What distinguishes corrupting ambition from ambition that’s beneficial? In many situations ambition is highly regarded, such that entrepreneurs are admired for their ambition, employers shake their heads at job candidates who appear to lack ambition, and countries aspire to have ambitious plans for growth. However, on the contrary side, ambition can also be a drawback as it’s a trait often times associated with intolerance, greed, or the desire for power. Either way, ambition is an undeniable aspect of our lives that impacts us in some way. This indisputable power of unbridled ambition and its consequences are portrayed throughout William Shakespeare’s tragedy, Macbeth, in which a general named Macbeth receives a prophecy that he will be King of Scotland one day according to a trio of witches.
As the storyline goes on, Macbeth, fueled by his own ambition and that of his wife’s, commits a series of murders in order to fulfill this prophecy. Throughout this piece of literature, the protagonist, Macbeth, and Lady Macbeth explore the concept of ambition and how it motivates an individual to commit wrongful actions that lead to detrimental outcomes.
