Within "Macbeth," William Shakespeare depicts a striving soldier in hopes of gaining power. When three witches reveal to Macbeth their vision of the future of him as king, Macbeth leaves his morality behind to achieve such a position. Macbeth turns from an honorable man to a lying tyrant that raises havoc within his people, as a result of his fierce ambitions; hence, Shakespeare's overall theme of the consequences of ambition. To begin, Macbeth's careful and moral way of life takes a harsh turn as he handles the overbearing guilt of murder. His ambitions ultimately drives him to ignore all of the warning signs, which eventually lead to his downfall. After learning of the witches' vision, Macbeth immediately creates a plan to rid Scotland of its current leader, Duncan. Alongside his wife, Lady Macbeth, …show more content…
However, his desire for power takes over; thus, when he must face the consequences of murder as a result of his fierce ambitions, Macbeth's honorable and sophisticated mannerisms begin to crumble. With the help of his wife, Macbeth attempts to ignore his feelings; instead, he puts on a mask and acts harsh and cruel. Between Macbeth's fear regarding his status and his tyrannical ruling, Macbeth's dual nature results in his downfall because of his unwillingness to dismiss his desires. Furthermore, Macbeth's conflict with his growing guilt after the killing raises an issue for both him and his wife. The dual nature of the Macbeths, shown through their constantly changing ideologies, reveals how their fierce ambitions lead them to their deaths. For instance, after Macbeth learns that Macduff and his army were defeating his people, Macbeth refuses to go down without a fight. His ambitions in being a king and his lack of fear (that stems from his newly created personality) conclude in his