Macbeth
The overriding flaw that turns Macbeth from a decorated military commander, loyal to the King, into a murderous usurper of the crown is ambition. As Shakespeare informs us, Macbeth’s ambition is so “vaulting” that it “overleaps” him. However, even though ambition drives Macbeth, his tragedy comes about from two other forces that misguide him and add fuel to his already burning ambitions. This is what makes his downfall tragic, he overrides his instincts and principles in favor of murder and power. The first of these influences is the Machiavelli-like encouragement of Lady Macbeth, who spurs Macbeth to do the deed and “screw [his] courage to the sticking place” when Macbeth is most wavering
If three qualities most define Shakespeare’s Macbeth, they arguably are ambition, greed, and the supernatural. Macbeth is ambitious and covets the position of his superiors. Spurred on by the prophecies of three witches and the lustful desires for power of Lady Macbeth, Macbeth resorts to murder to achieve his ambitions. Such a tale of ambition, greed and the influence of the supernatural are highly relevant to today’s society. Many critics of the Bush administration argue that our involvement in the Iraq War is characteristic of Bush’s ambitions and not an effort to undermine terrorism. With respect to greed, from executives at Tyco, WorldCom and Martha Stewart Living/Omnimedia, tales of corporate greed characterize American business. Even the supernatural drives ambition and power in American politics, as evidenced by Nancy Reagan’s heavy reliance upon astrological seers during her husband’s eight year tenure as president. This analysis will demonstrate how the qualities of ambition, greed, and the supernatural so prevalent in Macbeth, written over 300 years ago, are still a significant part of American business and politics in contemporary society.
Macbeth is the story of a man who is corrupted because of the lust for power. Such lust stems from Macbeth’s limitless...
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