Ambition is defined as having a strong desire or longing for more than what you have. In Macbeth, ambition plays a major role in the development of the characters. The three witches are the source of ambition in the story. It's as if they control the negative, even dark and selfish ambition of the characters. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get the Original EssayAmbition affects three of the main characters. Macbeth, Lady Macbeth and Banquo. Macbeth's ambition is fueled by witches. The witches tell him that he is going to become king. However, he doesn't know how he will become king. History soon shows us that ambition will lead to ruin. But long before he had this desire, he declared that he would never have considered killing the king to take his place. He wouldn't even dream of it. Ambition later drives him to kill the king to do exactly what he claimed he would never do. Lady Macbeth is even more corrupt and power hungry than her husband. She allows herself to be led by her ambition to encourage the final push of Duncan's death towards Macbeth. Of course, Macbeth listens to him and kills Duncan. His ambition is not motivated by witches, however. She is motivated by greed. She wants the power to be queen. She wants to be queen. Lady Macbeth and Macbeth's ambition proves to be a tragic weakness for both of them. Her desire drives her to madness, which is ultimately the cause of her demise. There is a part of the story where she sleepwalks. She goes to her room and sits down. She looks at her hands and sees blood everywhere. So she puts her hands in the bowl of water and tries to wash them cleanly. But when she removed them, her hands were still stained red. Only she can see the blood on his hands. Her maid and doctor see her and assume she has gone crazy. This is only the beginning of his madness. Just before her death, she reads the letter that Macbeth had written to her, telling her that he was going to become king and then finally, her guilt and greed kill her. Banquo's ambition is different from that of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. His ambition does not push him to murder. His is slightly less selfish. He wants his son to become king and he wants his son's son to become king and so on for generations to come. He doesn't know how he will achieve his ambition. But he knows, however, that it is certainly not worth killing. Later, Macbeth discovers this ambition and becomes jealous. His deep selfish desire drives him to kill Banquo to prevent his plan from unfolding. Macbeth was initially a respected and courageous man. But he becomes a victim of his own ambition which leads him to guilt and paranoia. The first great jolt of guilt comes immediately after Duncan's murder, when Macbeth exclaims: "One of them cried out, 'God bless us!' and 'Amen', the other. As they had seen me with these executioner's hands; listening to their fear, I could not say 'Amen,' while they said 'God bless us'” (2.2.37-40). It is clear that Macbeth feels intense guilt after committing such a grave sin. Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a personalized article from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay Ambition in itself is not bad. This is when ambition goes unchecked. That’s when it becomes a danger. If Mcbeath had wanted to be king and legitimately fight for the crown, that's one thing. But allowing his lust for power to drive him to murder is another..