The definition of Ambition is the strong desire to do or achieve something or the desire or determination to achieve success. The idea around ambition can overwell people making them turn against their peers and friends. After analyzing the text thoroughly we can see how ambition can be the down all or uprise of people to greatness. In these four different text I will show you different examples of ambition and how it can manipulate a persons reality of what is right and wrong. The first being Ozymandias, next Macbeth, Gattacia and a quote from Ross Edgley 

The poem Ozymandias conveys the idea of power and strive of people for materialistic objects. After analyzing the poem we can see how the author tries to portray the idea of mankind needing objects and the lack of selflessness. “My name is Ozymandias, king of kings: Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!” From this line of text we can see how someone’s ambition of power and the fear of society looking upon them as someone other than a god and threatens Ozymandias. Ozymandias is wanting to be eternal and having a ever lasting image and this consumes him. Ozymandias has been depicted as a god but what he has assembled around him, has been tore down by time.

The poem Ozymandias by shelley conveys the idea of power and strive of people to attach themselves to objects. This idea completely relates to the idea of ambition, however is a negative light on ambition. Ozymandias is consumed by power and this is only fueled by his idea of wanting to be eternal. 

Another way that ambition can be shown is through the fleeting state of mind of Macbeth in Shakespeare’s play Macbeth. This is shown in the same ambition of power connected to Ozymandias, however Macbeth’s ambitious desires are his own downfall when Macbeth begins to lose sanity after killing his friend and king, Duncan. Shakespeare also uses the language technique of personification to help portray the idea of ambition through the imagery of a Macbeth’s feelings. This is shown a a dagger in front. ” Is this a dagger which I see before me, The handle toward my hand? come, let me clutch thee ” Shakespeare’s own ambition has been personified as his desires to power and Macbeth even realises his own insanity ” A dagger of the mind, a false creation “.

In Shakespeare’s tragedy Macbeth, the idea of sanity, security and despair is shown throughout the play. This is shown by the fleeting state of mind of Macbeth and using many different literary devices, portraying an imagery of darkness, obliviousness and death. The idea of Ambition relates to Macbeth by his same desire and Ozymandias for power however this consumed him making his lose his sanity and morals. 

Ambition can be more than the lust for power however and can be used to help and achieve goals and greater things than yourself. This is shown in Andrew Niccol’s 1997, Gattaca. 

Andrew Niccol makes this present with a dystopian future where everything is based on genetic superiority among people and those who fall behind are tossed away like garbage in the wind. We come across Vincent Freeman who strives to go to space but is grounded to earth because of his inferior genetic makeup but is helped by Jerome, who no longer has the use of his legs. Vincent makes it past his own struggles of living in a world of inferior genetic makeup and makes it into space. After analyzing the end scene we are seen with Vincent closing his eyes. I believe that this was the main seen in him completing his goals but also him looking back on the people that have helped him in the struggles that he has overcome as a person. “Eugene suffered under a different burden – the burden of perfection” from this quote we can tell that the main message that Andrew Niccol was trying to portray through the film. Although Eugene being the genetic superior was consumed that he was better than everyone else and lost his own drive or ambition to try to do better. Perfection can give a sense of boredom as you can take no gain or self worth out of what you have accomplished because you were genetically made to do so. 

Andrew Niccol makes this present with a dystopian future where everything is based on genetic superiority among people and those who fall behind are tossed away like garbage in the wind. Andrew Niccol has displayed the idea of ambition through the achievements and impression that Vincent had on people around him. 

Ambition can be shown in  number of ways and Ross Edgley is a prime example of ambition. Ross has the same drive and  effect that Vincent had on people in the film Gattaca by Andrew Niccol. Ross Edgley Push the Boundaries of human society and is showcased in his recent challenge of swimming around Great Britain. 

After analyzing some of the quotes that I found from Ross one stood out the most. ” I want to push the boundaries of what is not capable to make others push themselves “. From this one quote we can understand what Ross is as a person and How capable he really is. Ross’s ambition to strive past the imagination of people’s mind has surprised people and others around him. The share determination by Ross makes me as a person want to try to push myself, he showcases grit and the power of ambition. In today’s society we limit our self on what we think we can do compared to what other normal human beings have accomplished through history. Now people would rather watch from a distance in he comfort of there own bubble than try to do something themselves and this is shown by the limited ambition we need to please our self’s in a materialistic world. 

Ross Edgley is a prime example of Ambition, Ross makes this promonet as this is just one of his achievements that he has made. Over 100 days of swimming 6 hours in the morning and 6 hours at night. Swimming through sub zero temps but does it all with a simile on is face. Ross Edgley is a fountain of inspiration, a source of ambition and positivity. The sweat, grit and time that he took to achieve this is a massive feet for just one person to do so. 

The definition of Ambition is the strong desire to do or achieve something or the desire or determination to achieve success. The idea around  ambition can overwell people making them turn against their peers and friends. I have given 4 different examples of ambition showcased in different lights, good and bad. Ambition can be the downfall and uprise of great people and this gives an insight into how it can change people morals. Macbeth, consumed by power and lust of security was blinded by his own ambition; Vincent Freeman, trying to achieve  something that he was told would never be possible. Ambition is a double edged sword, ambition can inspire and ambition can cripple. We can see now how ambition can take a toll on someone’s mind and begin to sumerage them into a bottomless pit but also increment them towards there own goal. 

Join the conversation! 1 Comment

  1. Hi Kahu,

    Much of this piece is very good – it makes some confident observations about how the idea of ambition is revealed in the relevant texts – however these are the things you should pay attention to before you make the final submission.

    1) Sometimes your written expression is interfered with by transient spelling errors. If you look at your first paragraph there are a handful of sleeping and typing errors which you should pay close attention to

    2) MAKE SURE you quote from every text. You can make a specific reference to a visual element of a visual text like a film instead of quoting from the script, but just a general explanation of the plot doesn’t qualify as ‘evidence’ as required by the standard.

    Let me know when you’ve remedied these things and I’ll mark the piece.

    CW

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