Practise reflective response: In role as MacBeth reflect on what you have learned about ambition during the course of the play. This should involve an analysis of what the play says about ambition, the attitudes and values supported in the play in relation to this idea.
I was rewarded with my ambition when I saved the country and killed the Thane of cawdor because he was a traitor. This was the best day of my life, but when I was exposed to the idea of becoming king my life and attitudes changed forever. I thought thriving for your desires and doing everything you had to, to get what you wanted was a part of life. From the start of my wife’s proposal to kill the king I knew it was the wrong thing to do, but it’s what I wanted. Ever since the day of acting fair but really being foul I felt guilt. Now I am the bad guy, I don’t even want to be king and this is probably going to be my last day on earth. I have learnt that heroic people are rewarded with ambition, whereas people like me who use ambition for evil are punished. Yes, I have been punished. I wish I never did what I did and didn’t have to live with this heart wrenching guilt. Ambition and power should be a privilege and something I work for, but no I had to go against fate and kill the king myself. I have realised that I don’t value power or ambition; I just use it for my selfishness. However, I consider myself a good person and it was Lady MacBeth who made me do this. Even if I do not die today, I will never be looked upon the same and will never be able to fulfil my ‘good’ desires. In fact I have always wanted to help the country and run it like it should be, but the guilt has got to me and people are against me. I have learnt that ambition is good when you do it the right way and thrive for it, but bad when you force it. I have been punished and will be killed, but that’s what I deserve. I wish I was still Thane of Glamis and thrived for higher positions rather than commit the deed I committed.
1 comment:
I think you are arguing that Macbeth did not differentiate between the two examples of his ambition until it was too late. Because his early ambition was rewarded, he thought that all ambition would be rewarded. If this is so, make sure you argue it clearly and point out the difference between the two. It is a good point to make as long as you show why his early ambition was different and why his ambition to be king was punished.
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