Ambition is a trait that all humans possess. Whether it be in work or personal life, one's ambition can help them climb the ladder of success. In the case of Macbeth, his abundance of ambition proves to be his greatest imperfection and in the end leads him to his downfall. The impact of his ambition is most clearly demonstrated in his killing of the King, the death of Banquo, and Macbeth’s reaction to his wife’s suicide. In the beginning Macbeth already has an excess of ambition. WIth his humanity, his morals, and his values to keep him in check Macbeth is aware of the dangers of his ambition. “I have no spur to prick the sides of my intent, but only vaulting ambition.” (Macbeth 1.7.25-27) Macbeth says this before the murder of King Duncan. In this instant Macbeth is reflecting on the power of his ambition and how he has no will to stop himself from doing whatever it takes to achieve what he wants to. This uncontrollable ambition that Macbeth has leads him to compromising all of his values and morals by killing Duncan to become King. This is the first instance in the play when we see the true flaw in Macbeth’s excessive ambition. …show more content…
He achieved what he was aspiring to, but it is not enough for his ever growing ambition. Now that Macbeth is king, he must secure his place in power. “Upon my head they placed a fruitless crown and put a barren scepter in my gripe, thence to be wrenched with an unlineal hand, no son of mine succeeding.” (Macbeth 3.1.61-64) This quotation demonstrates Macbeth’s worries particularly on the witches’ promise of Banquo fathering a line of kings. Macbeth’s vaulting ambition to secure his lineage of kings leads him to ordering the murder of Banquo, once again compromising what values and morals he once had for his