Macbeth Ambition Essay Examples

Essays on Macbeth Ambition

In Macbeth written by William Shakespeare, Macbeth chooses to follow his ambitious passion for royalty and power instead of the responsibility due to his kingdom. Macbeth had a huge desire for power which fueled him to take on murderous actions. After hearing the prophecy, Macbeth get consumed with excitement and immediately sends for Lady Macbeth to hear about it and that they will soon rise to power.

Ambition’s Corollary in Macbeth
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Ambition is the strong desire to do or to achieve a certain action. However, without there being a balance of ambition and rational thinking, this desire can lead to an unfortunate and miserable aftermath. Macbeth, a tragedy written by William Shakespeare during the early 1600s, conveys that unchecked ambition can bring danger, destruction and affect an individual's well being. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are both overly ambitious and are willing to do anything for power. Shakespeare uses Macbeth and Lady…...
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Destructive Ambition in Macbeth
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What is ambition? Ambition is a passion or desire that never fails you and will never let you fail it, and therefore ultimately leads the downfall of an individual. Ambition is exactly what leads to the downfall of Macbeth in the play “Macbeth”, written by William Shakespeare. Throughout the play, Shakespeare effectively deepens our understanding of the theme of ambition through the characters, and how they pursue it. He also proves to shows that some forms of ambition can push…...
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William Shakespeare’s Macbeth: Impact of Ambition
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Ambition is the strong desire to perform an action to achieve something whether it’s for a good cause or to satisfy one's need or desire. Macbeth, written by William Shakespeare, describes the derivation and ascension of power by Macbeth and Lady Macbeth as well as the problems associated with it. The great ambition characterized by both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth provokes the characters to perform actions in the desire for power. The overarching theme of the play is “fair is…...
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Fair Is Foul and Foul Is Fair
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“Fair is foul, and foul is fair. Hover through the fog and filthy air,” said the witches in the first act and scene of Macbeth. Pertaining to the story, I believe this quote sheds light to the audience on the evil the witches possess. Without even reading further into the book, the audience can feel the eerie aura that the witches give off. You can foreshadow that the witches are going to turn what is good, foul and maintain what…...
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Macbeth Ambition
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English Assignment – Term 3 Representations of ambition within Macbeth Within Macbeth, there are numerous representations of human values and conflicts, including duty vs. desire, the effects of a guilty conscience on the human journey and the differences between genders, and the superiority of men within the play, and the modern era. The value foregrounded throughout this text is the representations of ambition within the play Macbeth, and we will be focusing on the protagonist of the story, ironically named…...
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Responsibility vs Passion in Macbeth

Responsibility and passion can go hand in hand when it falls on a steady person. For instance an adult may have a project due for work on a certain date. They will get the project done on time and do as best as they can to make it perfect.

Most adults have the responsibility of work but also have the passion to go out and follow their dreams. The conflict occurs when the adult doesn’t want to do the responsible thing and instead follows their passion which may seem like the easy way out.

In Macbeth written by William Shakespeare, Macbeth chooses to follow his passion for royalty and power instead of the responsibility due to his kingdom. Macbeth had a huge desire for power which fueled him to take on murderous actions. In the beginning of the play, Macbeth and his friend Banquo come across the Three Weird Sisters who prophesied the future and said ”thou shalt get kings though thou be none, so all hail Macbeth and Banquo!”(Shakespeare 19). Macbeth get consumed with excitement and immediately send for Lady Macbeth to hear about it and that they will soon rise to power. Macbeth and his passion become darker as he decides to kill the king of Scotland.

Without too much reflection, Macbeth keeps going down this line of tyranny and destruction of anything that gets in his way from getting to the throne and staying king. In order for this to happen, Macbeth makes sure that his friend Banquo is murdered of what the Three Weird Sisters prophecy. Macbeth only thinks of his image, and does not think of his responsibilities as King or his loyalty towards his friendship with Banquo. Macbeth’s actions towards his passion begin to take his sanity away. Before Macbeth killed King Duncan, he sees,” a dagger of the mind, a false creation,”(Shakespeare 53), which causes Macbeth to question his behavior. Instead of letting himself feel any guilt he motivates himself through his passion to keep going. Macbeth reveals that he believed he has a weak mind and believes more and more in his superstitions. Macbeth slowly begins to feel guilty and for Lady Macbeth it was so bad that she committed suicide.

Effects of the Prophecy

The Weїrd Sisters prophecy blinded Macbeth from seeing the danger and consequences of rising to power in the way that he acted. By speeding up all of the prophecy that was given, many unlucky events followed. In the end Macbeth gets killed by Macduff in a battle and Macbeth’s belief that everything would go right was ruined by his passion.


In William Shakespeare’s Macbeth, Passion and responsibility become a conflict within Macbeth’s mind. His responsibility as a husband, king, and friend was completely blindsided by passion. Passion can be a very dangerous feeling, that can control a person’s mind, and it is the person’s choice to not let passion blind them from their responsibilities.

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