“The great ambition, unchecked by principle, an unruly tyrant” (Alexander Hamilton). In Macbeth, unchecked ambition for the power is the main message of the play, and it transforms the main characters to a ruthless, violent and heartless tyrant. At the same time, the strong desire for power also catch up Lady Macbeth and has a negative impact on her health and husband. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are too ambitious and in the end their ambition causes their death. Macbeth by Shakespeare shows that Ambition is the path way to success, but, without morals, mentor and principles, it corrupts and destroys great people.
Macbeth’s ambition is the essential reason why he turns from an innocent, noble and brave warrior to a violent, bloody dictator. Initially after gaining the title of Thane of Cawdor, Macbeth still remains humble and respectful. Once Macbeth receives the prophecies of the witches, his mind is full of thoughts of ambition to become the king of Scotland. Macbeth says, “If good, why do I yield to that suggestion/ Whose horrid image doth unfix my hair” (Act 1 Scene 3). When two of prophecies comes true in his life, Macbeth cannot wait naturally his time to king. He starts thinking that Duncan is the big obstacle in his way to his ambition. Sadly, he believes killing the king is good thing for the throne while his moral standard is speaking himself that cruel murder is frightening and upsetting to get it done as a man who loves the righteousness. The language “Whose horrid image” by Shakespeare tell us that Macbeth’s moral obligation is still upright despite his untapped ambition to murder. Shakespeare gives the messages that everyone, even who intends to finish murder, has a guilty and troubled consciences before they do work. His ambition by prophecies obviously transforms him to a ruthless and heartless dictator as a result of the desire for power.
In addition, that not only his ambition but also Lady Macbeth are the strong impact on Macbeth is vital. Without his wife, Lady Macbeth, Macbeth could have not lost his humanity and dignity. Arianna Huffington said “having a partner definitely allows you to take more risks” which is directly the truth for Macbeth. Lady Macbeth manipulates his husband, who declares that he no longer desires to kill the king, Duncan. Shakespeare writes “we will proceed no further in this business” (Act 1 Scene 7). Shakespeare approves that Macbeth is a strong, brave warrior even though he has the best chance to pursues his dream. His honor and love to the king is good enough to overcome his nightmare by the witches. Sadly, once Lady Macbeth prompts and says, “then you were a man” (Act 1 Scene 7) to Macbeth. As his wife and a partner, Lady Macbeth exactly knows what the weakness Macbeth has, so she challenges being a man that Macbeth has the great pride for him. Shakespeare uses the word “a man” as a symbolism as the ideas of how important being a man is. In the past and still now, a man is likely to be put first priority in society and family more than a woman. Lady Macbeth forces him to finish this business if is a true man who is supposed to keep his promise and live as a man. For Macbeth, being a man is not only the gift of God but also his pride and his weaknesses. Macbeth cannot overcome the temptation of his wife although he tries to avoid it. Macbeth says “vaulting ambition, which overleaps itself / and falls on the other “(act 1 Scene 7). Macbeth knows that the only thing motivating him is ambition, which makes people rush ahead of themselves toward disaster, but he is manipulated by his wife and will. therefore, Bunny Reuben said, “I have always maintained that a man can be as good or bad depending upon his life partner”. In the play, Lady Macbeth is the worst partner Macbeth has ever had. If Macbeth had not sent the letter his wife to ask the advices, he could have lived his life as the thane of Cawdor.
In the play, Like Macbeth, Lady Macbeth herself is the second main person who has great ambition for the power like Macbeth does. Her ambition is higher than Macbeth. She is too ambitious and obsessive about their ambition. While Macbeth himself hesitate to kill Duncan, Lady Macbeth persuade him to finish this ambition as soon as possible. Shakespeare writes “What not put upon /his spongy officers” (Act 1 Scene 7). Lady Macbeth advises her husband to blame the guards for the murder. I think her ambition to be the queen is bigger than any life. She cannot see the life of people when it comes to the queen and the king. As a result of extremely ambition, she ends with madness and suicide which is inappropriate for even normal people. That death is the darkness one. We see many people who is so self-centered like her. Shakespeare obviously reflects human mind that are selfish and obsessive by Lady Macbeth.
In Macbeth, Shakespeare writes this play bases on the real history of Macbeth, who was the king of Scotland during 11th century. Macbeth, by Shakespeare is mostly as the same as the story of Macbeth, the military leader, who killed his cousin, King Duncan for the throne. A few years later, he is killed by Malcom in the battle. I think that we see those kinds of stories at the ages of monarchy. For example, the king, father is killed by his son or his brother. By this play, we see the political trend of eleven century with monarchy. the desire for the throne sadly brings murders between family and friend. This is the worse parts of human nature and history.
Moreover, Most of Shakespeare’s plays, he gives his audiences several messages about human nature, which are ambition for something like power and revenge and obsession. In Hamlet, Claudius is eager to have power that he killed his brother, Hamlet as the same as Macbeth, who killed his best friend, Banquo and the king, Duncan. Both of them are lost their mind as a result of the power. Macbeth and Claudius not only become the king of Denmark and Scotland but also are killed as revenge. In Hamlet and Macbeth, Gertrude and Lady Macbeth are the same at loving the throne and willing to be the queen. Gertrude get married with the new king, Claudius once his husband dead because of being the queen and prevention of being a queen. Unlike Gertrude, Lady Macbeth purposely cooperate with Macbeth to kill the innocent kings so that she will be the queen of Scotland. However, Gertrude’s desire for the power is not less than Macbeth’s mind wanted to be the queen. Moreover, Hamlet and Macbeth are an honest, noble and serious men before having ambition, and they have differences in ambition. However, Like Macbeth, Hamlet receives the messages from the ghost of Hamlet. There are many similarities and differences in Hamlet and Macbeth. We are given many lessons from those plays, but the main message Shakespeare give is the effect of the desire for power.
In conclusion, unchecked and untapped ambition are the main messages Shakespeare give us clearly by looking at the characters of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. They are too ambitious for their ambition so that they cannot handle their unchecked ambition. Consequently, this ambition corrupts and destroys them to madness and the dark death. Macbeth said, “To be thus is nothing” (Act 3 scene 1). To be the king is nothing if he is not safe as a king. Macbeth is totally changed and destroyed by his ambition. In addition, their relationship teaches us how important partnership is for making the right decision. Ambition is the way to success, but it should be checked by morals and principles of human.
