The negative form of ambition When ambition to achieve a goal becomes overly obsessive, one begins to force expected results by attempting to fast track the inevitable, resulting in the goal being detrimental to one’s life. In the play “Macbeth” by William Shakespeare demonstrates this theme using the actions of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, both displaying the qualities of uncontrollable ambition. When Macbeth discovers, he will at some point be king. This exposes the indefinite possibility the Macbeth will become king. In the mind of Macbeth and his wife, it is now a matter of when he will become king when the three witches say in the prophecy, “All hail, Macbeth, that shalt be king hereafter!” (Shakespeare, Macbeth - Acts one, Scene three). This while being continually persuaded by Lady Macbeth when …show more content…
The bell invites me to. Hear it not, Duncan, for it is a knell that summons thee to heaven or to hell.”(Shakespeare, Macbeth - Acts two, Scene one). With this action, Macbeth becomes King with Lady Macbeth by his side. Due to the path he takes to achieve his goal while using a significant shortcut, Macbeth begins to live in a state of paranoia that his throne could be taken away and that he, along with his wife, both live in remorse of their actions. “O, full of scorpions is my mind, dear wife!”(Shakespeare, Macbeth - act three scene two) Macbeth also knows that Banqou’s child will also become king from the prophecy made by the three witches and because of the intense state of paranoia, Macbeth tries to reverse this by sending a hit out on the child and Banquo in act three scene three. Furthermore, because of the actions that lead to the throne, Macbeth lives in a terrible emotional state, deteriorating his mind making him delusional and insane. These actions also lead to the Lady Macbeth committing suicide “Let me endure your wrath if I don’t be so. Within this three mile may you see it