hunger games

TEXT: Macbeth AUTHOR: William Shakespeare
Ambition. A strong desire to do or achieve something. You could argue that some people are more ambitious than others, some have a lot of ambition and some very little. Ambition can be both positive and negative within in our society. After reading the Play Macbeth my eyes were opened the negatives ambition can have on individual’s which then occasionally come to effect those around them. In the play Macbeth written by William Shakespeare I come to characterize the relationship between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, whose ambition is the driving force of the play… Macbeth? Lady Macbeth? Or both?
When introduced to both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s marriage, the two of them seem surprisingly attached to one another especially when compared to other marriages in the Shakespeare plays, which tend to be troubled. Although like the couple themselves the relationship seems to be peculiar, compared to the standards of their time. Macbeth and his wife show one of the truest sense of the word marriage, with a slight exception, when reading the play you come to understand that Macbeth and his wife’s “happy” marriage is clear that they are united by their crimes, their mutual madness and their ambition to empower their community, despise all rules.
Though Macbeth is a brave general and a powerful lord, his wife is adjuvant to his will, as his achievements are not yet enough to satisfy her lust for power, often influencing Macbeth, in order to climb the chain of being, by crafty manipulation or direct order. We can understand Macbeths willingness to contravene the order of law when he quotes “My thought, whose murder yet is but fantastical, Shakes so my single state of man that function Is smother'd in surmise, and nothing is But what is not.” The fact that Macbeths first thought is about killing the king is very suspicious, almost as though they’ve just awoken the murderous ambition, that’s been there all along. “Murder yet is but fantastical” illustrates Macbeths desire to kill the king as he believes what may arise from the horrific act to be somewhat “fantastical”. Although Macbeth beholds traits of ambition to rise to the top, I question whether or not if it was due to the influence of Lady Macbeth the encouraged he to perform these atrocious acts? Personally I believe Macbeth’s ambition barely begins to compare to the longstanding ambition of Lady Macbeth that ultimately propels the plot of the play by goading Macbeth to murder Duncan. Macbeth does not need any help coming up with the idea of murdering Duncan, but it seems unlikely that he would have committed the murder without his wife’s powerful taunts and persuasions. We see the power of Lady Macbeths will over her husband, especially when they meet the second time after his return. He hesitates about committing the suggested crime, but at last it is overcome by her lofty determination, we see this when Shakespeare shows uncertain Macbeth quote:
Macbeth. "If we should fail?
Lady M. We fail! But screw your courage to the sticking-place
And we'll not fail." Demonstrating the influencing lady Macbeth has, which I believe is the root influence for Macbeths unthinkable act of killing the king.
We can relate this idea of ambition, and influenced ambition associated in the play to our society. In many situations, ambition is highly regarded. Job applications often ask for ambitious candidates. Entrepreneurs are recognised for their high level of ambition, and dynamic countries and cities have ambition plans for growth. Although ambition can have positive outcomes it can also have negative out comes as shown in Macbeth, The outcome of ambition is unpredictable. Some ambitions begun in selflessness end in rancour; others begin in selfishness end in large-heartedness. For example an individual or group may desire something so greatly they’re willing to go to great lengths to achieve it, sometimes ignorant of the rules and those along the way they may harm. Ambition is sometimes uncontrollable. Some people cannot handle ambition; frequently bringing grief to others. Ambition is one of the major driving forces in order to achieve something, without ambition we lack motivation, therefore nothing can be achieved. Ambition is essential if we wish for growth within society but too much ambition can be harmful.