IndexIntroductionAmbition in MacbethConclusion for the essay on MacbethReferencesIntroductionIntroduction: Shakespeare's play “Macbeth”, written in 1606, is about a man named Macbeth who develops ambition to become king. The main theme of Macbeth is the corrupting nature of uncontrolled ambition, which manifests itself through the struggle between ambition and morality, driven by the desire for power. Dramatic techniques used include foreshadowing and dramatic irony. Linguistic devices create images such as hallucinations and soliloquies. Both techniques are crucially used to create meaning to demonstrate the metamorphosis of Macbeth's character as a result of his deep ambition. Thesis Statement: In Macbeth, uncontrolled ambition is presented as a dangerous quality; the result is the downfall of both Macbeth and his wife Lady Macbeth. Ambition becomes the driving force of the show, a warning to each individual against its dangers. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Ambition in Macbeth Background: Macbeth's uncontrolled ambition is driven by a number of factors. At the beginning of the play Macbeth is shown as a loyal, strong and courageous warrior who won in battle and brought victory to Scotland. Topic Sentence: Shakespeare uses foreshadowing as a dramatic technique in Scene 1, Act 1 to allow the reader to predict what might happen later in the story. The witches set the tone for this scene with a storm and the prediction that Macbeth's life will become so confusing that he will find it difficult to distinguish between right and wrong, "right and wrong." Evidence and Quote: When Macbeth thinks he hears a voice as he kills Duncan, it foreshadows the insomnia that afflicts Macbeth and his wife, thus presenting the consequences of ambition. In act 1, scene 5, Lady Macbeth says "let me pour out my spirit in thy ear and chastise with the valor of my tongue all that prevents thee from the golden roundabout" this shows ambition as the image of her pouring evil spirits into his ear and attacking him with her brave tongue, he thinks he is too good and scared to commit regicide. This shows that she has much more ambition than he does here as she thinks he is incapable of the job, so she will try to get Macbeth to kill Duncan by "pouring the spirits into your ear". Theme sentence: Lady Macbeth is presented as a ruthless woman who will stop at nothing to win the crown. Evidence and Quote: Lady Macbeth is more ambitious than her husband and has less moral ethics. She is Lady Macbeth's driving force who encourages Macbeth to overcome his strong sense of guilt and act on the prophecies. She does this by attacking his manhood and declares that she would kill her son while he was nursing at her breast, rather than break a promise as Macbeth had done. Macbeth cannot find a reason to kill Duncan and also realizes that jumping too high can only lead to a fall. This is expressed in Act 1, scene 7: “Prick the sides of my intent, but only ambition that leaps over itself and falls upon the other.” Theme Sentence: Macbeth's ambition leads him to kill many close friends, which in turn leads to his downfall. Comment: Macbeth kills Duncan, a guest in his own castle for selfish reasons. Dramatic irony is used when Duncan arrives at Macbeth's castle. He is commenting on the amenity of Macbeth's castle while the audience knows that Macbeth has planned his murder which will take place there that very night. Evidence and Quotes: Furthermore, Macbeth orders his men to kill Banquo and his son, one of his friendsdearest, since it represents a threat to him. Macbeth also arranges the murder of Macduff's entire family. Therefore, the problem, the work suggests, is that once you decide to use violence to further your quest for power, it is difficult to stop. This leads directly to Macbeth's downfall as it causes Macduff to despise him. By letting his ambition corrupt his morals and killing Macduff's family, Macbeth sets the stage for his own downfall. Theme Sentence: Linguistic devices help create the vivid images in Macbeth that present the audience with warnings against the dangers of ambition. Evidence and quotes: Hallucinations are a very important motif throughout the work; not only shows the warning against the dangers of ambition, but also the mental effect this uncontrolled ambition had on the character. When Macbeth is about to kill Duncan, he sees a dagger floating in the air. Covered in blood and pointed towards the king's chamber, the dagger represents the bloody act that Macbeth is about to commit, therefore it constitutes a warning. Macbeth exclaims in Act 2, scene 1: "Is that a dagger that I see before me?" Later, Macbeth sees the ghost of Banquo sitting in a chair during a feast. Banquo's ghost warns Macbeth that his ambition has corrupted his moral sense. He sees the ghost as a consequence of killing his greatest friend. Macbeth's ambition ultimately became his weakness. Although he had suppressed this weakness for a long time, Macbeth was eventually overcome by it; this led to madness. However it is Macduff who ultimately kills Macbeth after killing the king and his family. Lady Macbeth is also mentally affected. He sleepwalks and believes his hands are stained with blood and cannot be washed off by any amount of water. Comment: The symbolism of hallucinations and blood is described as a supernatural sign of guilt and weakness of character, thus leading to the downfall of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. It is this mental problem that leads Lady Macbeth to commit suicide, as a result of her actions. The words and actions of the characters do not always express the true character of the people. Only when they think out loud are their true nature and thoughts revealed. Shakespeare uses soliloquies beautifully to show the dangers of the ambitions that led to the downfall of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. In Act 1, scene 7, Macbeth is thinking about whether or not to kill Duncan. He says: “If it were done when it was finished, then it would be good if it were done quickly. If murder could thwart the consequences and achieve with its respite, success, this blow could be the be all and end all." This soliloquy suggests that Macbeth is afraid, almost as if he knew he would not be in able to bear the consequences of his dangerous ambition. Then, through the use of soliloquies, we see that Macbeth and Lady Macbeth's ambition completely overturns their reasoning abilities and ultimately leads to their downfall. Keep in mind: this is just an example Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a custom essay Conclusion for Macbeth EssayConcluding paragraph: In conclusion, the tragedy of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth's fall was caused by their ambition, which is seen through the use. of Shakespeare's dramatic techniques and linguistic devices is therefore a warning against the dangers of ambition. Macbeth degenerates from a powerful and respectable general to a desperate and insecure tyrant. While ambition drives many people to achieve great things, being overly ambitious can lead to ruin. References Foakes, R. A. (2013). Images of Death: Ambition in Macbeth. In Focus on Macbeth (pp. 7-29)., 6(1), 125-143..