The Change In Macbeth's Character

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William Shakespeare's Macbeth is a tragic play that tells a tale of a Scottish general whose character greatly diminishes over the course of the story. Macbeth's character dramatically changes from a noble kinsmen and a caring husband to someone on the complete opposite side of the spectrum of humanity. This is due to the prophecies of three witches, the influence of his wife, and his lethal ambition. He willingly takes the most dramatic measures possible in order to fulfill the foretelling of the witches: to become king of Scotland. After Macbeth's victory in the battle with Norway, he is praised heavily by the current king of Scotland, King Duncan, because of his courage and loyalty to the king and his country. Shortly afterward, Macbeth encounters three witches whom inform him of his supposed future titles and accomplishments. "All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, thane of …show more content…

Macbeth's ambition is the ultimate determining factor for his fate as well has his most fatal flaw. Without his ambition, Macbeth most likely would not commit the several murders of innocent people in order to seize the throne of Scotland. According to Macbeth, "My thought, whose murder yet is but fantastical, / Shakes so my single state of man / That function is smothered in surmise, / And nothing is but what is not" (Shakespeare 1.3.139-142). Macbeth stated that he clearly does not even know who he is anymore for thinking about executing his honorable King, which evidently shows his diminishing character. His ambition causes him to lose sight of the of the man he once was. "I have no spur / To prick the sides of my intent, but only / Vaulting ambition, which o'erleaps itself / And falls on th' other" (Shakespeare 1.7.25-28). Shakespeare states that Macbeth's ambition greatly motivates him to put his malicious words into

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