Tyler Crippen

Mrs. Wood

English 11A-1st Hour

16 February 2016

Revealing Ambition

“Changed” is not the correct word to describe the character Macbeth’s progression in the play. Yes, he did somewhat change with how he thought and the things he did, but “changed” is not exactly the whole thing. Macbeth was sort of a mix of two things, good and evil. He was simply overcome by this evil side of himself when it was unlocked. What revealed this relentless evil? How could Macbeth go from being a hero in the eyes of his people and his King, to a murdering tyrant? Although loyal and trustworthy in the beginning of the play, Macbeth’s own ambition caused him to be overcome by his truly evil nature.

At the beginning of the play, Macbeth was a very loyal character. He was cherished and loved by the king and did everything he could to appease him. However, Macbeth began to show the first signs of the cruelty within him when the idea of becoming king entered his mind. The three witches revealed this haunting but attractive idea to Macbeth, who became seemingly entranced by it. As explained by his friend Banquo, Macbeth could not get this thought of becoming king off of his mind: “That he seems rapt withal” (1:III, 57). Macbeth still has many good qualities about him. However, as soon as he realizes royalty is in his reach, he begins to be taken over by it. In one scene, the evil side of Macbeth is so strong that he has a hallucination of a dagger in his hand: “Is this a dagger which I see before me, the handle toward my hand? Come, let me clutch thee” (2:I, 33-34). Macbeth is trying his hardest to stay loyal to the king, but the idea of becoming one himself is too good to ignore.

Macbeth’s lust for power slowly consumes him as the play progresses. He is beginning to only worry about the continuation of his reign and less about much anything else. The good side of Macbeth still exists, but the evil side is making itself more apparent through his ambition of great power. Macbeth even begins to turn on his long time friend Banquo, for he fears that the prediction of the witches that Banquo’s sons will be kings might be true. “There is none but he whose being I do fear: and under him my genius is rebuked, as it is said Mark Antony’s was by Caesar” (3:III, 54-57). Even after Macbeth believes he has dealt with this problem, he has less than a peace of mind. He has a huge episode, breaking down at the thought of anything happening to his precious crown. His wife, Lady Macbeth, has to excuse this as a problem he has had since childhood, stating: “Sit, worthy friends. My Lord is often thus, and hath been from his youth” (3:IV, 53-54). Macbeth still has some good left in him, but his ambition has led the dark side to him to overwhelm what he once was.

At the end of the play, Macbeth is no longer Macbeth. His unyielding ambition has completely unleashed the evil inside of him, turning home into the serpent that first bared its waiting and hungry teeth at the beginning of the play. Macbeth’s own wife passes away due to sickness at this time in the play. However, when the news is delivered, Macbeth does not so much as look up from what he is doing. He famously stated that “She should have died hereafter; there would have been a time for such a word” (5:V, 17-18). The only love Macbeth feels anymore is for his throne. Macbeth only fears for his throne as well. His one true nightmare comes true as his servant tells him that the forest below the hill is moving, which the witches stated is the only time Macbeth should fear for his life. In response to the news, Macbeth says: “If thou speak’st false, upon the next tree shalt thou hang alive, till famine cling to thee” (5:V, 38-40). Macbeth’s wife just died, and the thing that so much as lifts his head is something that threatens his reign. There is no more of the good Macbeth left, only evil exists within him.

As soon as Macbeth got the idea of being King in his mind, the evil in him began to show more and more. He began with having a simple idea of being king, laughing with Banquo about it. Eventually this idea turned into action, as the good and bad within him grappled for control. Macbeth died a man of true evil, not even blinking an eye when his wife dies. Macbeth was set on a path of evil that started with his ambition. Ambition revealed his side of cruelty, and it was only a matter of time before it overcame him.