In 1606, Shakespeare wrote Macbeth, based on Scottish history and the lineage of King James VI of Scotland. Macbeth is one of Shakespeare’s shortest and most violent tragedies about a Scottish general named Macbeth (Sarkar). He receives a prophecy from three witches stating that he will one day be King of Scotland. He becomes consumed with ambitious thoughts that allow his wife, Lady Macbeth, to push him towards murdering his friend and current King, Duncan, in order to get the throne. He is racked with guilt and is forced to commit more murders to ensure his crown and safety. The only time the audience can see Macbeth’s real thoughts about murder throughout the play are in a soliloquy he gives near the beginning of the play. Shakespeare utilizes
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Macbeth even admits that he has “no spur / To prick the sides of my intent, but only / Vaulting ambition,” (I.vii.25-27). This means that he can’t spur himself into action because the only thing motivating him is ambition. This captures Macbeth’s conflict to determine a tangible reason to actually kill King Duncan, as he realizes that his genuine motive is ambition. He just listed all the reasons he shouldn’t kill King Duncan and why he is such a great person, and discovers that he himself really has nothing in him that wants to go through with murder. Macbeth is also aware of the consequences of fulfilling such an immoral act when he says, “Vaulting ambition, which o'erleaps itself / And falls on th' other” (I.vii.27-28). This means that ambition makes people run ahead of themselves toward disaster. If Macbeth let his ambition led him to murder King Duncan, it would take him too far. He ends up succumbing to this powerful ambition and murders the King after this soliloquy. His ambition to fulfill the witches prophecy of becoming king leads him on his path of murder to achieve that promised power. Once he has this power, he must maintain it, even if his ambition leads him to do even more immoral things. His ambition clouds his thoughts and corrupt his morals throughout the rest of Shakespeare’s
Macbeth even admits that he has “no spur / To prick the sides of my intent, but only / Vaulting ambition,” (I.vii.25-27). This means that he can’t spur himself into action because the only thing motivating him is ambition. This captures Macbeth’s conflict to determine a tangible reason to actually kill King Duncan, as he realizes that his genuine motive is ambition. He just listed all the reasons he shouldn’t kill King Duncan and why he is such a great person, and discovers that he himself really has nothing in him that wants to go through with murder. Macbeth is also aware of the consequences of fulfilling such an immoral act when he says, “Vaulting ambition, which o'erleaps itself / And falls on th' other” (I.vii.27-28). This means that ambition makes people run ahead of themselves toward disaster. If Macbeth let his ambition led him to murder King Duncan, it would take him too far. He ends up succumbing to this powerful ambition and murders the King after this soliloquy. His ambition to fulfill the witches prophecy of becoming king leads him on his path of murder to achieve that promised power. Once he has this power, he must maintain it, even if his ambition leads him to do even more immoral things. His ambition clouds his thoughts and corrupt his morals throughout the rest of Shakespeare’s