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An Analysis of Macbeth's Ambition

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An Analysis of Macbeth's Ambition
Ambition Essay

“Great ambition is the passion of a great character. Those endowed with it may perform very good or very bad acts. All depends on the principals which direct them.” - Napoleon Bonaparte. Ambition can be defined as the desire and willingness to strive towards achievement or distinction, the motivation in one’s life, it is one of the key sources to success but ambition can blind one from determining what’s right and what’s wrong. On the contrary, driving ambition is the outright desire to achieve a certain goal, regardless of any possible consequences. When ambition goes unhindered by a sense of morality and, humanity it can be a corrupting influence destroying people and, nations. In “Macbeth” by William Shakespeare Macbeth’s ambition led to destruction of himself. Through the use of dramatic elements such imagery and characterization Shakespeare conveys an important theme about ambition in Macbeth.

If a picture can tell a thousand words, than imagine the importance of an image upon a play such as Macbeth. I was thought that in any literary work it is exceedingly important that the author can effectively manipulate a reader 's feelings towards a character from the inside out. In Macbeth, that achievement is accomplished beautifully by Shakespeare. Through his practical use of imagery, Shakespeare shows us a deeper look into how ambition can destroy man when unchecked by moral values. The use of imagery is widespread throughout “Macbeth”; it is most dominant in clothing imagery, light and darkness imagery, and blood imagery. Through these images, Shakespeare shows the development of Macbeth 's ambition. Using clothing imagery, Shakespeare develops Macbeth 's ambition. This is seen, as, imagery of clothing which shows us Macbeth 's ambition and the consequences thereof. We see this ambition, through Banquo, when he says, "New honours come upon him, Like our strange garments, cleave not to their mould but with the aid of use." (

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