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Ambition and the Downfall of Macbeth Essay

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Macbeth is one of William Shakespeare’s most powerful and emotionally intense plays. Macbeth, once known for his courage and bravery is transformed into a ruthless tyrant. His wife, Lady Macbeth, once known for her strength and great ambition is soon engulfed by guilt and sensitivity greatly weakens her. As the tragic hero Macbeth is overcome by tensions in his criminal act and the reactions by his conscience (Nix). In the opening act of this play Macbeth is a solider who has just returned from war. The captains are speaking highly of Macbeth’s valor, courage, and bravery. Suddenly Macbeth meets up with three witches. These witches tell him, “All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, thane of Glamis, thane of Cawdor, that shalt be king …show more content…

She feels as though if her husband is incapable of becoming king she will do what is necessary herself in seeing that she is queen. Planning the murder is not something that Macbeth initially is comfortable with. He feels as though murdering Duncan is going to have many consequences that he will have to suffer with. By having Duncan as his kinsman, subject, host, and most importantly the fact that he is his ruler, Macbeth says that he will not kill Duncan. Soon Lady Macbeth challenges whether or not Macbeth is a man, and he once again decides that he will kill Duncan by persuading him that they will both be successful as a result of the murder. That night Macbeth ends up killing Duncan. Just before the murder Macbeth is walking down the hall when he has a vision of a dagger with a bloody tip, which is pointed for Duncan’s room. He thinks to himself, “Art tho not, fatal vision, sensible To feeling as to sight? Or art thou but a dagger of the mind, a false creation” (II.1.36-38). During the murder Macbeth makes a mistake that angers Lady Macbeth. He has forgotten to leave the daggers with Duncan’s guards, and she must now go and return them. Initially Macbeth is upset over the murder, but Lady Macbeth tells him it is as easy to forget about as washing the blood away with water. This first murder shows the strong character of Lady Macbeth and the influence she has over her husband. The killing of

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