Ambition for power may seem like true perfection, but one must be careful what they desire, for that power may be the very thing that causes their downfall. In the play Macbeth written by William Shakespeare, ambition plays an important role and is also a main theme. Ambition is often the motivating force in one's life. It should be the motivating factor that drives you towards success. The main character, Macbeth, has ambitions even if it leads to his downfall. In contrast, Lady Macbeth pursues her goals with greater determination, but is less able to resist the outcome of her actions. She becomes guilty, which leads to her death as she becomes mentally ill and commits suicide, leaving Macbeth without any moral support. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth betray King Duncan for power and for their ambition to be misused. Macbeth's Overconfidence Nowadays, ambition can be used for both good and evil. People who are ambitious in achieving their goal in a positive way can be good, but sometimes ambition takes over you and makes you want more, which can cause death and destruction. Macbeth's ambition turns into betrayal, as is shown from the beginning of this play. whereas the previous Thane of Cawdor “The most treacherous traitor” (Act I Sc. II) of Scotland fights for the Norwegian side. The title is later given to Macbeth when the Thane of Cawdor is executed, this foreshadows future events as Macbeth will later murder Duncan who has an "absolute faith" (Act I Sc. IV) in Macbeth. When Macbeth is crowned Lord of Cawdor, he begins to believe in the witches' prophecies and tells his wife Lady Macbeth that he later plans to kill Duncan. However, M...... middle of paper ......g for their happiness but as Macbeth develops, it is seen that his ambition and overconfidence lead to his downfall. Lady Macbeth begins to see reality and realize her mistakes. It is too late to tell Macbeth as her guilt has destroyed her and Macbeth is very confident that no one will be able to take the throne of Scotland from him even if he remains betrayed and alone. Ambition can lead to many negative outcomes such as betrayal. , which ultimately leaves him alone. Ambition can also lead to a positive response if the person becomes overly confident and uses their ambition to achieve a goal without harming anyone. People who are ambitious to succeed in a good way can be good, but there are times when ambition takes over you and makes you want more, and sometimes, it can lead to death or destruction. Works Cited http://nfs.sparknotes.com/ macbeth/