Ambition can be a powerful force and it can lead you to do insane, illogical and illegal acts, which you would, perhaps, not even dream of committing at any other time in your life. Ambition can make you blind and this has beautifully been brought out by William Shakespeare, in his renowned tragedy, ‘Macbeth’.
Macbeth is a Scottish lord in the court of King Duncan,the king of Scotland. A near kinsman to the king, Macbeth is an honourable man, known for his valour and conduct in war,an example of his honest loyalty to the king. However,things take a sharp turn when Macbeth’s superstitious belief in the prophecy of three witches ignites ambition,treachery and deceit in him, leading to his eventual ruin. His wife, Lady Macbeth, being as ambitious as him, if not more, instigates him to commit irrational acts and even murder, in pursuit of her ambition.Macbeth, eventually dies valiantly, fighting a battle which should never have been.
In the span of a single play, Macbeth is shown to rise to heights of glory and then plummet to depths of depravity. Though Macbeth himself is a fascinating character, Lady Macbeth’s grit holds your attention all throughout. Her determination,persistence, and most importantly, her ambition, are awe-inspiring. For the love and lure of the throne, the immoral acts she commits, despite being a woman, are fascinating and frightening, both, at the same time. For a woman to possess such control over her husband’s mind in an era, where women were symbols of docility and submissiveness, is perhaps, quite an incredulous thought. But Shakespeare is so clear about Lady Macbeth’s personality, so convincing, that one simply plays long. Her bold persona makes her one of the most brilliant female characters, ever to have been.
The play also demonstrates the truth behind many aphorisms like, “Behind every successful man, there is a woman,” but, “Behind the fall of a great man, there is always a woman,” “Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown,” and, my favourite, “Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.”
The play has a strong plot,an excellent storyline and a deft use of language to show hues of human emotion and both, strengths and frailties of human character, making ‘Macbeth’ one of the most popular Shakespearen tragedies. An absolutely absorbing play, Macbeth is a must read for all.
- Kriti Sharma (14 years)
Please Note: This is a review sent in as an entry to the Chillibreeze Writing Bee Contest for kids. The review has not been edited. The views in this review are the reviewer’s own and not endorsed by Chillibreeze.
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