Macbeth is a play written by Shakespeare and set in 11th century Scotland. It details the life of Macbeth, a brave and noble man who is described as "Bellona's husband" (1.3.54), particularly the events following his encounter with three supernatural creatures who tell him of his fate. The reader should see Macbeth as a great man whose ambition for security leads to his downfall. His wife's ambitions and manipulation cause him to commit Duncan's murder, but this particular murder is unrelated to Macbeth's downfall. This man's ambition for the crown turns into ambition for security after becoming king, forcing him to kill others to keep his unjust kingship safe. There are many supernatural events in this play, but Macbeth is entirely unaffected by prophecies or apparitions. Shakespeare wanted the modern viewer to see how ambition and overconfidence can lead man to ruin. Macbeth represents this perfectly. Duncan's murder was committed at the urging of Lady Macbeth, after the witches merely brought the thought to his mind. Macbeth's ambition does not play a big role in this murder because he is just starting to develop, so this will not lead to his downfall. Macbeth did not think of ruling Scotland until the witches prophesied it to him. Macbeth may have thought about becoming king in the past through his reference to “my dull brain was wrought of forgotten things” (1.3.148-149), but he pushed the thought out of his mind. Only after the prophecy does Macbeth begin to think about murder. Macbeth does not think lightly of his possibility of becoming king after the second prophecy of becoming lord of Cawdor comes true. Ambition, for the crown, is not a matter of paper......decided by him. The Witches limited themselves to prophesying and showing him apparitions; they did not force him to act accordingly. It can be concluded that Shakespeare wanted the modern viewer to see how ambition and overconfidence can lead man to ruin. Documenting the stages of Macbeth's life before and after the murder, we see an initially great man who is killed because he is too involved in his world of ambition. This play serves as a warning not to believe in everything that is said about the future and not to be overwhelmed by dark ambitions. Recognizing this, Macbeth is no longer just a play about a Scottish general whose actions lead to his death, but also a lesson for viewers not to be overwhelmed by their own ambitions. Works Cited Shakespeare, William. The tragedy of Macbeth. Boston: D.C. Heath and Company, 1915. Google Books. Network. 3 September. 2015.