Ambition is a good thing, but it can be dangerous. Having strong goals, and big ambition can get you to where you hope to be in life. When abused, the ambition can be abused. If you have strong will and goals, that ambition can easily lead you in the wrong direction. Or, it can lead you to success. Beowulf had good ambition, ambition to keep his people safe, and ambition to kill monsters. Unlike him, Macbeth also had ambition. His ambition was to gain and keep power no matter what the costs. These two stories show how ambition can be both fatal, and incredible.
To start, both characters in their stories were tested of their reasoning of ambition. Macbeth and Beowulf were ambitious, very ambitious. Macbeth had ambition to lead, while Beowulf …show more content…
Macbeth looked out for himself, and generally, only just himself. Beowulf on the other hand, always tries to do what’s good for his people. In fact, he’s killed protecting them. They both have ambition to be leaders, but what drives them is incredibly different. “For mine own good all causes shall give way. I am in blood stepped in so far that, should I wade no more, returning were as tedious as go o 'er,” (3.4.167-170). This quote shows Macbeth showing his true colors. He says flat out he’s looking out for his own good. This ambitious is bad for a leader, especially one that had just killed a man to get that leadership. He had gotten his role as King by killing the other king, and instead of at least acting in his citizens best interests, seeing as he killed for the position, he still chooses himself. “Inspired again by the thought of glory, the war-king threw his whole strength behind a sword-stroke and connected with the skull,” (2677-2680). This is a quote from Beowulf, and it is him going into war. Beowulf reminds himself he needs to keep up his title, his title as King. He thought about himself, thought about the role he was in and then fought harder. He knew that he had people to protect, that he was the leader. He was able to protect his people by thinking of his reputation. These two quote compare and contrast Macbeth and Beowulf. They both became leaders, were both put into rolls to protect one …show more content…
Though Macbeth and Beowulf are similar in their ambition to lead, they are not in their motives or how they rule. Macduff on the other hand, does have good ambition. He wants to overthrow Macbeth, to avenge King Duncan, and his family. “Either thou, Macbeth, or else my sword, with an unbattered
To start, both characters in their stories were tested of their reasoning of ambition. Macbeth and Beowulf were ambitious, very ambitious. Macbeth had ambition to lead, while Beowulf …show more content…
Macbeth looked out for himself, and generally, only just himself. Beowulf on the other hand, always tries to do what’s good for his people. In fact, he’s killed protecting them. They both have ambition to be leaders, but what drives them is incredibly different. “For mine own good all causes shall give way. I am in blood stepped in so far that, should I wade no more, returning were as tedious as go o 'er,” (3.4.167-170). This quote shows Macbeth showing his true colors. He says flat out he’s looking out for his own good. This ambitious is bad for a leader, especially one that had just killed a man to get that leadership. He had gotten his role as King by killing the other king, and instead of at least acting in his citizens best interests, seeing as he killed for the position, he still chooses himself. “Inspired again by the thought of glory, the war-king threw his whole strength behind a sword-stroke and connected with the skull,” (2677-2680). This is a quote from Beowulf, and it is him going into war. Beowulf reminds himself he needs to keep up his title, his title as King. He thought about himself, thought about the role he was in and then fought harder. He knew that he had people to protect, that he was the leader. He was able to protect his people by thinking of his reputation. These two quote compare and contrast Macbeth and Beowulf. They both became leaders, were both put into rolls to protect one …show more content…
Though Macbeth and Beowulf are similar in their ambition to lead, they are not in their motives or how they rule. Macduff on the other hand, does have good ambition. He wants to overthrow Macbeth, to avenge King Duncan, and his family. “Either thou, Macbeth, or else my sword, with an unbattered