Ambition can be a risky trait. It can really lead to bad outcomes. In Shakespeare’s Macbeth, Lady Macbeth is a prime example. When she hears a prophecy about her husband becoming king, she’ll do anything to become queen. She even pushes Macbeth to murder. But in the end, her ambition takes a toll on her mental health, and she ends up taking her own life. Looking at Lady Macbeth’s journey, it’s clear her drive for power led to her downfall. To get what she wants, Lady Macbeth calls on dark forces. When Macbeth tells her the prophecy, she begs for “spirits that tend to mortal thoughts.” She asks these spirits to fill her with cruelty so she can control Macbeth. Lady Macbeth wants the crown, but she needs her husband’s help. To become strong, she pushes away her natural femininity and gives herself to evil. This choice shows how …show more content…
Her ambition drives her to seek something evil, altering her character for the worse. After getting Macbeth to kill the king, Lady Macbeth faces heavy psychological stress. As a queen, she feels the weight of her actions. She describes her hand as smelling like blood, saying that no perfume can wash it clean. At this point, she battles sleepwalking. She repeatedly tries to wash her hands, which symbolizes the guilt of the murder. Even though Macbeth did the deed, she recognizes her wrongdoing. The evil influences continue to haunt her. Even in her sleep, she tries to scrub away the shame. Her ambition has cost her dear. Though she achieved her goal, her mind is burdened with guilt. In the end, Lady Macbeth can't cope with the consequences of her ambition and takes her life. She dies by her own hand, unable to deal with her guilt. As her husband’s power is threatened, she realizes her crown is built on wrongdoing. The truth is too painful for her to bear. Overwhelmed by guilt, she escapes reality by choosing death. She knows she can never be free of the guilt tied to the dark forces she