A famous writer once said, "For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing." (James 3:16, Bible) Desire, determination, and power will absolutely corrupt. Shakespeare invites readers to the kingdom of Scotland to experience royalty at its best. Through the eyes of a courageous protagonist, a Scottish nobleman known as Macbeth, he emerges as a soldier and promising future leader whose megalomaniac ambition led to his tragic downfall. Tempted by overflowing ambition, he kills and proves that he will do anything to gain power. This essay analyzes how, in Macbeth, William Shakespeare uses the concept of ambition to explore its impact on how this motivates Macbeth and his wife to devise a plan to kill for the throne, as well as to explore how ambition can be destructive. to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay The playwright begins with Macbeth with him having heard the prophecies that promised him power, he says "Two truths are spoken. As happy prologues to the inflating act. Of the imperial theme” as he recites the line from the witches' prophecy. It begins immediately wondering if this means their third prophecy will also come true The enthusiasm with which he approaches this idea suggests that he finds the possibility appealing, as Macbeth drifts in and out of reality and enters a state of disorientation as time passes. during acts 1 and 2. While under the influence of his wife, he realizes that to achieve the task he would have to commit a terrible and violent act. but without illness accompanying her”. Lady Macbeth knows what Macbeth is capable of, she imagines that he will do everything to make his ambition turn into reality, to obtain the power he wants. He goes from being a rational man to being questionable. Scotland is plunged into even greater chaos due to Macbeth's thirst for supremacy, the recognition of his crimes, and further disturbances in the human order. Power has the ability to be linked to greatness, but at the same time it is capable of destroying a person's nature. In the play Macbeth takes a position of power, the definition of control alters, controlling and manipulating the characters in the book becomes easier over time deteriorating his conscience, being Macbeth, the protagonist becomes corrupt due to the power he obtains, this play is an excellent example of someone who starts out like Macbeth and has no reason or reasoning to desire power, later in the play does terrible and unspeakable things to gain authority and power. Power tends to favor their desires and what happens when it goes against them. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a custom essay “Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” (John Dalberg-Acton) A strong desire and determination to succeed in the wrong way can lead to corruption. Throughout the play Macbeth is controlled by his vivid imagination because of his conscience he has the vision of a dagger Banquo and even from the "assassin's sleep", his constant drive for ambition and his lust for power push him towards a dizzying fall. When he realizes that his struggle for power is over, he says: “Tomorrow, tomorrow and tomorrow, creeps into this mean rhythm from day to day. To the last syllable of recorded time, And all our yesterdays have lighted the way to dusty death.