Preview

Unchecked Ambition In Macbeth

Satisfactory Essays
Open Document
Open Document
131 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Unchecked Ambition In Macbeth
When Macbeth says, "Things bad begun make strong themselves by ill.", he is talking about the murders and the lies he has to keep up with. "Things bad begun" means that he started off doing wrong when he committed the first murder. "make themselves strong by ill." means that once he continued on murder to maintain the crown things had only gotten worse, and he started to lose his mind with all the guilt he had to live with. A major theme in Macbeth is unchecked ambition, or a strong drive for success that can't be controlled. This theme represents a comment on life because most of us are all caught up on what we want ourselves to become, we would be willing to manipulate other to get to the top.

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Powerful Essays

    The Bard of Avon saturates the pages of the tragedy Macbeth with ugly feelings of ambition - unprincipled ambition which is ready to kill for itself. Let's thoroughly search out the major instances of ambitious behavior by the husband-wife team.…

    • 1959 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    In Act 3, Macbeth’s ambition is portrayed apparently by his decision to kill Banquo. Lady Macbeth has brought that ambition to Macbeth strongly before in Act 2. In Act 2, Lady Macbeth shows her control over every decision Macbeth makes. However, in Act 3, the audience can see the change in action between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. Macbeth seems to be more actively gives every decision in his scheme to make his ambition come true, and Lady Macbeth does not control Macbeth’s decision anymore.…

    • 258 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    * “Dead butcher” (Act V, Scene 9) - Metaphor of the butcher, Macbeth killing so many people, brutally…

    • 500 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Though ambition is highly sought after, it has a dark side. The ambitious sometimes do things that are misguided and uncaring in order to move up in life. Ambition can be a bad thing because it can lead to greed and cause chaos in the search for power.…

    • 152 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Watch as Macbeth drives himself insane trying to claim the throne. He hears that the Thane of Cawdor died and he could become king. The Thane of Glamis develops an ambition to be king and kills Duncan, who is already the king. Killing Duncan drives Macbeth insane, and eventually, he loses all feelings towards life or death and goes numb. Since Macbeth’s ambition is to become king he is willing to do anything, but because of this, he begins to go psychotic by the end of the play.…

    • 502 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Many people have hopes and goals that they would like to accomplish. They may desire powerful positions or jobs, while others may desire prosperity and riches. This is known as ambition, the spell binding force that leads people towards success. However, ambition may result in harmful acts to get their satisfaction. In William Shakespeare’s tragic play, Macbeth, the protagonist, Macbeth, is described as a very loyal and noble soldier. As the play progresses, Macbeth’s character dramatically changes because of several different factors. These factors influence Macbeth greatly and cause him to make numerous bad decisions. The influence of the witches’ prophecies, the influence of Lady Macbeth, and Macbeth’s blind ambitions are the most important factors that lead to Macbeth’s tragic deterioration.…

    • 1283 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Ambition In Macbeth

    • 813 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Ambition is what drives you to do what you need to do to get something done.…

    • 813 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Fatal Influence On Macbeth

    • 1659 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Everyone as a human being has both good and bad characters, and they will also change as they grow old and some people also learn from their mistakes. In the play, “Macbeth” by William Shakespeare, the character of Lady Macbeth depicts both good and evil tendencies, particularly her evil tendencies can be seen at the beginning of the play. Over the course of time, Lady Macbeth changes adequately from the lust of power to more of an anguished person. The consolidation of the fatal influence by the witches and Lady Macbeth on Macbeth is what mustered for a disaster.…

    • 1659 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    A knight’s moral code, that is taken by heart, is to always protect and serve. The Tragedy of Macbeth by Shakespeare is a tragedy about how a knight is stuck in between loyalty and ambition. Three witches tell Macbeth he would become Thane of Cawdor and later king. Once Thane of Cawdor, Macbeth pressured by his wife, begins to see his future as king, but realizes he has obstacles in the way. Pressured by Lady Macbeth, the three witches, and his ambition for the throne, Macbeth commits murder under trust and treason.…

    • 661 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Ambition In Macbeth

    • 1464 Words
    • 6 Pages

    There comes a point in every persons life where they have the desire to do, or achieve something. This desire is ambition. People will go to far extents to fulfill their desires. There are different types of ambition though. Most of the time you want to be averagely ambitious, but there are times when people can be overly or unambitious. In the story of Macbeth, you can see all of the types of ambition whether it be good, or bad.…

    • 1464 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Macbeth's Ambition Essay

    • 708 Words
    • 3 Pages

    The goal to become ruler turned into a subconscious goal of becoming a tyrant, Macbeth wanted power and the prophecies and ambitions he had been given was what threw him into this state. He tries to hide his true desires at first by stating “Let not light see my black and deep desires” but is unsuccessful thereafter. He soon realises that there is no turning back that “[he is] in blood, Stepped in so far that, should [he not] wade no more”, Macbeth although began on this path due to the witches, his wife, and simply his own nature; ambitious, it was he who chose to continue it. He states that he All causes shall give way” meaning he won’t stop until his path is clear, it is shown by killing Macduffs’ wife and children, there was no need other than his will to show he is unstoppable and his idea of ‘vengeance’. Ultimately Macbeth’s power overwhelmed him creating false delusions and a numb heart to the…

    • 708 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Is there a limit as to how far someone should go to get what they want? Is there justification in killing, lying, or stealing to achieve something one may desire? Each person has their own moral incentives and upbringings yet excessive ambition may affect or lapse one's moral standards and beliefs. Ambition is the drive and determination everyone has in order to achieve their goals. Whether someone chooses to do this consciously, and refrains from harming others, or vice versa, can only be determined once the action is completed. In Macbeth by William Shakespeare, the main character Macbeth fights to accomplish his goals, immersing himself with his motivation to take over Scotland and become King. Macbeth’s performance on the battlefield allowed…

    • 1146 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Macbeth Ambition

    • 1084 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Ambition can lead to committing great accomplishments as well as immoral acts. However, often times these acts change one’s desires and lead people in temptation and to their own corruption. This is evident in the play, The Tragedy Of Macbeth, written by William Shakespeare, where he explains how certain events can lead to consequences of ambition. A Scottish lord, Macbeth, who was once honored by his bravery had a drastic turn of events and is now gullible tyrant. This occurred after an encounter of three witches and their three prophecies of how to gain the title of being king. Trying to determine his fate all at once caused anxiousness and maliciousness in Macbeth and let his blind ambitions take over him causing the slaughter of many people…

    • 1084 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Ambition can be described as a dangerous quality but also a desirable one because it sets our goals and helps lead us to where we want to be. Macbeth and Mark Zuckerberg are both ambitious in their own ways to achieve their goals. They both have the right mindset, motivation and lack the negativity to not do so. Both Macbeth and Mark went through a lot to reach their goals and they were both ambitious in doing so, but the real question that comes to mind is “what is the true cost of ambition”?…

    • 1661 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Often times, people set goals for themselves to accomplish. These goals create great desire and ambition which fuels all action. However, when the ambition in question becomes uncontrollable, the outcome can be negative. The excessive and uncontrollable ambition of Macbeth, the brave warrior in William Shakespeare’s play Macbeth, leads to his downfall. This uncontrollable desire for power leads Macbeth to lose his morality, identity and his friends and family. With little care for the journey, Macbeth neglected all consequences which leads him to his death.…

    • 198 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays