In today’s world, many people view excessive ambition as either a positive thing or a negative thing. Some people believe that excessive ambition is a good thing and can yield good results, while others believe that excessive ambition is not a good thing and can cause havoc for yourself and others. In relation, within Shakespeare's play, “Macbeth”, and Truman Capote’s novel, “In Cold Blood,” the theme of ambition is obvious throughout the story's timelines and ultimately plays a key role in the fate of some of the characters. With all the supporting evidence from Macbeth and In Cold Blood, I believe that excessive ambition is a negative thing because of Macbeth’s desire to become king, Lady Macbeth’s desire to become queen, and Dick and Perry’s murderous …show more content…
For example, due to his desires, he decides it is best to kill his best friend, Banquo, so he can have an easy route to becoming king, without consequences. For example, within the play, Macbeth states, “Both of you know Banquo was your enemy.” With this quote, Macbeth is sending two murders to kill Banquo so he does not have to be suspected of committing another murder. Not only did he kill his friend, but he stole the lives of two servants, Macduff’s family, and worst of all, King Duncan. Before Macbeth heard the witches' prophecies, he was known for being a loyal soldier, however, after hearing the prophecies, he let his desire for power consumed him, and ultimately led him to his foreshadowed death. His desire for power did have an effect on his levels of ambition, which ultimately led him to commit these horrendous acts. When Lady Macbeth hears the news that he is in line to become king, she becomes very attached to the idea of becoming queen. She has the desire to become queen, no matter what. She decides that the only way to immediately become queen is to eliminate the only obstacle in her way, the