The Dominant Theme of Ambition in Shakespeare’s Macbeth

The Shakespearean play, Macbeth, is one of the most famous works of English literature to have ever been written. It is also Shakespeare’s shortest and bloodiest tragedy. The ruthless nature of the plot can be attributed directly to the overflow of ambition in the play’s characters. The theme of ambition is the driving force of the play as it has the greatest effect on the story itself. The impact of ambition is exhibited through the actions of Lady Macbeth, Macduff, and predominantly, in the main character, Macbeth.

Although Macbeth’s dreadful tyranny is largely credited to his own ambition, it actually all starts with Lady Macbeth’s iniquitous hopes for power. When Macbeth first hears his bright prophecy from the three witches, he immediately tells his wife. As the ironically more dominant one in their relationship, she says, “Glamis thou art, and Cawdor; and shalt be/What thou art promised. Yet I do fear thy nature;/It is too full o’th’milk of human kindness/To catch the nearest way: thou wouldst be great,/Art not without ambition, but without/The illness should attend it” (1.5.2-7). Here, Lady Macbeth is acknowledging that Macbeth is ambitious; however, he lacks the nerve to take action for his goals. Her thoughts immediately turn to murder as she prompts Macbeth to strike quickly with voracity. Macbeth is not as innately cruel so these principles have to be nailed into him by his wife. When the opportunity arrives for Macbeth to usurp the throne, Lady Macbeth lays out the entire scheme to capture the throne.

LADY MACBETH: But screw your courage to the sticking place

And we’ll not fail. When Duncan is asleep

(Whereto the rather shall his day’s hard journey

Soundly invite him), his two chamberlains

Will I with wi...

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...btedly vital characters in the play, the theme of ambition is clearly the dominant theme in the story. Lady Macbeth’s objective sparks a monstrous fire in her husband that causes the deaths of many people. Equally important, Macduff’s ambition to slay Macbeth gives him the strength to physically kill him and bring an end to the tyranny. Finally, Macbeth only fantasizes about the crown, but hearing his prophecy strengthens his ambition and allows him to do whatever it takes to be the most powerful man in Scotland. Although the theme of the cruelty of men vs. women plays a significant role in the plot of Macbeth, it is simply not exemplified with the same degree of influence as ambition in the end. Without the three separate aspirations of these characters, the play would not exist. It is this dependence that makes ambition the dominant theme in Shakespeare’s Macbeth.