Ambition is often seen as a very admirable trait, often being associated with drive and hard work to achieve an ambitious goal. However, it is very likely that someone has too much ambition. Too much ambition can result in a corrosive and obsessive desire to achieve a goal by any means, often crossing moral boundaries. This view is exemplified by the main character, Macbeth, in Shakespeare's Macbeth. The play follows an ambitious, high-ranking Scottish warrior whose main goal is to become king. As Macbeth continues his quest for kingship, he is faced with the choice of choosing moral goodness or power, ultimately choosing the latter. And although he achieves his goal of becoming king, this ambition and lust for power is inevitably what leads him to psychosis. In writing Macbeth, it is clear that Shakespeare's goal was to convey the idea that ambition must be balanced with other traits such as morality and empathy, otherwise, if left unrestricted, ambition can infect others admirable traits with his illness. Say no to plagiarism. . Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay At the beginning of the play, Shakespeare's stance on ambition, particularly regarding Macbeth, is reflected through Lady Macbeth, in particular, in her first speech, where she says that Macbeth must sacrifice his kindness to rise higher in the hierarchy. In his first speech he explains that Macbeth is “too full of the milk of human kindness.” In a very literal sense, when a mother is raising her child, breastfeeding is very common. In essence, Shakespeare compares Macbeth's kindness to the kindness of a mother towards her child. Therefore, Shakespeare is conveying that this maternal kindness is making Macbeth unfit to achieve his goals of becoming king. In order for this to change, this “milk of human kindness” that Macbeth possesses, must be “spoiled.” In other words, if Macbeth wants to become king, he must cross moral boundaries to fuel his ambition. Up to this point, Macbeth has shown a balance between his ambition and morality, becoming the Thane of Cawdor without compromising his morals. However, Shakespeare makes it clear that Macbeth's kindness is a restraint on his ambition and if he wants to rise higher in the hierarchy, he must let the disease of his ambition take over his morality by overstepping moral boundaries. As the play continues, Shakespeare shows the snowball effect of ambition as the play progresses, with Macbeth's ambition continually growing and his actions becoming more and more irrational, eventually letting ambition take over , ruining the balance necessary for healthy ambition. After Macbeth realizes that his good moral character is holding him back, he begins to plan his first devious and morally compromising act. Macbeth plans to kill the current king, Duncan, to take the throne and take over. This marks the first domino effect in the domino effect of Macbeth's ambition, which ultimately leads to his psychosis. As Macbeth plans Duncan's murder, he thinks to himself, "I have no urge to prick the sides of my intentions, but only an ambitious ambition, which surpasses itself and falls upon the other." Shakespeare crafts this passage very carefully, using the equestrian terms of "spurs" and "vaulting" to create a double entendre. At first glance, it seems that Macbeth is telling himself that his ambition has taken over and that this is the only reason to kill Duncan. However, upon closer examination, it is clear that.