The Effect of Violence on Ambition Anonymous 10th Grade

A seemingly innocent spark of aspiration can spiral into an ignited wildfire of vengeance. The play written by William Shakespeare, The Tragedy of Macbeth, is set in a kingdom in Scotland during the eleventh century; once peaceful and filled to the brim with prosperity, is now racked with violence beginning with Macbeth’s great zeal to become king. Lady Macbeth and Macbeth both have a desire for Macbeth to become king, which results in him killing Duncan, the king. Lady Macbeth takes her own life out of guilt and Macbeth is killed. Duncan’s son, Malcolm who is the rightful successor, gains power. In The Tragedy of Macbeth, Shakespeare uses the motif of violence, the symbolism of the dagger, and the characterization of Macbeth to convey that an excess of ambition and desire can lead to violence.

Shakespeare uses the motif of violence to demonstrate how the effect of passionate desires can be cruelty. Macbeth elucidates his morals and reasoning for wanting to kill Duncan, “Bloody instructions which, being taught, return to plague the inventor … To prick the sides of my intent, but only, Vaulting ambition which o’erleaps itself, And falls on th’other” (Shakespeare 1.7.9-10.26-28). To illustrate, the words “bloody instructions”...