Macbeth: His Downfall Was Due to His Ambition for Power In the Shakespearean novel Macbeth, the protagonist Macbeth is caught in a down spiral induced by his ambition which in the end, was the cause of his tragic end. Macbeth, once a great hero falls victim of his ambition for power. Although the protagonist initially tries to resist his human urge, he in the end committed crime his country, his friends, and sadly himself. Macbeth's first great crime was the crime against his country. In the beginning, Macbeth was described by his fellow noblemen as a great, loyal soldier, giving all he has for his country. Soon, it becomes evident when the witches foretells