Macbeth's Ambition Research Paper

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Pages: 4

Ambition can be a good quality since it can help others in becoming more successful. In Macbeth by William Shakespeare, ambition was portrayed by Macbeth. Macbeth’s future is a result of his own ambition rather than of the prophecies, which is demonstrated through his actions. Macbeth's growing desire for power Although others may argue that the witches prophecies had control over what happened, in actuality their prophecies only served as motivation for Macbeth’s actions. Macbeth’s only motivation to commit crimes in order for the prophecies of the witches to become true was his ambition. When Macbeth became thane of Cawdor and confided to Lady Macbeth about the prophecies she motivated him into killing King Duncan. In his soliloquy, …show more content…
His over confidence and own ambition leads to his downfall. When Macbeth went to the witches for more information he had three apparitions. One of them told Macbeth that he will only be defeated by a woman who was not born of a woman. This made Macbeth have overconfidence however he goes on and states, “Then live, Macduff. What need I fear of thee? But yet I’ll make assurance double sure, and take a bond of fate. Thou shalt not live, that I may tell pale-hearted fear it lies and sleep in spite of thunder.” (4.1.82-86). Macbeth decides to kill Macduff and his family to make sure that Macduff won't cause him any problems. However Macbeth only killed Macduff's family, this infuriates Macduff wanting revenge. Macbeth is responsible for himself getting killed by Macduff since this was just an action of revenge from …show more content…
The witches led Macbeth into believing his greatnesses and even Macbeth recognizes this. When Macbeth is fighting Macduff, he reveals to Macbeth that he wasn’t born of a woman since his mother had a cesarean, Macbeth states, “And be these juggling fiends no more believed, that palter with us in a double sense, that keep the word of promise to our ear, and break it to our hope.” (5.8.19-22). He refers to the witches as juggling fiends, they were evil creatures that made him believe his own immortality. Their prophecies had served as motivation for Macbeth to commit the evil actions that he did, such as killing King Duncan, Banquo and Macduff's family. Macbeth blames the witches because they tricked him by giving him such great prophecies that in the end were In the end the witches prophecies did become true such as Macbeth becoming king, beware of Macduff, only being defeated when Birnam wood goes over to Dunsinane Hill, and he will only be defeated by a man who was not born of a woman. Even though this may be true, one must not forget the one is responsible for their own actions. The witches prophecies didn't tell Macbeth what to do in order for the prophecies to become true, hey only predicted his future, never telling him how they will become true. Macbeth himself decided how to accomplish the