Macbeth Moral Corruption

Macbeth strongly delivers viewers the message that ‘Ambition’ contributes to moral decline, invites evil, and results in a meaningless life.

Ambition is clearly presented as moral corruption. It is a tiny seed of thought which can grow quickly to corrupt the best of characters. At the beginning of the play, Macbeth is portrayed as a worthy, loyal and honourable person. This can be seen when Macbeth fights for the king to defend the crown, in Act One. Macbeth’s noble fascade changes into an evil, power-hungry character, during the play, as Macbeth attempts to step up the ladder and assume a role that was not rightfully his. The audience absorbs the idea that Macbeth might fall on a step in the ‘Great Chain of Being’ when he tries to step up

The witches planted the seed and foretold that in the future, Macbeth would replace the king. Shakespeare uses metaphors like ‘instruments of darkness’ to show how people can be warped into ambitious tyrants who are forced into deep, destructive and monstrous consequences. Macbeth must face the obstacles of Duncan and Malcolm but lacks some of the mental qualities required to kill a king. Lady Macbeth urges Macbeth to be mentally and physically brave. She says: “Thou wouldst be great: And not without ambition, But without The illness should attend it.” (1,5) When Lady Macbeth realises his mental weakness. She urges him to follow through on his actions. “We’d jump the life to come.” (1.7.7) Macbeth and Lady Macbeth succumb to their ambitions in an unstoppable way, which leads to destruction. Evil forces make the climb to power ‘unstoppable’. Shakespeare strongly contrasts the imagery between what is heavenly and what is evil and not pure, as seen in: “Stars hide your fires. Let not light see My back and deep desires.” Shakespeare paints a picture that ambition must be linked to wickedness. Macbeth is concerned about the consequences of his wicked actions and would rather dwell in a world where there is no reaction from the wider world. A world where there are no rules of cause and effect is Macbeth’s preference. Macbeth would prefer the

Shakespeare shows that ambition is pointless and creates an empty void, by using personification to give human qualities to justice, as justice will ensure the evil will bounce back to haunt them: “Even-handed justice commends the ingredients of our poison’d chalice to our own lips.” (1.7) Macbeth appears to sit well with the cultural boundaries at the start. However, as the story progresses, Macbeth demonstrates that he believes becoming king and overcoming the obstacles is possible. Becoming the ‘Thane of Cawdor’ gave credibility to the witches’ prophecy that Macbeth had a chance to be king. This is seen when it is announced that he becomes the ‘Thane of Cawdor’ and particularly in its reference to honour: “And for an earnest of a greater honour, He bade me from him Call thee ‘Thane of Cawdor’” (1.3.102-3) Macbeth’s thought is that murder is the key to achieving his ambition. Macbeth says: “My thought, whose murder is yet but fantastical” (1.3.138). Just like a spur is used by a jockey to make the horse move, Macbeth uses ambition to spur himself, making his murderous thoughts reality, to jump too far, and then to hopelessly fall. Macbeth insists: “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 is stuck between stepping up and