One of the most ambitious individuals of all of all time, Napoleon Bonaparte once stated, “Great ambition is the passion of great character. Those endowed with it may perform very good or very bad acts. All depends on the principals which guide them”. Therefore, these words reveal an imperative reality about ambitious individuals which is that the quality of one’s ambition is heavily dependent on that individual’s morals. Thus, it can be acknowledged that if a person’s ambition goes unhindered by a sense of morality and compassion, it can transform into a vile force of annihilation, as it did in Shakespeare’s tragic play, Macbeth. On that account, if one’s ambition lacks compassion, it can morph into the ultimate vices of humanity- greed, envy, and insecurity, thus leading even the most promising individuals into the realms of damnation. …show more content…
Firstly, if one’s ambition is without compassion, it can often manifest as greed- one of the prime vices of humanity. There is often a very thin line blurring the differences between ambition and greed, and this line is completely reduced to rubble in the absence of compassion. Moreover, many great leaders have had their ambition corrupted into greed, as a result of their own voracious hunger for power, at the expense of innocent lives. This exact lust for power was also illustrated in Shakespeare’s tragic play, Macbeth, in which the titular character himself is shown to be the chief of this vile manifestation of ambition. Macbeth is shown to be mulling about whether he should partake in the regicide of King Duncan- his own kinsmen for the sake of his “vaulting ambition” (I.vii.26). Hence, Macbeth himself admitted in his soliloquy that his only reason to partake in the regicide of King Duncan, is his own revolting greed. This depicts the sheer lack of compassion that Macbeth has, as he is seriously contemplating the murder of King Duncan, for the sake of his petty desire for the throne. Furthermore, once Macbeth makes the decision to carry out this crude and selfish act, he will have strangled his morals for the sake of his ambition, thus plunging himself into the status of a bloodthirsty tyrant who only lusts after power at the expense of various innocent lives. Furthermore, this crude metamorphosis of ambition into greed has also taken place in history in the form of the Spanish conquest of the Inca Empire. The Spanish Conquest of the Inca Empire is acknowledged to be the key foundation of the colonization of South America, yet the heart wrenching truth behind it is often lost amidst the glories of conquest.
The Spanish Conquest of the Inca Empire is a prime example of the transformation of ambition into greed. Originally, many colonists sailed to the Americas, for their ambition of a better life, yet slowly that ambition morphed into greed, as they witnessed the abundance of gold in that area. The Spanish colonists were corrupted by their greed, and as a result their sense of morality was left behind by their growing ambition for power and wealth. Consequently, the Spanish colonists gave “gifts” of small-pox infested blankets to the native population, in hopes of wiping them out and plundering the riches from the flourishing land of Peru to the Spanish Empire. Furthermore, the Spanish conquistadors executed 2000 of the Inca warriors and also demanded a ransom of half a room full of gold, if King Atahualpa wished to come out of the Spanish imprisonment alive. Once the ransom was paid, the Spanish conquistadors executed the King anyways, displaying their
ruthlessness (Christopher Minster). This incident was a clear display of the Spanish manifestation of greed due to their ambition, as the Spaniards were ambitious for power, and they realized that plundering the weakened Inca Empire, which had just recently emerged out of a civil war (Christopher Minster) was the perfect opportunity to facilitate their greed. However, the greed for gold and land blinded their sense of morality and compassion, and as a result the Spaniards enslaved the entire Inca population, destroyed entire cities, and committed mass genocide. Lastly, Macbeth’s greed, as a result of his desire for the throne is also showcased in the form of envy for the Prince of Cumberland-Malcolm. The greed of Macbeth, as a result of his ambition is illustrated when Macbeth urges Nature itself to “hide [his] black and deep desires” (I.iv.59). Through this Shakespearian metaphor, it can be acknowledged that Macbeth’s desire is to be the King, and as a result, the Thane of Glamis realizes that he will have to orchestrate a brutal crime in order to sate his greed for the throne. Moreover, through this scene it can once again be acknowledged that Macbeth’s ambition has curbed his sense of morality, thus allowing him to partake in such a horrendous act. Thus we can acknowledge that when ambition is unhindered by a compass of compassion, it can morph into a deadly vice-greed. Secondly, ambition can also manifest as envy, when one’s lust for power trumps compassion. Many ambitious individuals are always striving for more and more power, thus sometimes they begin to crave the belongings of other in order to achieve their own goals. Furthermore, without compassion, this manifestation of ambition can take dangerous routes, thus endangering the lives of others. The manifestation of ambition into envy was depicted in Shakespeare’s tragic play, Macbeth, in which the newly crowned King of Scotland is shown to be planning the murder of his good friend, Banquo. Macbeth wishes to assassinate Duncan, as the witches had prophesized that Banquo’s lineage would reign over Scotland, thus usurping Macbeth’s throne. Consequently, Macbeth realizes that the witches placed a “fruitless crown on [his]” (III.i.66-68) head, as he simply has no successor. On that account, it can be acknowledged that Macbeth harbors envy towards Banquo, as he has what Macbeth lacks-an heir, and thus Macbeth wishes to eliminate Banquo from his path, as he is a threat to his royalty. Furthermore, we can also acknowledge that Macbeth’s envy surpasses his sense of morality, as he is willing to throw away his morals once again for his ambition, as he plans the assassination of Banquo for the protection of his throne. Unfortunately, little does Macbeth realize, that through his envy all he has done is plunged himself into a endless cycle of bloodshed from which there is no escape. Also a another example of the transformation of ambition into envy is the Crusades. The Crusades originally started after the Muslims gained much new territory through rapid conquest and gained control over the holy land. As a result, the Europeans grew envious of the land that the Muslims were in possession of, as it was technically their holy land and, thus they launched the crusades. As both sides fought for land and religion, all sense of compassion was lost, as thousands of innocent men died fighting for the sacred land. The very jealousy of the Byzantine Empire led to one of the bloodiest conflicts in the middle ages, killings thousands. If compassion had existed on both sides, then this conflict could have been avoided, as the orchestrators would have acknowledged the amount of destroyed lives, before carrying out such a bloody war. Lastly, the crude transformation of ambition into envy is also illustrated in Macbeth again. Macbeth acknowledges that the Prince of Cumberland is the “step on which [he] will fall down or else overleap” (I.iv.56-57). On that account, we can acknowledge that Macbeth is extremely envious of Malcom’s position as the heir apparent, and as a result the thane clearly views him as a deadly threat to his aspirations for the throne. Consequently, Macbeth’s “black and deep desires” (I.iv.59) could also be viewed as his plan to kill Malcolm, thus revealing his utter lack of compassion created by his own voracious greed for the throne. The fact that Macbeth is willing to kill the son of the very man who is not only his kinsmen, but also the source of his income shows Macbeth’s lack of compassion in the face of his boundless ambition. Thus, it can be acknowledged that when ambition lacks compassion, it can transform into greed-a trait which is often the destruction of many great leaders. Lastly, ambition can often create insecurity, when over-achieving individuals become excessively paranoid over losing their cherished possessions. Consequently, when such individuals are also lacking in compassion, they can go to wild lengths to preserve their esteemed possessions; occasionally, even stepping into the
Many people seek power, even if it will bring undesirous actions. In some cases, individuals bring their own destruction when they want more than they need. People’s greed can lose their sanity and allow them to do scandalous actions they would have never done. As a courageous warrior greedy for power, Macbeth allows his ambition take over and assassins his friends and family. Ambition harms more than it can benefit when powers with greed. In the Elizabethan play, The Tragedy of Macbeth, William Shakespeare shows through the usage of blood that greedy ambition creates a guilty conscience to the mind and vengeance from the past.
Any goal in life is achieved through ambition, fueled by determination, desire and hard work. Ambition maybe a driving force to success or to a pit of failure, the path chosen by an individual determines the end. Remember that any goal to be fulfilled needs desire, desire that strives to do good or greedy desire that is selfish. Also the actions that contribute to our ‘hard work’ need to be morally and ethically right to enjoy the sweet success. However, when the desire and determination is stronger than conscience, many tend to fail often reach or don’t reach what they strived for, leaving them emotionally or even physically dead. The inner lying consequence of ambition is clearly stated by Napoleon, he quotes “Great ambition is the passion of a great character. Those endowed with it may perform very good or very bad acts. All depends on the principals which direct them”. The undesirable consequence of ambition can be observed in the lives of the protagonists of ‘The Great Gatsby and Macbeth. This describes the direction in which ambition is driven could change the end result, it is simply based on the individual itself rather than the dream they seek to achieve. Therefore, the strong drive of ambition helps the seeker attain their goal but greedy desires and wrong paths taken eventually lead to downfall.
In the play of “Macbeth”, Shakespeare gradually and effectively deepens our understanding of the themes and most importantly the relationship between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. The main theme of Macbeth is ambition, and how it compels the main characters to pursue it. The antagonists of the play are the three witches, who symbolise the theme appearance and reality. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s relation is an irony throughout the play, as most of their relation is based on greed and power. This is different from most of Shakespeare’s other plays, which are mostly based on romance and trust. There is also guilt that leads Macbeth and Lady Macbeth to the final consequences of the play. As the progresses, the constant changes in Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are exposed.
In the play Macbeth written by William Shakespeare, there is a deep relation to ambition. Macbeth's ambition started after the witches told him that he was going to be king after Duncan died, so then Macbeth and Lady Macbeth just decided to kill Duncan. After this first murder he then decided that he would do anything to keep his crown, since he was so hungry for power. Guilt soon got the best of him which then led to his demise.
Ambition is frequently seen as desirable - it provides purpose, motivation to work hard, and a goal to strive towards. Yet it also has a dangerous side, when it becomes too great and out of control. Although ambition is often positive, excess of it can have detrimental effects. This unrestrained ambition is predominant in the tragedy of Macbeth. In this play, Shakespeare employs the use of hallucination, blood, and prophecy motifs to emphasize the theme of ambition, which, when goes unchecked by moral constraints, wreaks destruction upon an individual.
Where is there a page in William Shakespeare's tragic play Macbeth which does not present the selfish virtue of personal ambition. This paper addresses the problem of ambition in the drama.
“As falls the dew on quenchless sand, blood only serves to wash ambition’s hands”(Byron). In Don Juan, Lord Byron recognised that ambition leads to ramifications on society. Julius Caesar, Benito Mussolini, Joseph Stalin, and Vladimir Putin are examples of ambition’s effects on society. Vain, self-glorified, covetous, and corrupt, these men were or are ambitious. Their ulterior motives led to deaths, totalitarian regimes, and scandals ultimately affecting society negatively. The consequences of ambition can be identified in history as early as 100 B.C. and still occur today.
...rn day society, illusive ambitions can be incredibly detrimental, just as they are demonstrated to be in Macbeth. Ambitions, if they are untamed, can be an impediment to free will; they can overpower your good conscience, possibly leading you into causing death and destruction. They can also corrupt one’s mental health, while practically morphing that person’s perception of reality into something demonstrably wrong and twisted. Finally, they can boost ones ego to a point where that person is engulfed and imprisoned in the vehemence of their own denial, which can ultimately bear fatal consequences. If one’s hopes and desires are innately destructive, then it logically follows that that one’s ambition is also innately destructive; be wary of one with an immense ambition.
President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s wife Eleanor Roosevelt once said, “Ambition is pitiless. Any merit that it cannot use it finds despicable.” Ambition can be an emotion that can drive people to madness and this character flaw is seen in William Shakespeare’s play Macbeth. Macbeth is about a Scottish Thane that decides to kill the King of Scotland to get the crown. This murder starts a chain of evil acts by Macbeth because he doesn’t know how to handle his ambition. By the end of the play the reader learns that ambition was really Macbeth’s downfall. In the renowned play Macbeth, Macbeth’s character flaw of ambition causes him to self destruct over anything else.
Ambition and desire are double-edged notions present in all who crave success and power. While ambition is most often associated with unfavorable greed and overwhelming need, people who express this desire are simultaneously praised for being goal-oriented and steadfast in achieving their goals. In the play Macbeth, by William Shakespeare, this duality of ambition is explored through the character of Lady Macbeth. In the play, Lady Macbeth’s husband, Macbeth, is prophesied to be king, and in order to expedite his path to the throne and their combined rise to power, Lady Macbeth plots to murder the current King Duncan. Throughout her Act I soliloquy, Lady Macbeth reveals not only her malevolent and scheming nature, but also profound determination
To achieve a goal you need to dream it, set your mind to it, and accomplish it. This explains how Macbeth 's speedy rise to the throne. Macbeth makes quick work of becoming king because he sets his mind to the ambitions he holds, and accomplishes them with Lady Macbeth 's support pushing him. However, sometimes harmless ambitions set in motion a path of negative and harmful actions required to achieve them.
Macbeth shows how greed and ambition can bring down a person as well as others and how the changes of power occur because of loyalty and betrayal. Macbeth is the play’s main unhappy character. The play tells of Macbeth's greedy thirst for power is a dangerous trait.
The Power of Ambition Throughout history, human beings have always felt the drive to achieve some form of success. One driving force behind our actions is our ambition, the strong desire to do or to achieve something. Ambition is an extremely powerful force and it controls the minds of billions of people by influencing them on every decision they make. On the other hand, human conscience, although it distinguishes right versus wrong, simply does not have the power to impact our actions or decisions. William Shakespeare’s tragedy Macbeth and William Golding’s Lord of the Flies display examples that prove the overwhelming power of ambition compared to the weak conscience.
Words are the basic elements of the English written language. With words, one can say precisely what one wants to say, a skill that Shakespeare has mastered. In Macbeth, he carefully chooses each word so as to say exactly what he wants to say, and often leaves these words open to the reader’s interpretation. One such carefully chosen word is the word “slave,” a simple word meaning “someone entirely under the dominion of a person or an influence” (Random House, 674). Although this word appears only four times within the play, it’s importance should not be underestimated. Every time that Shakespeare chooses to use the word “slave” he is using it to show a “slave of ambition,” an important symbol within the play.
In Macbeth, Shakespeare confronts audiences with universal and powerful themes of ambition and evil along with its consequences. Shakespeare explores the powerful theme of the human mind’s decent into madness, audiences find this theme most confronting because of its universal relevance. His use of dramatic devices includes soliloquies, animal imagery, clear characterisation and dramatic language. Themes of ambition and mental instability are evident in Lady Macbeth’s reaction to Macbeth’s letter detailing the prophecies, Macbeth’s hallucinations of Banquo’s ghost and finally in the scene where Lady Macbeth is found sleep walking, tortured by her involvement.