Examples Of Vaulting Ambition In Macbeth

The play Macbeth by William Shakespeare is a Testimony to the negative repercussions of vaulting ambition. In Macbeth, character's morals are put to the test by supernatural forces. This can be illustrated by the character Macbeth, whose tragic downfall was ultimately the result of his ambition. Furthermore, Macbeth’s ambition led him to kill King Duncan, Banquo; both he was originally loyal too, and Macduff’s family. Macbeth’s vaulting ambition causes him to make faulty decisions, thereby causing not only his own destruction, but the deaths of family and foe.
Ultimately, King Duncan’s death was a result of Macbeth’s inability to stick to his morals, due to his uncontrollable ambition for power and status. Macbeth is portrayed as a valiant …show more content…
Macbeth feared Banquo’s prophecy; a bloodline of Kings, and therefore took it upon himself to eliminate the threat. This is illustrated when Macbeth says “with thy bloody and invisible hand [c]ancel and tear to pieces that great bond [w]hich keeps me pale (III. ii. 51-53). To do so, Macbeth hires two murderers to murder Banquo and Fleance. However, they were only successful in the killing of Banquo, for Fleance escaped. By killing Banquo, Macbeth's paranoia is increased. He is consumed by unbearable guilt. This can be illustrated by Macbeth seeing Banquo’s ghost. It signifies Macbeth’s haunted conscience and his unhealthy mental state. Furthermore, by killing Banquo, Macbeth’s ambition continues to grow. Subsequently, he comes to the conclusion that “[he is] in blood [s]tepped in so far that, should [he] wade no more, [r]eturning were as tedious as go o'er” (3.4.167-170). Macbeth is saying that there is no returning and even though blood has been shed, it has all been for his own good. Due to this permanent shift in Macbeth’s character, Lady Macbeth comes to the realization that there is no hope in regaining the control of her husband. As well as she begins to feel personally responsible for Macbeth’s actions because she persuaded him into the first killing. Therefore, it was her who led him down this destructive path. However, ultimately Macbeth’s …show more content…
As the story continues, not only does Macbeth's ambition continue to grow, his paranoia continues to grow. Macbeth's ambition begins to be fuelled by his overconfidence, which is established when he returns to the witches for reassurance. The witches tell him beware the Thane of Fife, only a man born of women can kill you, and this can only occur when Birnam woods move to Dunsinane. However, the witches were plotting against Macbeth and thus leading him to his destruction. Unaware, Macbeth's confidence overpowers him and fuels his ambition into believing that he is unstoppable. However, Macbeth is still paranoid and as a result he comes to the conclusion that Macduff is a threat. Knowing that Macduff has fled, Macbeth says "[t]hat trace him in his line. No boasting like a fool." (IV.iv.159-160). In this line, Macbeth is saying that he will no longer delay his plans and to follow through with this new strategy, he will eliminate a part of the threat. For that reason, Macbeth sends men to kill Macduff's family and his household. As a result, Macbeth is consumed by fear and ravaged with guilt. However, he is not the only one. Lady Macbeth is experiencing the same repercussions. As well as, she is slowly losing her sanity. Lady Macbeth has become confused and her actions have become coalesced into one irreversible blood bath. In the end, Lady