"You either die a hero or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain." Harvey Dent spoke these words in the 2008 adaptation of Batman: The Dark Knight. Dent is referring to such men who suffer from a shift of good to evil due to the power thrusted upon them. He is essentially saying that a person of authority will either die honorable or survive only to see themselves become morally diluted by ambition. Such a quote can easily be applied to Shakespeare's Macbeth as every central character met with power is eventually exacerbated by it. .
In Act 3 scene 1, Banquo reflects to himself, "Thou hast it now-King, Cawdor, Glamis, all/ As the Weird Sisters promised, and I fear/ Thou played'st most foully for't. Yet it was said/ It should not stand in thy posterity,/ But that myself should be the root and father/ Of many kings. If there come truth from them-/As upon thee, Macbeth, their speeches shine-/ Why, by the verities on thee made good,/ May they not be my oracles as well/ And set me up in hope?" This monologue represents an internal shift within the character of Banquo as he describes the witches' prophecy. It also alludes to the transformation Macbeth and Lady Macbeth undergo as well when ambition and the desire for power is brought into play. Earlier in the play the Weird sisters old Macbeth that he would become not only Thane of Cawdor, but the King of Scotland as well. Moreover, they also told Banquo that Kings would emerge from his family line. "And oftentimes to win us to our harm/ The instruments of darkness tell us truths,/ Win us with honest trifles, to betray 's/ In deepest consequence" (3.1). Unlike Macbeth, Banquo refuses to naively trust the menacing witches. He also thinks twice before blindly acting at their will, something Macbeth fails to do again and again. However, as the promise of power remains in the back of Banquo's mind he asks himself, "May they not be my oracles as well/ And set me up in hope?" It is almost as if Banquo is grasping at straws looking for some truth behind the Weird sisters' words.
Macbeth's flaw, of course, is his ambition. ... Not only is ambition present in Macbeth, but in Lady Macbeth as well. Ambition motivates both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth to commit dreadful deeds, and later, Macbeth's ambition turns into obsession. ... Macbeth's ambition is to become King. ... Lady Macbeth's ambition motivates Macbeth until he becomes a tyrant. ...
Macbeth's Ambition Whose ambitions drive the play more, Macbeth's or his lady's? ... Throughout the play, the figure of who is in control is frequently blurred, as Macbeth and his lady's ambitions trade places multiple times. ... Macbeth's ambitions are far superior to Lady Macbeth's, as he goes all the way with his and she loses it. But, in the end, it truly it is Lady Macbeth's ambition that propels the plot the farthest. This is only because she is the quite literal key that starts the engine of Macbeth's great ambition. ...
One of the major themes is ambition, which in the end eventually leads to death. Ambition finds its most powerful expression in the play's two main characters, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. The ambition of these main characters leads to greed, insanity, and there own death. ... There are three main factors that contribute greatly to Macbeth's ambition and then insanity, the prophecy's told to him by the witches, Lady Macbeth influencing and manipulating Macbeth's judgment, and Macbeth's own ambition and greed to become king. ... Macbeth! ...
Although the witches" prophecies greatly raise Macbeth's ambition, he, eventually, makes the decision to murder King Duncan. ... Macbeth's ambition decides his fate. Despite the witches" foretelling, Macbeth, in the end, makes the decision to kill King Duncan, due to his ambition. ... It is Macbeth's choice to murder King Duncan, as he is responsible for his own ambitions. ... Macbeth makes the mistake of allowing Lady Macbeth to control and influence his thoughts, therefore further raising his ambitions. ...
Ambition is a theme of interest in William Shakespeare's Macbeth. ... Macbeth's ambition could be compared to the ambition, or lack there of, of Banquo's, they are both told there futures by the three witches, but what they do with that information is very different. One shows great honor, and the other falls into the trap that great ambition often creates. ... Macbeth's ambition and greed leads to his downfall. ... The play Macbeth shows that ambition is something that should be avoided, it only causes problems. ...
In Shakespeare's tragedy, "Macbeth," ambition leads to the eventual fall of Macbeth. ... So ultimately, ambition is the true reason for downfall and tragedy in "Macbeth." ... Lady Macbeth's ambition starts Macbeth's search for power. ... Macbeth's ambition got him the title of king but not the respect of one. ... But Macbeth uses his ambition to keep his reign as long as possible. ...
If it's true that Shakespeare wrote Macbeth to teach readers the lesson that too much ambition how Macbeth had to become king is wrong, there would be enough reasons on why people might agree or disagree with what Shakespeare's exact message was for creating Macbeth, but the lesson of too much ambition I would agree with that. As for Nietzsche, who disagreed and said he claims Shakespeare actually admired Macbeth's ambition. ... Nietzsche could be someone who enjoys how Macbeth achieved what he wanted with the heartless ambition he had.I would say that I agree more with Shakespe...
Ambition is a characteristic of human nature. There is good ambition and there is ambition can expressed in an evil manner that can transform a person to evil. For example for good ambition, people must have ambition to chase other people who is stronger or more powerful then him. ... After hearing the prophecy from the witches, Macbeth won't believe what they say, But after one of the prophecy has come true, Macbeth ambition start. It is normal that Macbeth ambition start. ...
Ambition and greed are portrayed effectively in William Shakespeare's play, "Macbeth." ... As you can see, there is a difference between greed and ambition. Ambition may barely even affect anyone else. ... In "Macbeth", the lead character, Macbeth, really does not know if he is going to get what he want with ambition, therefore he uses greed unknowing whether he is going to attain it with or without any consequences. ... Macbeth was a very ambition man, but greed slowly creeps into him and affected his decisions. ...
