IB MYP Essay on Macbeth and Unchecked ambition

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Unchecked ambition and its tragic downfall

Ambition is more often than not, can be described as the common downfall for those who seek power. In the play "Macbeth", written by William Shakespeare, Macbeth the main character of the play, changes from a good hearted person to a downright greedy and evil man due to unchecked ambition. Another character in the play that ends her life tragically because of ambition is Lady Macbeth. These two characters go through a change as play progresses and their change can be attributed to ambition.

In the beginning of the play, Macbeth is portrayed as a loyal Thane to King Duncan but in the end he becomes greedy and ignorant. When Macbeth reports his successful assignment in Cawdor to the King and when King Duncan praises and promotes him, Macbeth replies "The service and loyalty I owe, in doing it, pays itself." (1.5.22-23)Here we can see that Macbeth is a very loyal servant to King Duncan and respects him greatly. The way his personality is described in this scene makes Macbeth out to be the person least likely to murder King Duncan.

But as the play progresses, we see a