Ambition In Macbeth

It is often said that ambition and goals are what drive society. They give people a reason to live, a goal to achieve. However, it is not uncommon for these hopes and aspirations to be the very reason that one’s life is brought to shambles. In the Shakespearean tragedy Macbeth, it is demonstrated that one’s ambition can be exploited and used to propel them towards their end. Macbeth’s intense desire to be king leads to his uncontrollable greed for power. His ambition leaves him vulnerable to the manipulation of the witches and of his wife, each of whom are able to to deceive him a multitude of times and ultimately lead him to his downfall and death. If one were to be told that they have a chance to be king, especially during the era in which

The line “All hail, Macbeth, that shalt be king hereafter”(act 1 scene 3 line 50) is arguably the most important line throughout all of the play. When the witches say this, it sets the stage for the chain of events that would lead to Macbeth’s demise. Because he already has such a strong desire to be king, his ambition is easily exploited by these witches and he soon undertakes the first action that leads to his downfall - the killing of Duncan. He knows that this is how to get exactly what he wants, but at this point in the play, he needs an extra push to get there. And so, Macbeth’s ambition is taken advantage of once again, in this case not by the witches, but rather by his wife. She is another who knows that with the right push, Macbeth will take action and do whatever it takes to get what he wants most, to be king. While the witches are the force who influence Macbeth to recognize his ambition, Lady Macbeth is the one who convinces him to act upon it. In order to do so, Lady Macbeth leverages his

In Macbeth’s case, his succession in becoming king comes with the neverending stress that his reign will not last. When the witches’ prediction that Macbeth would become thane of Cawdor and king of Scotalnd come true, he begins to blindly trust the witches. However, with this trust comes the constant reminder of banquo’s prediction, the one that states “Thou shalt get kings though thou be none” (CITE). This worries Macbeth in particular because it means he has no security on the throne, for if so, why is it not him who has a line of kings? The witches know Macbeth will stop at nothing to secure his position on the throne so in playing with his mind they once again exploit Macbeth’s undeniable desire to be king. As a result of this, Macbeth no longer views Banquo as a friend, but rather as a threat to his reign over Scotland. At the start of the play Macbeth is someone who is commended for his loyalty, but due to this constant exploitation he is now one who ends the life of his closest companion without hesitation. However, his guilt over Banquo’s death does take a toll on Macbeth, sending him into a spiral of madness, the ghost of Banquo appearing in his mind. It is also what pushes Macbeth to visit the witches once more, his fear playing him right into their hands. “ I And betimes I will — to the weird sisters.