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Macbeth Unchecked Ambition Research Paper

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May 3, 2017
Hannah Barovier
The Power of Ambition “Whether we fall by ambition, blood, or lust, like diamonds we are cut with our own dust.” This statement made by John Webster describes the downfall of Macbeth, which was brought on by unchecked ambition, his hamartia. In William Shakespeare’s great tragedy Macbeth, a man upsets the natural order by committing regicide, simultaneously putting him at war with himself. Macbeth is driven by his lust for power and loss of morals. His unchecked ambition leads to his own self-destruction, and the natural order is restored. Over the course of the play, Shakespeare imparts that ambition will never fulfil a lust for power, and while it can be positive, it has the ability to fundamentally alter one’s …show more content…
While Macbeth remains undecided on committing regicide, he talks of loyalty and guilt. Lady Macbeth pushes him to share her view, so that they may both fulfil their ambitions. Along the way, the witches provide Macbeth with visions and statements that cause him to become over-confident, and believe he is virtually undefeatable. Through the eventual demise of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, Shakespeare is conveying that ambition is harmless without negative influence, in this case by Macbeth’s wife and the witches, and it should never be valued over compassion and …show more content…
Shakespeare communicates that it is less rewarding to achieve goals through corruption than it is through fairness and hard work. In contrast to the Macbeths, Duncan’s son Malcolm who is the new King, signifies that a great leader puts honour and loyalty above blind ambition. The following quote by Napoleon Bonaparte represents the characters of Macbeth, and the internal struggles they face with their ambition: “Great ambition is the passion of a great character. Those endowed with it may perform very good or very bad acts. All depends on the principles which direct

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