The Consequences Of Ambition In Macbeth By William Shakespeare

Throughout the course of Shakespeare’s Macbeth, ambition is the driving force behind all the characters in the story. Ambition fueled them to go after power and to get something that they want. Similarly, ambition is also the driving force behind all the people in the world. Ambition can be good and bad, for many people ambition is wanting to achieve something and doing anything to achieve that. On a more extreme note there are also those who see no more finish line, they keep going and are never satisfied with where they are at. On the other side of the spectrum is how ambition changes people. Having ambition to the point where you will do things that have huge consequences just to achieve your goal. In all ambition has three different effects,

At the very start of the story we see Macbeth as this polite fragile almost feminine man, but as he gained more power and gained ambition to gain more power he slowly transformed into somewhat of a monster. One of the best examples of this is when he sends out murderers to kill arguably his best friend Banquo, but with all this newfound power Macbeth now says, “ He’s my enemy too, and I hate him so much that every minute he’s alive it eats away at my heart.”( Act 3 scene 1) He now talks about Banquo as if they have been feuding rivals for decades instead of being close allies. Macbeth's attitude towards everything changes into one of a tyrant from these little hints of power he had at the very start. We see his transformation from the start of book to now, where he used to be someone who liked everyone and was well respected to now his own allies turning against him to kill him. In act 5 scene 2 his past allies who are now battling against him say “Some say he’s mad, others that lesser hate him Do call it valiant fury. But, for certain, He cannot buckle his distempered cause Within the belt of rule.” They also state “ Those he commands move only in command, Nothing in love. Now does he feel his title Hang loose about him, like a giant’s robe Upon a dwarfish thief.” They are saying how now even the soldiers that are fighting for him are not fighting out of passion, they are fighting because they have to follow orders. They talk about how now because of his changes he has lost all power control and most importantly the respect he had at the start of the story. This can also relate to all people. Eventual power and ambition can quickly change you into a hungry “tyrant” just to achieve the final