Macbeth's Ambition Research Paper

Ambition can have either a positive or negative affect on a person’s decisions. In most cases, an ambitious person is viewed as someone who is very determined towards achieving their goals. However, the other type of ambitious people are those who have a strong desire to be powerful, usually in a negative and controlling way. These ambitious people tend to have unrealistic and immoral goals, usually in a way for them to gain competence. In Macbeth, written by the famous playwright William Shakespeare, the main character Macbeth is seen to portray these traits. Macbeth’s personality changed a tremendous amount in this play, shifting from an innocent and kindhearted general to a corrupt and unscrupulous king. His cowardness leads him to become

At the beginning of the novel, he always appeared very compassionate and noble, even being crowned Thane of Cawdor because of his good deeds. However, because of the influences from people around him, Macbeth’s ambition changed his personality and behavior, shifting his path toward evil. Macbeth’s ambition started to evolve when he was told by the witches that “[he] shalt be king hereafter!” (Shakespeare. 1.3.53). Possessing a gullible attribute, Macbeth believed their statements and became very determined about becoming king. Even though Macbeth was an exceedingly humane person starting from the beginning of the play, he still chose to kill off the king to inherit his crown. However, after he committed the murder, he returned to Lady Macbeth, frightened, and said, “I am afraid to think of what I have done. Look on ‘t again I dare not.” (Shakespeare. 2.2.66-67). Macbeth speaks in a very panicked tone, using words like “afraid” and “I dare not” to express how paranoid and guilty killing Duncan has made him. Even though Macbeth used to be such an innocent person, his ambition of becoming king caused him to fulfill an unlawful act. Macbeth’s frantic act of murder indicates how ambition can cause even the most charitable people to do

After Macbeth found out about his prophecy from the witches, he decided to take matters into his own hands, altering what was set out for him, leading to many disastrous outcomes and deaths. When Macbeth heard Banquo’s prophecy, he was infuriated. Filled with jealousy and greed, he was envious that Banquo’s sons would become king, yet “upon [his] head [the witches] placed a fruitless crown.” (Shakespeare. 3.1.66-67). Macbeth included a very compelling metaphor here. He goes on to compare his reign as King of Scotland to a “fruitless crown”. He’s stating that becoming king without any royal offspring is no use, further expressing his greed towards Banquo’s children. The word “fruitless” is exemplifying a tree that has no fruit, basically indicating a useless tree. This quote not only reveals Macbeth’s disappointment towards his and Banquo’s prophecies but also exhibits his strong sense of selfishness throughout the book. Furthermore, instigates Macbeth’s determination on changing the prophecies set out by the witches. He fulfills this promise by executing his best friend, admitting that “there shall be done a deed of dreadful note.” (Shakespeare. 3.3.48-49). Macbeth’s tone of language here is strong, using words like “dreadful” to describe what he is going to do to Banquo. It is astonishing to the reader how a man’s ambition could be so strong that he would even