Macbeth: How William Shakespeare Portrays The Character

Imagine being a world-champion cyclist, winning the Tour de France for seven consecutive years, and having it all ripped away because you decided to use performance-enhancing drugs. Lance Armstrong was a hero to many after he fought testicular cancer and beat it in 1997 until he was revealed as the “ringleader” of the doping scandal. The champion never admitted the extent of his drug usage. As a result, he’s been banned for life from any competitive sports, and has been stripped of all his title after 1998.

After the United States Anti-Doping Agency came out with their 2012 report on Armstrong, every single one of his sponsors dropped him making him lose $75 million in one day. Similar to how William Shakespeare portrays the character Macbeth. Macbeth is ultimately responsible for his own demise as he was driven by his pure ambition and need for glory.

Macbeth’s ambition untimely commenced to lead him down a slippery downfall. We know the witches’ prophecies have a powerful effect on Macbeth.

Get quality help now

Doctor Jennifer

Verified writer

Proficient in: Free Essays

5 (893)

“ Thank you so much for accepting my assignment the night before it was due. I look forward to working with you moving forward ”

+84 relevant experts are online

Hire writer

Banquo notices this and asks him” why do you start and seem to fear/ Things that do sound so fair” . Banquo cannot see why Macbeth, a warrior should be afraid when he his promised only good things. What the witches tell Macbeth seem spark different thoughts through his mind, especially the prediction of him becoming king. Macbeth’s little glimpse of success seems to be the start of his ambitious nature. From this interpretation, Macbeth is unsure about the choices he will have to make in order to fulfill his ambition and prophecy.

Therefore, we would assume that his ambition has made him realize that in order for these “fair” prophecies to become reality, he would need to commit terrible, unspeakable acts along the way to achieve success with his new ambitious nature. Although the witches predict that Macbeth will be king, they never bring up the thought of murdering Duncan; it is Macbeth who mentions in his aside: “My thought, whose murder yet is but fantastical”. Even though Macbeth thinks the idea of murder is “fantastical”, it is him who links the ideas of kingship and murder. Although, the witches only tempting him, it is he who further developed ideas relating to the prophecies.

Macbeth most values his personal satisfaction this is seen through his little concern for those he harms. Macbeth commits cold blooded murder. If Macbeth really failed to need to commit evil, he could have refused Lady Macbeth’s organized plan. Instead, Macbeth accepts the plans and goes further by asking Lady Macbeth to “mock the time with fairest show”. Macbeth understood that killing Duncan was an immoral act however still persevered and therefore the one ultimately guilty for his death. Macbeth was aware that his thoughts are used “only [for] vaulting ambition” but that never change the thoughts he was having about the vicious act he was about to commit. Macbeth was not mentally unbalanced before the killing of Duncan and is able to tell what is right from wrong up to this point, he knew what he was about to do was pure evil but still decided to commit regicide. This ambition eventually lead Macbeth to greed and paranoia; making him willing to try anything necessary in order to secure his position of power. These thoughts only come to mind when Lady Macbeth starts insulting Macbeth, “Which thou esteem’st the ornament of life, And live a coward in thine own esteem, Letting “I dare not” wait upon “I would,” . It is here where he has been aggravated into doing something he would normally never do with his so called peaceful nature. It’s not until Macbeth has the “dagger” in his hand that we see Macbeth's true ambition.

Though he commited cold-blooded murder to achieve personal satisfaction, he is not absolutely awake of those he has affected around him. He desires to become king so bad therefore it is dangerous at this time that he doesn’t realise that this will have an effect on the folks associated with him. Duncan had a family that he no longer will be able to see. And though Lady Macbeth was the one to steer him into committing a crime he doesn’t realize that she too will be tormented by this, simply just because they are related to one another.