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Discuss Macbeth as a tragedy of ambition.

Evaluate the statement that ‘Macbeth is tragedy of ambition.

Discuss Macbeth as a tragedy of ambition.

Shakespeare is in some way criticized for his tragedy. In fact, they are dramatisation of particular evils or weakness embodies in the characters of the heroes. In tragedies we are shown a dominating figure who by his own errors and wrong choice comes to ruin and brings ruin upon others. Each of his tragic heroes is observed by some powerful, overmastering passion of account of which he is driven to commit errors, which have tragic consequences. For example ‘Hamlet’ is the tragedy of thought, of idealism ‘Othelloo’ the tragedy of jealousy, ‘King Lear’ the tragedy of obstinacy and want of judgment, Even to, Macbeth’ is a tragedy of ambition, the royal ambition of Macbeth and his wife.

It is the soaring ambition of Macbeth to become the sole authority and power everywhere that compelled him to stoop down so lo as to commit murder of Duncan. The tragedy in Macbeth is the direct result of his ambition and nothing else. Macbeth is shown both as a hero as also a villain. Shakespeare made him a hero out of a villain and a villain out of hero. Like other people Macbeth too, is a mixture of good and evil. The true tragic emotions of pity and horror are aroused only due to the worst sin and flaw, predominant in Macbeth i.e. The ambition to become great and powerful, wielding vast influence through and through that drew him to commit the crime of murder. All his virtues and goodness stand sacrificed on the altar of his ambition.

Shakespeare conceived Macbeth as a noble and gifted man who falls into treachery and crime in order to realise his royal ambition. He is not a born criminal. He is not even a man with a predisposition to crime, for that would moke him a whole sole villain, he is, on the other hand, an ambitious person who thinks that murder is a lesser evil than failure to achieve his ambition. That is the reason for his choice of evil means to gain his ends. Tragedy in his case arises out of sacrifice of better faculties and qualities which do not promise the fulfilment of his ambition.

The conception of Macbeth’s character is that he is a noble and gifted man worthy of honour and respect is make quite clear before he falls a victim to evil powers. His soliloqnies as well as the references of other characters testify to this goodness of his character. Even Duncan praises him as ‘worthy gentleman’, worthiest cousin’, ‘a brave Macbeth’, ‘a valour’s minion’ and ‘Bellona’s bridegroom’. He is shown to be loyal, risking his life in battles fought against traitors and enemies to the state and securing it for his king. This personal courage and loyalty brings him honours and the gratitude of his king. He is worthy indeed of these honours and rightly ambitions to achieve and retain those honours.

Macbeth is, in other words, one who shrinks from doing an unnatural. He is too full of this human nature to permit himself to do anything which is human and unnatural. He is in other words, disposed to be benevolent are good towards others.

Macbeth cherished the hope that he not Malcolm will be so nominated. This sense of injustice was with him till his death. He prefers to die fighting because he refuses to bow his head before the boy Malcolm. This great injustice with him prompted him to commit the crime. We are make to feel that not less than three outside forces of his wife and than tactlessness of his own victim. Those who argue that Macbeth is a bad man, monster and a merciless villain overlook these factors which Shakepeare’s is anxious to set forth in the play. All these happened due to his ambition.