Vaulting Ambition in Macbeth
“I have no spur / To prick the sides of my intent, but only / Vaulting ambition, which o 'erleaps itself, / And falls on th’other. . .”. Macbeth like a horse has no spur, he does not want to commit murder but his vaulting ambition causes him to overleap himself and carry out actions which he regrets. His ambition is his major flaw as it makes him desire things which most would find impossible to achieve but with his sometimes crazy eagerness he rationalizes his actions for his unachievable goal. Macbeth 's blind ambition is the main reason he is crowned but it is also the main reason for his fall.
Macbeth firstly thinks about his future when he and his friend Banquo meet the 3 strange witches which then prophesied Macbeth to be king. Here first Macbeth is experiences the pleasant thoughts of being king. Macbeth does say that “this supernatural soliciting, cannot be ill, cannot be good”. But Macbeth is firstly grabbed here by his desire and ambitions and decides he will let things play out as he is overcome by sweet thoughts of being king, “If chance will have me king,
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Macbeth’s ambition blinds him completely in the last acts especially when Macduff 's and the English forces are ready to attack. Macbeth meets up with the witches again which prophesied things that made it seem impossible for Macbeth to lose the fight. He is so sure with himself and so blinded by his ambition to stay king that he takes little precautions to make sure he will never be dethroned. Thinking he was too great the prophecies come true one by one angering Macbeth which makes him challenge Macduff. Macduff then proceeds to kill Macbeth himself "I shall do so; / But I must also feel it as a man". Macbeth 's ambition makes him sometimes take too many precautions such as killing Macduff 's family and leaving a trail behind which ultimately killed him, and sometimes take to little precautions as he thought he was untouchable (which has also played a role in