Macbeth: Victim, Villian, or both?
Kristi Howard
Both Macbeth and his wife, Lady Macbeth show ambition the most throughout the play. Macbeth and his wife both act on their own in order to seek what it is they want the most, power. They both just want to be great and powerful but end up sacrificing everything they once had. Macbeth was once a good man before all the chaos but his ambition takes over his morals and turns him into a murderer. He kills Duncan against his better judgment leading the guilt to soon catch up to him. As the play goes on, he turns into a so-called "monster" with all of the built up madness he holds. Lady Macbeth pursues her goals with a mind ready to fight but soon the guilt leaves her in misery as well. The royal blood leaves permanent marks for the Macbeth's. Macbeth starts having doubts about killing Duncan, but Lady Macbeth will not have it. Lady Macbeth comes off as a forceful character making her husband kill Duncan and keeps him heavy leveled as she assures him everything will be worth the power they dream to gain. Ambition is used in a more so violent way in the play. Once Macbeth's ambition led him to see what power he would hold, he was willing to take on the deed to kill anyone who he thought would get in the way of his power on Scotland's throne. Instead of looking out for his country, his strong ambition takes over and kills him in the end.
Black and Deep Desires of Ambition
"The Prince of Cumberland! That is a step
On which I must fall down, or else o'erleap,
For in my way it lies. Stars, hide your fires;
Let not light see my black and deep desires.
The eye wink at the hand; yet let that be
Which the eye fears, when it is done, to see."
Ambition is the new Power
Power and Ambition stick out as well as the main characters Macbeth and Lady Macbeth drawing your attention to the way Ambition is shown to be the newest source of power.
A Murderous Ambition has been Awoken
MACBETH
"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."