Examples Of Ambition In Macbeth

Macbeth, by Shakespeare, is a play about a Scottish lord whose life is turned upside down when he is told that he will become king. He is overcome by a desire for power. His ambition leads him through a series of actions that question his morality, but his selfishness is a reflection of humanity. Ambition, which seems like a harmless and even admirable trait, takes a dark turn that all humans are familiar with. This play is a representation of how a good trait can become a fault if one is to let it overcome them. Ambition is a universal trait. Every single human being in the world possesses this trait in some way, shape, or form. It comes in different levels of urgency. For Macbeth, the ambition starts out small, almost curious. However,

Unfortunately, the seemingly better choice is only possible if unfortunate actions are acted upon. “That is a step / On which I must fall down or else o’erleap, / For in my way it lies (Shakespeare 223).” Macbeth chooses the hard decision. He must not only take the lives of his competitors, whom he has known his whole life, but he must kill all of their sons, as well. It is a dark action that seems completely heartless, but it is a common act among humans. Although this particular example is somewhat violent, people are constantly doing things that hurt others, simply for their own benefit. However, ambition is definitely not a bad thing. The world would not be the way it is if it weren’t for ambition. What would be accomplished if ambition didn’t motivate us? The rise and fall of great empires, world exploration, and revolutions would not be possible without this determination. Every action that human beings make is driven by ambition. Even something as miniscule as getting out of bed in the morning would be absolutely

Humans are, by nature, incredibly selfish creatures that pay more attention to their own needs and desires than to anyone else’s. Due to this, people’s actions tend to get out of hand when they’re thinking of themselves. Macbeth himself is an accurate display of just how far human’s will go to achieve their goals. “For mine own good, / All causes shall give way (Shakespeare 256).” He believes that his well being is the most important thing in the world. In his eyes, he is the greater good. It seems absurd, but most people have also put themselves upon the same pedestal before. Most people would deny the accusation that they, at times, resemble Macbeth and his unpleasant traits, but it’s human nature. Everyone has felt the feelings that Macbeth does, even if only filtered versions. Abraham Lincoln himself admitted that he saw himself in Macbeth; a politician who had to make tough, unpopular choices (Bromwich). Of course, from the outside we can tell that the 16th president was a much saner person than Macbeth was, but it’s very believable that he often came face to face with a darker side. That didn’t make him a bad person, just an honest