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

in history, Adolf Hitler, the Führer of Germany closely resembles Macbeth in their ambition for gaining power, willingness to kill others to accomplish their goals, and being their own downfall.
Macbeth’s goal was for him to rule over all of Scotland and elevate his position from that of thane to king.

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

Macbeth’s tyranny would no longer be tolerated and his time had come to an end as he is killed by Macduff and order and balance is restored.
Before his time of tyranny and dictatorship, Hitler was a soldier serving for Germany in World War I that fought for what he believed was the betterment of his country and was seen as a patriot. Macbeth was seen as a respectable man and a model solider who fought not for himself or selfishness, but for his country. He is even described as valiant and true man by King Duncan. ”Like valor’s minion carved out his passage, Till he faced the slave; Which ne'er shook hands, nor bade farewell to him, Till he unseamed him from the nave to th' chops,” (Shakespeare, 320). Macbeth was a hardworking, loyal soldier, and thane of Cawdor while Hitler held a similar background. Adolf Hitler held a position as a politician after World War I for Germany and was working to rebuild his country from the ashes it was left in. Although his ambition for a new Germany quickly turned sour and a dark evil fell upon him and his regime. “Europe, the destruction of the Soviet Union… and victory of the British Empire” (Watt) became Hitler’s main aspirations and ambition. He truly wanted to conquer the world and his hate for the Jewish race was rampant like wild fire. Hitler’s newfound power led him to start the Second World War and was responsible for one of the most infamous mass genocides in history, the Holocaust. Just as Macbeth, Hitler was more than willing to kill whoever he saw he needed too and would keep fighting in order to retain his own and Germany’s power over Europe throughout World War II. Eventually “Germany and the Axis could not sustain Hitler’s aggressive and expansive war… Hitler’s denial would result in the destruction of himself and the country” (A&E). Hitler had bitten off more than he could chew and his thirst and urge to continue what he had started had consumed him. Soon his regime would crumble and everything he had worked for would be at an end. Overreaching ambition is what led Hitler to his defeat and his death just as with Macbeth.
William Shakespeare's Macbeth and Nazi leader Adolf Hitler are of similar character because they both had alike rises to power, they were both murders, and their ambition overtook them.

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

well.

Works Cited
“Adolf Hitler Biography.” Biography.com A&E Television Networks. Web. 13 Jan. 2016
Gerwig, George William. “Lady Macbeth.” Shakespeare’s Ideals of Womanhood. East Aurora, I I N.Y.: The Roycroft Shops, 1929. 133-150. Rpt. in Shakespearean Criticism. Ed. Lynn I I M. Zott. Vol. 69. Detroit: Gale, 2003. Literature Resource Center. Web. 12 Jan. 2016
McGrail, Mary Ann. “Macbeth: What Does the Tyrant?” In Tyranny in Shakespeare. Lanham I Md.: Lexington Books, 2001. 19-46. Rpt. In Shakespearean Criticism. Ed. Michelle Lee. I Vol. 100. Detroit: Gale, 2006. Literature Resource Center. Web. 12 Jan. 2016
Shakespeare, William, and Alan Durband. Macbeth: Modern English Version Side-by-side with I I Full Original Text. Woodbury, NY: Barron's, 1985. Print.
WATT, DONALD CAMERON. “Tomorrow the World: Hitler, Northwest Africa, and the Path I I towards America. “The English Historical Review 115.460 (2000): 256. Literature I I I I I Resource Center. Web. 13 Jan. 2016.