emphasises how ambition, while propelling people to chase their dreams tirelessly, can ultimately leave them empty and unsatisfied. “For in my way it lies. Stars, hide your fires; Let not light see my black and deep desires. The eye wink at the hand, yet let that be Which the eye fears when it is done to see.” (I. iv. 57-60) Macbeth admits his evil impulses and goals in this phrase, but also recognises the fleeting and elusive nature of their fulfilment. He speaks of
Shakespeare presents the theme of ambition in Macbeth. Ambition is a strong desire to do or achieve something, ambition can also be presented in a positive and negative way. Shakespeare presents ambition in a negative way through some characters who are Macbeth, Lady Macbeth and King Duncan. The reason these characters present ambition in a negative way is because they end up dying. Ambition is also present in a positive way through some characters who are Macduff, Witches and Malcolm these are the characters who survive in the play showing that you can be ambitious but not too ambitious.
In Shakespeare’s famous tragedy Macbeth, he utilizes various techniques in order to develop the theme of negative consequences when one’s ambition gets out of control. Though usage of metaphors and diction, Shakespeare is able to weave the theme into the core of the play while having it remain an interesting story. One of Shakespeare’s most notable skill as the world’s most famous playwright, is his almost impeccable ability to use figurative language to convey a scene. Macbeth is a prime example of his masterful command of the English language.
Sean Smith Mrs. Anthony Senior English 8 March 2018 The Danger of Ambition In Shakespeare’s “The Tragedy of Macbeth”, the author proposes a perpetual loop of struggle through his use of fate and imagery of the character’s deaths in order to express the consequences for one’s actions if they are foolish enough to make these decisions. “The Tragedy of Macbeth” is a uniquely portrayed concept of fate, internal struggle, and paradox; the story depicts a human with intentions to receive power.
Introduction Paragraph Ambition is not a force to be reckoned with. It is a force that is detrimental to human nature if left untamed and can corrupt people as demonstrated in Shakespeare’s Macbeth. It is critical to understand its true nature and the impact it has on individuals. By examining the downfall of characters in Macbeth, an insight into the destructive power ambition can hold when it consumes the human mind is found with the following points: unchecked ambition is a manipulative force, controlling your desires is crucial, ambition is a negative driving force, overindulgence in ambition changes your character for the worse, and finally, unchecked ambition brings upon a decline of morality.
( I.III)” Upon hearing the witches prophecy about Macbeth being king, his ambition kicked in and he began to think greedly. All that was left on Macbeth’s mind was the thought of murdering King Duncan to gain power. Macbeth wanted his name to be forever remembered and he felt saw Banquo’s prophecy as a threat to the throne. He ordered his murder, diregarding the consequences becuase macbeth thought of himself as unstoppable, and noone was going to stop his ambition.
Ambition is defined as an eager desire to achieve a certain goal and retain, fame, or power. Someone's level of ambition can make or break them and it can have a positive or negative toll on personal growth and development. Some would refer to Macbeth as a heroic ideal warrior whose actions on the battlefield were recognized by many. Others may consider him as a warrior with such strong ambition that led to the development of his wicked characteristics. Playwright William Shakespeare introduces Macbeth at the beginning of the play as a brave character loyal to his king and country.
Macbeth" delves into the destructive consequences of unchecked ambition, culminating in a cycle of violence perpetuated by the pursuit of power. Through these works, we are reminded of the devastating impact of violence and revenge on individuals and society as a whole. These themes serve as cautionary reminders of the destructive forces
In the first meeting with the witches; where Macbeth is prophesied to become the Thane of Cawdor and finally king. Banquo, whom had also been prophesized to become the father of many kings, comes to a realisation that “the instruments of darkness tell us truths; win us with honest trifles, to betray in deepest consequence”. By saying this, Banquo believes that the witches will earn Banquo and Macbeth’s trust by telling them truth about little things, but if the witches decide to betray the two men, it may leave a devastating effect. Nevertheless, in contrast to Banquo’s skepticism regarding the witches, Macbeth desires to know more, “stay, you imperfect speakers, tell me more”, and the idea of becoming king now occurs to him as a possibility. This suggests that Macbeth already has a deep desire for power and status; although, at this point, Macbeth is “too full o’th’milk of human kindness”, to commit himself to this immoral act of murdering the innocent
He acknowledges the hollowness of his existence, admitting that life has lost its meaning. Through his lines, "I have lived long enough. My way of life / Is fall'n into the sere, the yellow leaf" Macbeth conveys the sense of disillusionment and weariness that accompanies the collapse of his power. His "vaulting ambition" has proven to be his undoing, leading him to a state of hopelessness and
The vision illustrates how emotions like guilt can drive Macbeth to take drastic measures to preserve his power, leading to more violence and bloodshed. Ultimately, Shakespeare demonstrated how a series of visions, toying with obsessions and paranoia, can lead one’s mind into
Ambition is defined as a strong desire to achieve something. Ambition is normally a really good thing to have, because it motivates you to reach a goal that you have set. But in this case, Macbeth had way too much ambition and so he was willing to go to any length to reach his goal, which was to become king. Another reason why Macbeth’s ambition is bad is because he wants to be king for the wrong reasons. The reason he wants to be king is not to make Scotland better, or change some things he feels are not right.
And lastly, Macbeth describes life as a “... tale / Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, / Signifying nothing” (5.5.29-31). This comparison is the most obvious of them all, he declares once and for all that life has no real value and that it is full of fluff, pointless passion, and frivolous excitement. He comes to this by reflecting on how he got the kingship; through unchecked ambition, and realizes that it was not worth it; the murders, the lying, the confusion. Macbeth’s ambitious living caused him to end up not living at
After achieving the title of the King of Scotland, Macbeth wants to secure his position as the king and desires to inherit the Scottish throne to his ancestors. His aim was showed in “To be thus is nothing, /But to be safely thus” (III, i, 52-3). This quote reveals that Macbeth not only wanted to become the king but also wants to secure his position as the King of Scotland for the welfare of his upcoming generation. This reveals Macbeth’s is implying the witches’ prophecies; as long Banquo’s sons live, Macbeth’s throne would not be able to inherit down to his ancestors. As the play progresses, Macbeth’s hires murderers to kill Banquo and his son, Fleance, as represented through, “Banquo, thy soul’s flight, /If
One of Macbeth's most prominent character traits is his ambition. This is shown in his famous soliloquy in Act 1, Scene 7, where he muses about the prophecy that he will become king and begins to consider the possibility of killing King Duncan. He states, "I have no spur to prick the sides of my intent, but only vaulting ambition, which overleaps itself and falls on the other." (Macbeth Act 1 Scene 7, Line 25-28).
For Macbeth, life seemed to have a future -- one of power and status. Yet he also felt such things were insignificant. For he said: "Life is but a walking shadow... a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury - signifying nothing." Perhaps he was feeling that only what the world could offer were mere illusions.