Does Ambition Cause Macbeth's Downfall

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Ambition is a great quality to have when pushing for the right goals. Ambition helps when wanting to achieve something great. But, if used selfishly or for the wrong thing; ambition can lead to terrible things. Ambition caused Macbeth’s downfall because it caused him to be motivated to kill, go insane from guilt of the actions, and get selfish with his goals.
Ambition motivated Macbeth to plot and kill the people in Macbeth. “So is he mine, and in such bloody distance/ That every minute of his being thrusts/ Against my near’st of life.” (III.ii.115-117). This quote was from when Macbeth was getting the murderers to kill Banquo because Macbeth thought that he would be a threat to him becoming king. Macbeth was so pushed to be king that he drove himself to do anything to get to be king. He didn’t care who he hurt …show more content…

“Is this a dagger which I see before me,/ The handle toward my hand? Come, let me clutch thee./ I have thee not, and yet I see thee still./ Art thou not, fatal vision, sensible/ To feeling as to sight? Or art thou but/ A dagger of the mind, a false creation,” (II.i.32-37). Macbeth imagined the dagger in front of him because he was so guilty about what they had planned to do to Duncan. After the first killing, Macbeth really changed. He went from being really nice and noble to ruthless and inconsiderate.
Macbeth got super selfish with his goals. When it first started it was Lady Macbeth who was talking him into it for her to become higher up. As the play keep going, Macbeth ended up being very selfish and only caring about getting to be king. “Of all men else I have avoided thee./ But get thee back. My soul is too much charged/ With blood of thine already.”(V.viii.4-6). This quote was said to Macduff from Macbeth about him killing Macduff’s whole family. It shows how he doesn’t even care about anyone else. From killing Duncan to murdering a whole family, he honestly did anything to get the

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