Mahatma Gandhi, Adolf Hitler, Nelson Mandela; do you know what mutually unites these men? While these individuals may not appear to have much in common, they all have one shared trait; they were driven by ambition. These people, and countless others throughout history, have been revered and hated because of their ambition for ideas that challenged popular beliefs. Two historically significant figures that are famous for their ambition are Martin Luther King Jr. and Julius Caesar. While these men lived in very different times with very different issues, both were extremely dedicated to their respective causes, and both paid for their controversial beliefs with the ultimate price of their lives.
Since the beginning of time, there has been an …show more content…
was an important activist for African-American rights. Using peaceful and nonviolent methods, he protested against the unequal treatment of people of color in the US. King was well known because of his pacifistic approach to protesting, and, as Reverend Benjamin Mays said at King;s funeral, “He gave people an ethical and moral way to engage in activities designed to perfect social change without bloodshed and violence.” King used his ambition in a positive way; to inspire others and promote change in an unjust society. He faced a great deal of harassment and torment from his dissenters, but he did not let the oppression deter him from fighting for what he believed was right. King even once said that, “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” Through this statement, King shows that he was not afraid to support his beliefs, and he was not afraid to make the sacrifices necessary to defend his principles and ideals. He knew that he was risking a great deal, including his life, yet he continued to fight for his rights. This perseverance is one of the many reasons that King is still revered even today. However, ambition is not always geared towards just causes like helping …show more content…
Caesar wanted power, and he would stop at nothing until he became the despot of Rome. His ambition concerned many that were close to him, and he was eventually murdered due to the fear that his ambition had instilled in those around him. At Caesar’s funeral, Brutus responded to questions regarding his motive for killing Caesar with the statement, “ …Not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more.(3.2. jfhpkg)” According to Brutus, he did not kill Caesar because of who he was, but because of who he could have become. Brutus feared that, if Caesar was crowned the ruler of Rome, he would become corrupt with power and bring Rome to ruin. This is reiterated again when Brutus says, “That lowliness is young ambition's ladder, whereto the climber-upward turns his face; but when he once attains the upmost round. He then unto the ladder turns his back, looks in the clouds, scorning the base degrees by which he did ascend. So Caesar may. (2.1. )” Ultimately Caesar’s ambition became his
Since the beginning of time, there has been an …show more content…
was an important activist for African-American rights. Using peaceful and nonviolent methods, he protested against the unequal treatment of people of color in the US. King was well known because of his pacifistic approach to protesting, and, as Reverend Benjamin Mays said at King;s funeral, “He gave people an ethical and moral way to engage in activities designed to perfect social change without bloodshed and violence.” King used his ambition in a positive way; to inspire others and promote change in an unjust society. He faced a great deal of harassment and torment from his dissenters, but he did not let the oppression deter him from fighting for what he believed was right. King even once said that, “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” Through this statement, King shows that he was not afraid to support his beliefs, and he was not afraid to make the sacrifices necessary to defend his principles and ideals. He knew that he was risking a great deal, including his life, yet he continued to fight for his rights. This perseverance is one of the many reasons that King is still revered even today. However, ambition is not always geared towards just causes like helping …show more content…
Caesar wanted power, and he would stop at nothing until he became the despot of Rome. His ambition concerned many that were close to him, and he was eventually murdered due to the fear that his ambition had instilled in those around him. At Caesar’s funeral, Brutus responded to questions regarding his motive for killing Caesar with the statement, “ …Not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more.(3.2. jfhpkg)” According to Brutus, he did not kill Caesar because of who he was, but because of who he could have become. Brutus feared that, if Caesar was crowned the ruler of Rome, he would become corrupt with power and bring Rome to ruin. This is reiterated again when Brutus says, “That lowliness is young ambition's ladder, whereto the climber-upward turns his face; but when he once attains the upmost round. He then unto the ladder turns his back, looks in the clouds, scorning the base degrees by which he did ascend. So Caesar may. (2.1. )” Ultimately Caesar’s ambition became his