Examples Of Ambition In Macbeth

One of the major themes of Macbeth is ambition. Macbeth is very ambitious when it comes to the kingship, but things can often turn to tyranny. He originated as an honorable man and character, but as he discovered his fate he gradually became more ambitious and murderous. His obsession with his own fate led him to become an extremely tyrannical person. The ambition of Malcolm and Macduff to return Scotland to its state before Macbeth became king eventually led to his downfall.
Ambition starts to become prominent in the first few pages of the play. In Scene 2 of Act 1 Banquo and Macbeth meet the witches and they are given prophecies. Macbeth is told that he is Thane of Glamis first, which shows that the witches know what they are talking about.

After, he is told that he will become Thane of Cawdor and eventually the king of Scotland. He is skeptical at first, but once he officially becomes Thane of Cawdor he decides to do whatever he needs to do to become king. This shows the beginning of Macbeth’s ambition to get the kingship. The fact that Macbeth states:
My thought, whose murder yet is but fantastical,
Shakes so my single state of man
That function is smother'd in surmise,
And nothing is but what is not.

(1.3.139-142)
shows that his first instinct is to murder Duncan. Another Act 1 example of ambition is once Duncan names Malcolm as his heir, Macbeth just sees him as another obstacle to go through instead of just letting fate run its course.
During the beginning of Act 2, once Macbeth goes through with Duncan’s murder, it seals his kingly ambition. Ross points out that ambition was the cause of Duncan’s murder by saying “Thriftless ambition, that will ravin up/Thine own lives' means. Then 'tis most like/The sovereignty will fall upon Macbeth” (2.4.28-30). Macbeth uses Duncan’s murder to secure the kingship. From the moment Macbeth became king he was a tyrant. Everyone was miserable during his reign.
Everyone continued to be miserable during Act 3, which continues the motif of Macbeth’s tyranny. Macbeth refers to Duncan and Banquo’s murders when he states “For mine own good/All causes shall give way” (3.4.135-136). Macbeth doesn’t want Banquo’s prophecies to come true because he thinks that if Banquo’s sons became kings than he will have killed Duncan for nothing and he will be carrying the guilt for nothing. Macbeth is very ambitious when he decides to go see the witches to continue to foresee his

future.
In Act 4 Macbeth’s ambition continues to become dangerous.

Before things get worse, he goes to see the witches to try to plan for his future, which ties into his ambition. Once he sees the witches, he is more confident than ever in his kingship. Once the first apparition tells him to beware Macduff, it confirms Macbeth’s suspicions. Macbeth’s planned murder of Macduff’s family is another example of his tyranny and his ambition. However, this ambition does not help Macbeth in the long run, because Macduff ultimately decides to “Dispute it as a man” (4.3.223). Macduff is determined to get Malcolm, the rightful king of Scotland, back on the throne. He uses this ambition to attempt to end the tyranny that is Macbeth’s reign as

king.
The majority of Act 5 is the downfall of Macbeth’s tyrannical kingly reign. Macbeth’s ambition slowly becomes less prominent as he discovers that the witches mislead him with their apparitions. His ambition gradually transitions to show the ambition of Malcolm to take back Scotland and Macduff to avenge his family’s deaths. Malcolm’s ambitions of taking back the kingship leads to the end of Macbeth’s tyrannical reign, while Macduff’s end Macbeth’s life.
Macbeth is a play full of ambition. The ambition of Macbeth to get and continue to maintain the kingship shows how tyrannical he has become. The power Macbeth obtained came with great responsibility that he could not handle. He let his obsession with fate overwhelm him and take over all of is decisions. Malcolm’s ambition to return to be the king of Scotland and Macduff’s ambition to murder Macbeth both serve as the downfall of his reign. The theme of ambition supported by kingship and tyranny is a major part of Macbeth.