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Macbeth And Winston's Ambition

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The tenacious Napoleon Bonaparte believes that “great ambition is the passion of a great character. Those endowed with it may perform very good or bad acts. All depends on the principles that direct them”. People across the world and throughout history are individually different, but what defines their individuality is their ambitions. However, there are numerous factors and influences that build a character’s ambition. By analyzing Winston Smith from George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four and Macbeth from William Shakespeare’s Macbeth, it is evident that the pursuit of ambition is built through the development of the principles of intention, motivation, and rationality. However, these principles can differ from character to character. Winston’s …show more content…

At the beginning of Nineteen Eighty-Four, Winston writes into his diary that “Freedom is freedom to say that two plus two make four. If that is granted all else follows” (84). Winston believes that once an individual has the right and freedom to make a statement, whether it may be true or false, other rights and freedoms will begin to develop. The ability to provide the best opportunities for the citizens of Oceania and them to build a better future, becomes Winston’s main ambition. However Macbeth’s ambition contrasts Winston’s, as Macbeth is in pursuit for praise and power. After Lady Macbeth is able to successfully manipulate Macbeth into murdering Duncan, he acknowledges the fact that he “bought Golden opinions from all sorts of people,/ Which would be worn now in their newest gloss,/ Not cast aside so soon” (1.7. 34-37). Through the use of metaphors, Macbeth realizes the amount of praise he receives from others is quite meaningful. He also believes that this praise can be further achieved through his coronation as king of Scotland. As one can see, Macbeth’s selfish desires of gaining more attention through the worshipment from others, contradicts Winston’s altruistic passions. Therefore, Winston and Macbeth’s ambitions are opposing, as Winston feels it is his duty to provide the best for his country while Macbeth desires for praise from his

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When the story begins, Macbeth truly is a “peerless kinsman” to the king (1.4.66); however, as the story progresses others refer to him in this way only because they are oblivious to his true desire” (Balwan 3). As Balwan states, Macbeth has as significant change due to the so call “power” of being king. While Macbeth transitions to a new form of character, he isolates himself from Lady Macbeth. As the power increases, Macbeth is determined to kill.

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One way ambition is presented in a negative way is by Lady Macbeth. Lady Macbeth is one of the most ambitious character who wants to achieve power and can do anything to achieve it. Just after she received the letter from Macbeth she is obsessed with power. Lady Macbeth is really ambitious to become the queen as she convinces Macbeth to kill the King she does this by questioning Macbeth on his

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In Summary, desire’s can blind loyalty. MacBeth and Lady MacBeth have proved this point and payed dearly for it with their lives. This theme was expressed and expanded upon throughout the entire play, from the weird sisters prophecy, to the final battle when MacBeth was killed, he was blinded by his desires and he paid for it. This play has shown how people can let what they want become more important than the people they are supposed to have sworn allegiance

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At the beginning of the play Macbeth, the main character Macbeth learns that he will become King. When he realised he could be the leader, the power he desperately craves motivates him to alter his character. “Tis unnatural, Even like the deed that's done.” (2.4.6-14)

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The fact that Macbeth believes the witches’ prophecies are not evil nor good foreshadows how he will go on to kill any other person standing in his way to more power. His ambition blinds his mind to make him even think about ruthlessly committing a murder. This forceful way of gaining power will only lead Macbeth to become a “tyrant” in Scotland and his “fantastical” desires of killing Duncan and receiving the crown will lead Scotland to failure. Under Macbeth’s rule, Scotland seems to be in a terrible condition. With distrust among the people, there is tension all within the country, as Macbeth’s totalitarian regime had rendered the prosperity of Scotland.

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Macbeth clearly distinguished himself as a great warrior, but his battlefield heroics did not carry over into heroic behavior off the battlefield. It is ironic that he, who had defended Duncan from traitors colluding with Irish and Norwegian armies, himself harbored traitorous thoughts. As he was contemplating assassinating Duncan, Macbeth was having trouble in justifying what he was about to do. “I am his kinsman and his subject, / Strong both against the

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Macbeth’s pride allowed his wife to use his ambition as leverage calling him a ‘coward’, ‘lesser than a man’. Macbeth was unable to withstand the belittlement and his masculinity mocked. Previously, Macbeths desire to obtain the

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Macbeth’s wish to become the king encouraged him to achieve his goals by any means. His intention is

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Lady Macbeth plays a key part in driving Macbeth’s motivations and encourages Macbeth to overcome his strong sense of guilt and take action on the prophecies. Lady Macbeth tells Macbeth that he is “green” (I.VII.40) and “a coward” (I.VII.46) and that he resembles the proverbial “poor cat”. (I.VII.48) The willingness of Lady Macbeth to reach the epitome of betrayal is displaced that heightens the understanding of the overpowering and strong nature of Lady Macbeth as well as the deep and murderous motivations she wishes to impose on her husband. Shakespeare exposes to the audience to the persuasive and emotive techniques Lady Macbeth uses to manipulate and drive Macbeth's motivations. This

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Everyone is familiar with ambition. Without it, no one would get anywhere in life. However, there is such a thing as negative ambition. Ambitions for the wrong things - white ethnostates, genocide, slavery, oppression, etc. - or using terrible methods to achieve goals - murder, tyranny, torture - will bring disaster. In Shakespeare’s famous tragedy Macbeth, Macbeth uses despicable methods to achieve his dream of being King of Scotland.

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Macbeth is also a power hungry man who would do just about anything to achieve his goal of becoming King. When Macbeth first hears the prophecies from the three witches he instantly became invested with the journey to become king. Similar to Lady Macbeth, nothing was going to come between him and his potential power, “My thought, whose murder yet is but fantastical, shakes so my single state of man. That function is smother'd in surmise, and nothing is but what is not” (1.3.52-55). This quote exemplifies how Macbeth’s initial solution to becoming king was murder.

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Furthermore, when Macbeth promises Lady Macbeth to become the King of Scotland, Macbeth assures his developed corruptive mindset. Macbeth says, “I am settled, and bend up / Each corporal agent to this terrible feat. / Away, and mock the time with fairest show. / False face must hide what the false heart doth know” (I. vii.

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Macbeth believes that the Prince of Cumberland stands in his way to more power. “The Prince of Cumberland! That is a step on which I must fall down or else o’erleap, for in my way it lies.” (1.4.48-50) Macbeth’s dissatisfaction with his current power is well illustrated with him referring to the current heir to the throne as an obstacle to overcome.

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What is ambition? Ambition is the determination to achieve one’s goals. In the play Macbeth by William Shakespeare the protagonist, Macbeth, possesses ambition, which led to his downfall. In the play Macbeth’s ambition is driven by prophecies from witches and his wife’s aspiration. Ambition caused Macbeth to commit multiple homicides and after those wrongdoings Macbeth is left with nothing.

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Ambition is a natural part of human existence, every person has it at least a little. It is when ambition grows too large and takes control of us that it becomes dangerous. It becomes obsessive and soon nothing will stop the person obsessed. Just by looking around at our world today, one can clearly see the results of unchecked ambition. Unchecked ambition can be destructive to a society and cause the society's downfall.

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