Macbeth is a tragic character because of his greed and ambition. He constantly wants more, but the consequences of his actions haunt him. In the beginning of the play, Macbeth receives a prophecy that he will move up in the ranks of society and eventually become king. He kills people, including friends like King Duncan and Banquo, to make this happen and then to preserve his title. He is haunted by these actions, as is demonstrated by his visions of a bloody floating dagger and Banquo’s ghost. He sees the dagger right before he kills King Duncan.

After he has Banquo murdered, Macbeth sees his ghost twice and yells at it in front of his guests. Macbeth is haunted by the bloodshed that he had to commit to obtain and preserve his position. It is greed and ambition that drive him through the play, and eventually, to his death.

At the start of A Raisin in the Sun, Walter Lee is also driven by greed and ambition. He is disappointed with his life as a chauffeur. He feels that his life will be better if he uses the money from his father’s life insurance to open a liquor store. When he places his trust in the wrong person, Walter loses his money and must confront the source of his ambition. When he finds out that his money was stolen, he yells, “THAT MONEY IS MADE OUT OF MY FATHER’S FLESH.”

After Walter loses the money, his perspective shifts. He realizes that his ambition should be focused on respecting his father’s sacrifices, instead of trying to be a “taker.” Once Walter’s viewpoint matures, he is able to redirect his ambition out of the realm of greed.