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Too Much Ambition Is Responsible For Macbeth's Downfall

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When looking at Macbeth, there are many other characters who may appear to have aided in his downfall. Throughout the play, Macbeth is influenced and encouraged by many others. In every tragedy, the protagonist is culpable for their own death due to their own actions. Through all of Macbeth’s journey to becoming king, he continues to fight, crying “Before my body, I throw my warlike shield” (5.9.32-33) even right before being slaughtered. In Macbeth, Shakespeare is able to perfectly portray the universal nature in which one’s downfall can be caused by holding too much ambition. Macbeth is ultimately responsible for his own downfall because of his ambition, and guilt. Throughout all of Macbeth, the protagonist predominantly showcases too much ambition which ultimately leads to his demise. When the Thane of Glamis first hears of the weïrd sisters’ predictions, he is intrigued. He demands the witches “Stay you imperfect speakers. Tell me more” (1.3.68). The predictions cause Macbeth’s ego to inflate. How is it possible for the Thane of Cawdor to become king when he is not next to the heir. Once receiving the present prediction of Thane of Cawdor, he contemplates “As happy prologues to the swelling act of imperial theme” (1.3.128-129). Newly Thane of Cawdor, he becomes overconfident and certain that the prophecies will be fulfilled. Macbeth believes these prophecies only because he likes what they are saying and believes it is his fate. Whereas, if the witches would have said something negative, Macbeth would have certainly dissented or disregarded the predictions. …show more content…

Throughout Macbeth, the major theme is that too much ambition will ultimately lead to one's’ downfall, unfortunately this was the case for Macbeth. Many would agree that ambition is an excellent quality that many people strive to achieve, but when taken to extremes, it can lead to one’s

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Greed for power has always been evil and even made a saint turn into a demon. As the quote goes “All power tends to corrupt and an absolute power corrupts absolutely” (unquote), which is true not only in the fictitious stories but also in real life and Shakespeare, th9e greatest writer ever known, has always been in habit of making fictitious character come alive and Macbeth is no exception to the rule. The character of Macbeth has two sides, one which is wholesome while other been dubious. He symbolized great ambition but went overboard and in the process not only became corrupt but also became a killer. Macbeth reflects great strength but within he has his own weakness and thus good over took evil resulting in its downfall and finally his own death.

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Like all of Shakespeare’s other plays, “Macbeth’s” protagonist Macbeth is incredibly successful but suffers from one fatal flaw, his great ambition. His ambition will be the cause of his great success but ultimately also of his downfall. The man’s ambition drives him to seize every opportunity to promote his own agenda. His ambition hurts him the most when he decides to kill King Duncan and Macduff.

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Macbeth shows his downfall when the English army comes to his castle and an English soldier starts to call him a “tyrant”(5.2.12). This demonstrates Macbeth's downfall because everyone used to think that he was a good strong leader and that he could do anything. When everyone realized that it was Macbeth who killed king Duncan and the others, they were disappointed in him. His downfall ended up leading to his punishment. In the play everyone finds out that that Macbeth killed Duncan and the others, Macduff brings an army to attack Macbeth at his castle.

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At the end of the play Macbeth ambition was too big and it made him went to the wrong path which led to his death. First reason, Macbeth was thinking about murdering the king and it’s not a good choice. Then he finally did his unforgivable move which is kill the king when the king was visiting his castle. He couldn’t control himself because his ambition was getting too big and it swallow him. A quote in the play said ”

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Macbeth is firstly at fault due to his own hubris. From the start of the play we hear praise for Macbeth from the captain when he addresses Duncan, “For brave Macbeth—well he deserves that name—Disdaining fortune, with his brandished steel,Which smoked with bloody execution,Like valor’s minion carved out his passage” (1.2.16-19), this sort of praise was likely commonplace after the battle, and likely was heard by macbeth himself, and being the proud man he was may have led him to feel deserving of greater power and authority. Another way his hubris is to blame is for being convinced by his wife's scorning oh his manhood should he not kill duncan “When you durst do it, then you were a man; And to be more than what

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In today’s society many people possess strong ambition when it comes to getting a job, following a passion and being immensely successful in life. Having an abundance of aspirations can have both successful and faulty outcomes depending on the situation and how individuals respond to the circumstance. For example, in the play **Macbeth written by Shakespeare, a prime example of an excessive amount of ambition is displayed through both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s actions. Essentially, Macbeth becomes power hungry and goes on a rampant killing spree that causes Lady Macbeth and Macbeth to be overcome with guilt. They both contain an excessive amount of desires due to their ultimate goal being for Macbeth to be crowned king.

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