“Absolute power corrupts absolutely”, this an excellent example of the drama by William Shakespeare, The Tragedy of Macbeth. When we meet Macbeth at the beginning of the play, he is labeled as “brave Macbeth”, a man who is recognized for his honor, bravery and heroics on the battlefield, and kindness and love away from it, but these qualities fade as the play develops. The motor that drives the tragedy of Macbeth is ambition, throughout the whole play, ambition is what holds the most overwhelming power to influence the actions of others.
The murder of King Duncan was influenced most by Macbeth’s ambition and hunger, at the cost of his morality. An encounter with the three witches and the suspicion that Macbeth “shalt be king hereafter”, triggers his ambition for power – with dangerous consequences. In the play, Macbeth states, “I have no spur / To prick the sides of my intent, but only / Vaulting ambition, which o’erleaps itself / And falls on th’ other” (I. vii. 25-28). This reveals that Macbeth is certain that ambition is what is driving his actions, by saying “vaulting ambition”, in this case he is referring to the murder of King Duncan. Macbeth states, “My thought, whose murder yet is but fantastical, Shakes so my single state of man That
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In the play, Lady Macbeth states, “Under my battlements. Come, you spirits, that tend on mortal thoughts…Make thick my blood” ( I. v. 37-41). This evidence shows that Lady Macbeth is ruthless, and calls on the spirits of evil to rid her weakness and guilt for her murdering’s, Lady Macbeth has more ambition than her husband and has the power to push him to murder King Duncan. Nevertheless, ambition still holds the most power to influence the actions of others. In the play, Macbeth states, “Why do I yield to that