Ambition In Macbeth

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Twisted by power, Macbeth is a thrilling tale revealing just how far a man will go to retain his rule. “Upon my head they placed a fruitless crown And put a barren scepter in my grip, Thence to be wrenched with an unlineal hand, No son of mine succeeding. If ’t be so, For Banquo’s issue have I filed my mind,” Macbeth stated, showing his deteriorating mental state, and immense hunger for power. This play was a work of fiction, nevertheless the reality of the issue is all too real. This disastrous tale was written in 1606 by William Shakespeare, and was designed specifically for King James, who was renowned for hunting witches throughout his life. Capitalizing on the fact that King James despised witches, Shakespeare wrote about three evil witches …show more content…
They cling to their throne like a child to their blanket, and will maintain that grip at any, and all costs. However we must ask ourselves, if put into a position of great power, would you not do whatever is necessary to keep it within your grasp? That is a question that has risen many times in history, and arises in Macbeth. Entitled to the throne, and too impatient to wait, Macbeth slays his predecessor, King Duncan, taking his throne, and fulfilling the prophecy with his own bloody hands. However, there is no rest for the wicked. Before Macbeth could comfortably settle upon his throne, he shows us how a drop of power can drive a man mad, and bring a nation to its knees. Informed by the witches, Macbeth knew that the kings set to precede him were sons and grandsons of his best friend, Banquo. Pondering this dilemma, he came to a sole conclusion; Banquo and his son must die to ensure the longevity of his bloodline as kings. He slew Banquo in cold blood, but his son escaped, causing uneasiness in Macbeth’s mind. This relates far too closely to events that happen today, because people never truly change, and they never will. Viciously stuck in a continuous cycle of corruption and greed, we try to escape, but history is a broken record. Endlessly repeating itself over, and over again, with no apparent end in …show more content…
Satisfied with nothing. Tyrants sit upon their throne, pondering their next move, and plotting their next scheme. Macbeth was a man who acquired an entire kingdom, but that was not enough. One of the greatest flaws of men is desire. Desire can lead people down a harsh, unforgiving road. A road that leads to nothing but hatred, and sadness. Macbeth was king, regardless of his means of acquiring that title. The question at hand was wether or not he was going to calm himself, and be happy with what he had so unjustly acquired. The answer was no. He tasted the faintest drop of power, and became drunk on it. This inadvertently lead to his demise. He was swallowed by his huger for power, and he was killed in the pursuit of it. This truly shows the dangers of want. When your dissatisfaction becomes larger than your sword, you are doomed to fail. This shows itself throughout history, and is even prevalent today. Rulers think about every possibly way to acquire more power. They lie, steal, cheat, and even kill to further their political
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