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Examples Of Ambition In Macbeth

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Zadie Harpster Ms, Chesney Eng2DI December 17 Strong Ambition, Gone Wrong “No man chooses evil because it is evil; he only mistakes it for happiness, the good he seeks." Mary Wollstonecraft. In other words, although ambition is generally good, it …show more content…

Having just learned that someone else is to be heir to the throne, Macbeth realizes he may have to carry out awful deeds, to take the throne. At the same time, Macbeth wants to be shielded from the brutality of the deeds his hands will carry out, such as killing Duncan. The ambition sparked by the witches starts to fade after spending time with the king and realizing he does not want to harm him. However, when Lady Macbeth finds out that Macbeth changed his mind, she is appalled by the news. She tells Macbeth that he made a promise to her and needs to follow through with it, as "[she] would, [have] plucked my nipple from his boneless gums / And dashed the brains out, had [she] so sworn as you/Have done to this''(1.7.57-58). With these words, Lady Macbeth manipulates her husband by reigniting his ambition to kill the king. After all, he does not want to disappoint his wife. Once Macbeth obtains the throne, his ambition fuels his insecurity and overrides his conscience, making him act in a ruthless, hasty manner. Macbeth's insecurity makes him doubt his valued friend Banquo’s loyalty to him, as he fears he knows his crimes because he was the only one with him when the witches spoke their prophecy. Macbeth also fears he destroyed his conscience for the benefit of only Banquo when he chose to kill …show more content…

He also depicts his fear of having his actions, such as killing Duncan and destroying his peace of mind, done for the benefit of only Banquo's children. Despite their long friendship, Macbeth can’t ignore his fears and decides to act on them by having Banquo killed. The paranoia that drives Macbeth to have his companion killed also makes him go to any means necessary to eliminate obstacles standing in his way. When he revisits the witches, they give him three new prophecies. The first prophecy given to Macbeth warns him to "Beware Macduff, beware the thane of fife" (4.1.71-72), but the second promises that "none of the women born / Shall harm Macbeth" (4.1.80-81). Macbeth decides that he now needs to eliminate Macduff and his potential danger to

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