Their prophecies give him new ideas and goals that he would have never thought of before and is constantly seen thinking about their predictions. The first instance in which we see Macbeth thinking about the witch’s comments is right after they first appear to him. After they appear to Macbeth he says, “I am Thane of Cawdor: / If good, why do I yield to that suggestion” (1.3.133-134). This occurs just a few moments after the witches appear to both Macbeth and Banquo, declaring him Thane of Cawdor and future King of Scotland. In this quote Macbeth is saying why should he stop with just being the thane of Cawdor, why not achieve even more greatness; the greatness that the witches promised him.
Ambition brings about the success and downfall of Macbeth; Lady Macbeth’s ambition got Macbeth started on success, then his own ambition led him the rest of the way to his eventual downfall. In Macbeth it is arguable who has the most ambition throughout the story but also proves too much ambition can be a bad thing. So how much ambition is too
It becomes apparent to the reader that the witches are a part of the present and the future. Hearing of his prophesized nobility, Macbeth is all too excited to get a jump start on his future. To do so, he must get rid of the present king though. It becomes known to the reader that this foreshadowing advances the plot of Duncan’s death. Upon reading her husbands letter, Lady Macbeth is too very ecstatic about their future.
During the beginning of the play Macbeth is very loyal to Duncan and would do anything he asked of him. However, this all begins to halt when Macbeth starts to think selfishly. As the beginning of the play develops further, he starts to have a much larger urge to be king. He begins to have violent dreams and starts to think of ways to make himself king. Macbeth’s character begins to change dramatically with the heavy influence from his wife, Lady Macbeth.
Once I gave him the title of Cawdor, he so thoughtlessly believed in the witches' power and fell willingly under their spell. What an ignorant fool! Also responsible would have to be Lady Macbeth. Once she learns of the prophecy, she is all too ready for Macbeth to become king, no matter what evil deeds had to be done to ensure he would attain the throne, including the quickest route to the crown, my crown! Even when Macbeth does have second thoughts, Lady Macbeth is there, insulting his manhood and shaming him into action.
William Shakespeare's eponymously titled play Macbeth is one of the most celebrated writings in history and is still being performed and studied today. The play reflects the established socio-cultural beliefs of power and the effects of an illegitimate rule during the Jacobean period. Written in the seventeenth century when belief in a divine-ordained hierarchy prevailed, it was thought that if monarchical power was accessed via illegitimate means, destruction of the mind and state would result. Through the character of Macbeth, Shakespeare positions his readers to believe that power can attract even the most noble of men. In the opening of the play, a loyal Macbeth is approached by three witches who entice him with their claim that “[he] shalt be king thereafter.” (1-3-50).
An example of this is his lack of any legitimate reasons for killing King Duncan and obtaining the throne except for his own ambition and greed to become king. The prophecies that Macbeth receives from the witches seem so true that he relies on the words of these predictions alone, instead of taking action himself to secure the works of the prophecies. Macbeth let his ambition blind him; as did the ruler in “Ozymandias”. Another consequence of ambition is loneliness. Ozymandias and Macbeth had so much ambition that they put themselves above all of their peers and former supporters.
Who causes the Downfall of Macbeth? Macbeth's downfall is attributed to a sense of over-confidence and unchecked ambition, and the impact of the witch's prophecy all three seal Macbeth's fate and his destruction At the start of the play, Macbeth is a loyal, courageous servant of the King of Scotland, but he is a man who harbors a hidden ambition for power. He is both noble and brave in his defense of the King in battle, he is rewarded for his actions. Macbeth has an encounter with a trio of witches and his life is changed. Once the witches show him his future, he becomes obsessed with speeding up the anticipated coming into power.
The Downfall of Macbeth When there is a strong desire and determination in one’s life that determination can take over everything else in one’s life and quickly lead one downhill. Power can make ambitions stronger than morals, family, love, rules and society, making one see less of what is important in life and become more ambitious for power. In William Shakespeares’ tragedy “Macbeth”, the main characters’ life quickly goes downhill and leads him to his inevitable end, death. His powerful ambitions become obsessive and override his morals. However, Macbeth is not solely to blame for his downfall because the witches introduce him to the idea he could be king and mislead him as he struggles with the decision to kill Duncan.
Macbeth is one of Shakespeare’s many tragic plays. In this play, misguided ambition leads Macbeth down a path that changes him from a noble creature to a ruthless individual. Macbeth begins as a noble creature. He then turns into a man who has doubts and lacks security. He ends as a ruthless individual.