Overreaching Ambition, the Harbinger of Tragedy: Observing the English Literary Periods

Abstract

Ambition, innocently defined as ‘something one ardently desires to achieve,’ by the Oxford Learners Dictionary, harbors a paradoxical trait - its capacity for peril when taken to excess. This enigma finds early expression in the myth of Icarus, whose disregard for moderation led to his tragic demise. Across the annals of English literature, from the Renaissance to the Modern era, this theme of ambition’s double-edged sword echoes prominently. Works like Christopher Marlowe’s The Tragedy of Dr. Faustus, the Shakespearean tragedies both Macbeth and Julius Caeser straddling the Elizabethan and Jacobean periods, Mary Shelley’s Romantic masterpiece Frankenstein, Emily Bronte’s enduring classic Wuthering Heights from the Victorian era, and Arthur Miller’s Modern American drama Death of a Salesman all serve as vivid canvases depicting the havoc wrought by unchecked ambition. This paper examines the motivations and consequences of unrestrained ambition, highlighting the importance of moderation in pursuing one’s goals. Applying a qualitative methodology rooted in textual analysis, this research aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the impact of overreaching ambition on literary characters and its reflection on society.