Ambitions Self-Destruction In Shakespeare's Macbeth And Adolf Hitler

Ryan Quemada

Ms. Hill

English IV K – 2nd

21 January 2016

Ambitions Self-Destruction

The concept of ambition as seen in William Shakespeare’s Macbeth and Adolf Hitler’s rule of Nazi Germany is the cause for both the rise and downfall of those whose ambition consumed them. When an individual or group is ambitious in gaining power by immoral ways, there is little to do to stop them from trying to achieve their goals. In Shakespeare’s time, those higher up in society such as nobles, wealthy land owners, and those of royal blood were constantly in search of more and more and would do whatever it took to obtain their desires. Macbeth was written to show how ones ambitions can over take morals and delude right and wrong. One of the most infamous men

This ambition was planted and nursed in his mind when he was told the prophecy from three witches that he will one day be king. Macbeth’s wife, Lady Macbeth, was the spark that ignited the drive in Macbeth to begin his evil ways and kill King Duncan for his power. “I have no spur to prick the sides of my intent, but only vaulting ambition, which o'erleaps itself and falls on the other”(Shakespeare, 337). Although Macbeth originally knows that what he is doing is wrong, Lady Macbeth continues to push him in the dark void that his ambition has created and his feelings of remorse or wrongdoing will soon enough fade away. Although ambition has plagued Lady Macbeth as well and “has laid its stealthy fingers upon her conscience” (Gerwig, Vol.69). Lady Macbeth is the main reason that Macbeth so easily went to the dark side and she has become blinded by her own desires and that for her husband that she no longer cares for what is right and wrong. Macbeths killing will not stop with just king Duncan though and “by releasing his ambition, Macbeth is successful in destroying his conscience…” (McGrail, 19-46). Everyone is now a threat to his newfound power as king and Macbeth will kill whatever innocents he sees as necessary. Morals do not exist for him now, the only thing that matters is power and sustaining it and this ultimately is what leads him to being killed. Eventually

Hitler led a genocide against the Jewish race in World War II amongst many others he saw unfit and were not a part of his greater plan for Germany. The Third Reich’s campaign of mass slaughter and war crimes against innocents was a mass waste of life such as the murders of Duncan, Banquo, and Lady Macduff with her children in Macbeth. Both of these men longed for a power that was beyond them and their ambition led down a dark path that would ultimately destroy them and while their ambition brought death upon others, it was only natural that it would bring death upon themselves as