Macbeth's Struggle between his Ambition and His Conscience
Five Paragraph Analytical Essay: Macbeth’s Struggle between His Ambition and His Conscience
Throughout the story of Macbeth, there are many battles full of blood, violence, and of course, death. But, the book’s most important battle does not include any of those things. The real battle is fought in Macbeth’s mind. From the beginning of the book, Macbeth struggles between listening to his conscience and his desire for ambition, or strong desire to achieve fame or power. But, is the character of Macbeth pure evil? Or does he actually have a conscience? Many may be surprised by the answer. At the beginning of the book, Macbeth is at the peak of his life. He is one of the most well-known and respected generals of King Duncan. Macbeth loves the thought of being admired by Duncan and many others, and craves for even more attention and power,” He hath honour’d me of late; and I have brought golden opinions from all sorts of people, which would be worn now in their newest gloss.” This is when Macbeth first struggles with admiration and his conscience. He realizes that King Duncan’s crown will gain him even more power than before, and even contemplates killing the king to get what he wants. After lots of reasoning, Macbeth’s ambition gets in the way and he ultimately kills Duncan,” I go and it is done; the bell invites me. Hear it not, Duncan; for it is a knell that summons thee to heaven or to hell.” The blood of dead King Duncan is a symbol of how Macbeth’s ambition did not just affect him, but also his wife, Lady Macbeth. At first when the blood appears on Macbeth’s hands, instantly after he murders Duncan, Lady Macbeth ignores it saying,” a little water clears us of this deed.” But after Macbeth encourages himself to kill Banquo and Macduff's family, she suffers a breakdown, overwhelmed by guilt. When she sleepwalks, she wrings her hands, attempting to get the blood off. A little water has not washed the blood away and nothing, it seems, can wash it away. In
Throughout the story of Macbeth, there are many battles full of blood, violence, and of course, death. But, the book’s most important battle does not include any of those things. The real battle is fought in Macbeth’s mind. From the beginning of the book, Macbeth struggles between listening to his conscience and his desire for ambition, or strong desire to achieve fame or power. But, is the character of Macbeth pure evil? Or does he actually have a conscience? Many may be surprised by the answer. At the beginning of the book, Macbeth is at the peak of his life. He is one of the most well-known and respected generals of King Duncan. Macbeth loves the thought of being admired by Duncan and many others, and craves for even more attention and power,” He hath honour’d me of late; and I have brought golden opinions from all sorts of people, which would be worn now in their newest gloss.” This is when Macbeth first struggles with admiration and his conscience. He realizes that King Duncan’s crown will gain him even more power than before, and even contemplates killing the king to get what he wants. After lots of reasoning, Macbeth’s ambition gets in the way and he ultimately kills Duncan,” I go and it is done; the bell invites me. Hear it not, Duncan; for it is a knell that summons thee to heaven or to hell.” The blood of dead King Duncan is a symbol of how Macbeth’s ambition did not just affect him, but also his wife, Lady Macbeth. At first when the blood appears on Macbeth’s hands, instantly after he murders Duncan, Lady Macbeth ignores it saying,” a little water clears us of this deed.” But after Macbeth encourages himself to kill Banquo and Macduff's family, she suffers a breakdown, overwhelmed by guilt. When she sleepwalks, she wrings her hands, attempting to get the blood off. A little water has not washed the blood away and nothing, it seems, can wash it away. In