Essay Sample on Ambition in Macbeth

Ambition is a lust that is never satisfied, but rather grows more until it consumes the individual who seeks it, in Shakespeare's play, 'Macbeth', we as the audience witness “brave” Macbeth’s sudden fall from grace, as his ambitions grow too intense and overwhelming, leading the once-beloved hero to commit a number of murders and heinous acts to sustain his abrupt rise in power as the King of Scotland… At first Macbeth, the tragic hero of the play is recognized as the Thane of Glamis, a title bestowed upon him after the death of his father; with this title, Macbeth rules over the small rural village in Angus, Scotland, alongside his “partner of greatness” Lady Macbeth.  Following the recent war, King Duncan honours Macbeth's loyalty, commitment, and contribution to Scotland during the battle, naming him the Thane of Cawdor; a prestige to his original title, giving Macbeth a larger area of land. Unfortunately, before Macbeth ceremoniously receives the news from Duncan, he encounters three witches who reveal his fortune, informing Macbeth he will receive the title, Thane of Cawdor followed by the title of King. By revealing this news before Duncan’s informants, the witches begin to manipulate Macbeth, corrupting him and tainting him with cruel and devious ambition, thus, beginning Macbeths sudden aversion of his true identity. We are later shown the relationship dynamic between the Macbeths, as it rapidly falls apart following the death of Duncan. although through the play we as an audience observe Macbeth expeditiously becoming much more wicked, lacking morals, he however, still retains his 'disdain' for his consequences, as well as his bravery, as he prefers to die than kneel to the likes of Malcolm.

Throughout the play, Macbeth's sense of identity becomes increasingly vague, as his ambition leads him to commit several cruel acts leaving Macbeth confused as his guilt and shame grows. In the Witches scene, Macbeth is confronted by the three wicked sisters who reveal to Macbeth that he will receive the title, Thane of Cawdor followed by becoming king, leaving Macbeth dumfounded as his ambition starts tainting his thoughts with cruel acts of killing Duncan, repulsed by the idea, "make my seated heart knock at my ribs" Macbeth begins questioning his morals, as he becomes visibly more distressed in the following scenes as he mutters to himself. Furthermore, Shakespeare's stagecraft throughout the following scenes, creates a general atmosphere of confusion and distress, as the characters; Banquo and Duncan's informants, interact with Macbeth while he pauses to speak to himself mid-conversation. The resulting effects of Macbeths newfound ambition leads Macbeth to feel increasing unsure of his identity as he begins to question himself.

Shakespeare depicts the relationship dynamic between the Macbeths, as loving, with Macbeth himself referring to his significant other as his "partner in greatness", emphasizing the importance of the relationship. Following the murder of Duncan, we as an audience observe the rapid decline as the power shifts in the relationship as it ultimately falls apart, as Macbeth loses his sense of identity. The most obvious example of the change in their relationship is shown from the distrust that Macbeth expresses upon meeting with the witches a second time, making Lady Macbeth worry as he becomes more distant, feeling as though she is losing the power she once had, that she ultimately used to convince Macbeth to kill Duncan. Another way Shakespeare represents the relationship becoming corrupt meaningless and unloving is when Lady Macbeth dies, as Macbeth does not bat an eye nor feel a hint of remorse, feeling as "She should have died hereafter;", really emphasizing how the once loving Macbeth, has become a shell of his previous self, losing his true self in the process, becoming progressively more distant with the ones he loves.

Throughout the entirety of 'Macbeth', Shakespeare orchestrates Macbeth’s character in a way that we as an audience grow an attachment to him, feeling empathetic as we watch him fall to such depths from a great beloved hero. From the outset of the play, we initially introduced to Macbeth as a 'brave' yet 'loyal' character who finds meaning and purpose in fighting for what is honorable, such as his contribution in the recent battle, gathering such admiration from people around him, but as his ambition grew he strayed away from his righteous path resulting in him murdering the same person he pledged allegiance too, and guilt begins to build as Macbeth slowly begins to progress into dissociation, beginning to feel dissatisfied as he discusses in his 'tomorrow soliloquy describing life as "but a walking shadow," emphasizing how he believes life has become tenuous and meaningless. Furthermore,

Shakespeare’s ‘Macbeth’ examines how Macbeth’s ‘bravery' and ‘disdain’ of the consequences, evidently leads him astray, tethering itself to Macbeths ‘cruel’ ‘vaulting ambition’... Although Macbeth has become much crueler, self-absorbed and a general reprobate, he still holds true to some of his original defining traits, such as his “bravery” and “disdain” of the consequences, Shakespeare also reminds us as an audience throughout the play that Macbeth while not innocent, is still only human, one who suffers from immense guilt, while emphasizing how far Macbeth has fallen,  with the path he chose leading him to utter misery, Macbeth expresses how he feels about life in his ‘tomorrow 'soliloquy' as "but a walking shadow" feeling as though life has become tenuis and meaningless, demonstrating to us as an audience how even great men fall when exposed to selfish greed lead by their animalistic human desires of power and prosperity, while evidently losing themselves and the people they love in the process.