"Thriftless Ambition"
âTime and hour run through the roughest dayâ, (I, 4, 164), or do they? Is this only true when one can bask in âthe death of each dayâs life [?]â It is âthriftless ambition that will raven up thine own lifeâs means
Macbeth
In William Shakespeare?s play, Macbeth, has the main character ?eaten on the insane root that takes the reason prisoner??, (Macbeth, Act I, scene 3, line 88), or have the ?multiplying villainies of nature [swarmed] upon him [?]?, (I, 2, 13-14). ?Time and hour run through the roughest day?, (I, 4, 164), or do they? Is this only true when one can bask in ?the death of each day?s life [?]?, (II, 2, 50). Macbeth finds that ?unnatural deeds do breed unnatural troubles?, (V, 2, 75-76). Unfortunately he is driven by his desires and in seeking to obtain his prized possession he loses the meanings of life. ?Wicked dreams abuse [his] curtained sleep?, (II, 1, 62-63), his soul is seized, he ?almost forg[ets] the taste of fears?, (V, 5, 11), he gives up his wonderful reputation, he ?file[s] [his] mind?, and loses his wife. It is ?thriftless ambition that will raven up thine own life?s means.?
?Th? expedition of [Macbeth?s] violent love?, (Macbeth, Act II, scene 3, line 129) results in the loss of his ?eternal jewel? as well as ?The balm of hurt minds?, (II, 2, 51). Because Macbeth ?outrun[s] the pauser, reason?, (II, 3, 130), he sacrifices ?sore labor?s bath? (II, 2, 50). As ?The frame of things disjoint?, (III, 2, 18), Macbeth finds that he has nowhere to turn when his mind is ?full of scorpions?, (III, 2, 41), he can no longer seek refuge in ?the great natures second course?, (II, 2, 51). The ?terrible dreams? that ?shake [him] nightly?, (III, 2, 22), make it absolutely impossible for Macbeth to indulge in ?the chief nourisher in life?s feast?, (II, 2, 52). He is forced to remain in ?restless ecstasy?, where he will suffer ?torture of the mind?, (III, 2, 24), this is the first step in the witches plan to ?drain him dry as hay?, (I, 3, 19), they plan on letting him sleep ?neither night nor day?, (I, 3, 20). When Macbeth ?could not say Amen?, (II, 2, 39), it became quite evident that his ?boundless intemperance? had resulted in the loss of his soul. Although the witches realize that ?his bark [couldn?t] be lost?, (I, 3, 25), they succeed in ?tempest- [tossing]? it. The witches drive Macbeth?s ?unbitted lust? in an effort to betray him in the ?deepest consequence?. Macbeth?s willingness to ?jump the life to come?, (I, 7, 7) shows that ?his great love?, (I, 6, 28), to have what he ?esteem[ed] the ornament of life?, (I, 7, 46) ruled his life.
As a result of Macbeth?s ?horrid deed? he loses the ?golden opinions of all sorts of people?, (I, 7, 36) in addition to his ?king-becoming graces?, (IV, 3, 107). At the beginning of the play Macbeth is the epitome of ?courage [and] fortitude?, (IV, 3, 110), however by the end Macbeth has transformed into nothing more than a coward. Macbeth was once thought to be ?the mino[n] of [his] race?, (II, 4, 19), but through his acting on ?things forgotten? he reduced to less-than-man status. A real man ?dare[s] do all that becomes a man?, (I, 7, 51), ? [he] who dares do more is none?, (I, 7, 52), before the assassination Macbeth knows this to be true but his lust over power his reason, and as a result he loses his manhood. ?Bellona?s bridegroom? lost all ?praises in his kingdom?s great defense?, (I, 3, 103) immediately following ?Duncan?s taking off?, (I, 7, 20). Macbeth murdered a king, ?the lord?s anointed temple?, (II, 3, 78) and this sacrilege was amplified by the fact that Duncan ?[had] been so clear in his great office?, (I, 7, 17-18). Not only did ?tears drown the wind?, (I, 7, 25), but Macbeth, Scotland?s most ?valiant? and ?worthy? man turned into a ?cursed tyrant?. Prior to the Duncan?s assassination Macbeth is viewed as a ?peerless kinsman?, by far the greatest patriot in Scotland, but the instant he kills Duncan he undergoes a metamorphosis into a ?hell hound? who ?call?st [himself] a hotter name than any is in hell? (V, 7, 7-8). ?The devil himself could not pronounce a title more hateful?, (V, 7, 10-11), than Macbeth to the people of Scotland, who felt that he, ?the brightest [angel] fell?, (IV, 3, 27).
When Macbeth?s nature, once ?good and virtuous?, (IV, 3, 24), ?recoil[ed] in an imperial charge?, (IV, 3, 23-24) , he forfeited both his constancy of mind as well as his wife. Shortly after the murder of Duncan ?[Macbeth?s] constancy?left [him] unattended?, (II, 2, 87-88). It is when ?the multitudinous seas incarnadine?, (II, 2, 80), that Macbeth really begins to lose control of his mind. The guilt he feels is to blame for his ?heat oppressed brain? and his ?rugged looks?. Because Macbeth is ?lost so poorly in [his] thoughts?, (II, 3, 91-92), he becomes ?brainsickly of things? and ?every noise appalls [him]?, (II, 2, 76). It becomes absolutely impossible for Macbeth to maintain his firmness of mind after he?s ?hear[d] a knocking at the south entry?, (II, 2, 84-85). When ?the secret?st man of blood?, (III, 4, 157), is brought out in Macbeth, he loses his ?dearest partner in greatness?, (I, 5, 11). At the opening of this tragedy Macbeth and Lady Macbeth have a very close relationship, Lady Macbeth is ?[Macbeth?s] dear wife?. However once it is found out that Duncan has been murdered the two of them lose each other. Macbeth no longer sees Lady Macbeth as his ?dearest partner in greatness?, (I, 5,11), she is now ?[the doctor?s] patient?. He keeps her ?innocent of [knowledge]?, so much in fact that she must ask to speak with him. Lady Macbeth realizes that ?Naught?s had, all?s spent?, (III, 2, 6), and when she ?by self and violent hands, took off her life?, (V, 8, 83-84), Macbeth doesn?t really care; however had she committed suicide earlier in the play Macbeth would be absolutely perturbed. Macbeth?s lust drove him to a ?fruitless crown?; he was the king of nothing, things only seemed to go down hill after he began considering killing the king, they became horribly worse after the king was dead. ?Had Macbeth died an hour before [Duncan] [he] would have lived a blessed time?, (II, 3, 107-108).
