Ambition to achieve, and ambition to succeed. It is a mindset that calls on the desire to push ourselves. As humans we have the need to see what we are capable of, what our tipping point is. As a socitey we encourage this but what we don’t often talk about is the fine line on being ambitious and too ambitious. Thomas Jefferson the third American president once said, “Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; and nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude.” Too much ambition leads to a negative mentality and deterioration of the human spirit. Ozymandias, Macbeth, Gattaca and Mao’s last dancer all present ambition driven by different things. All stories ended in success, but not all of them were satisfied, this comes from the loss of balance in their lives.

Percy Bysshe Shelly’s Ozymandias portrays the idea that successsdx will in the end lead to nothing. If you set a goal a limited few of us will do everything in our power to achieve it. Ozymandias was one of them. He wanted power, he wanted to be proud of what he achieved and he wanted to intimidate others by his success. He built a statue in honour of himself, but the “frown, wrinkled lip and sneer of cold command” is a perfect explaination of the shell he became. This is the other end, this is what we are afraid of, being too ambitious. We have to try find balance between fulfilling our potential and becoming nothing but ambition. This is where I believe Ozymandias went wrong, he lost the balance.

Macbeth started out with a great balance and a strong need to do the right thing. However this changed with the influence of Lady Macbeth. Macbeth craved power and when presented with the opportunity, was too ready to disregard his morals in order to achieve this. The difference between Macbeth and Ozymandias is that they started with different mindsets. Macbeth started out a good man and gradually gained the wrong mental attitude he let outside influences change his morals and therefore change the outcome. However, Ozymandias knew his goal and stuck to it. You can see the point in the play when Macbeth changes for the worse. When someone admits the wrong they have done, it can be the point of recovery, but in Macbeths case it was the point of no return. Macbeth believed that he had “stepped in so far that, should I wade no more, returning were as tedious as go’or”. At this point you can see the loss of balance, he can no longer see that he is wrong, or see how it was effecting those around him. Instead, he was only looking for the easiest route out. At this point in the play in you can see that his ambition has overcome him and is taking a toll on his spirit.

Spirit is not something that Vincent lacks. In the movie Gattaca, Andrew Niccol presents us with a driven and determined man. Vincent had a goal, in order to achieve this he overcame his resources, and his position. Vincent started bottom of the heap, he worked the late hours and saw others experiencing his dream on just the other side of a window. Macbeth however, had his path to becoming king handed to him on a silver plate, he could see it right infront of him. Vincent could see the pathway to success, however this is not the same pathway that Ozymandias and Macbeth saw, Vincent was aware of the sacrifice and the challenges he would meet along the way, on the other hand we have Ozymandais and Macbeth, they were blinded by their ambition. At one point in the movie Irene says ” you the only one that watches all of them” she then follows with “if you’re going to act like you don’t care, don’t look up”. I believe this is the moment that Irene realises Vincents passion, drive and ambition. Irene has such respect and trust in Vincent, although she doesn’t share the ambition. This has such a direct contrast to Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. This is because instead of support Lady Macbeth exploits, and deceives her husband. I believe that Shakespeare and Niccol had these supporting characters to reinforce how Vincent and Macbeth changed and how they were effected by ambition.

Li Cuxins ambition took him from the commune fields in china to the best ballet company in the western world. Li was brought up in a large family, with his Niang, Dia and 6 brothers. His whole childhood he saw his farther, then his eldest brother, then the next, all working the same job, with the same future. It was mindless work and they weren’t even making enough money to feed their family. Li always secretly had the dream to make it out, and see what was “outside his well”, When Li was presented with the opportunity for the life he wanted. He did not jump straight in like Macbeth, and he hadn’t seen it coming like Vincent, instead he was careful, all his family dreams and expectations were now on his shoulders. A few years into Ballet school, Li’s ambition was draining away as he could no longer see the direction and potential, although the thought of his family back home pushed him forwards. One day he was having piticular trouble with jumps and Teacher Xiao asked him if he had “ever tasted a mango”? this confused Li but Xiao explained that “Mango is the most wonderful fruit with the most unique taste, Xiao said, if he were to have a mango he would explore every part of it, he would admire the layers of the fruit and enjoy its full value. Teacher Xiao encouraged Li to find the very essence of the ballet, to enjoy every step. Teacher Xiao’s metaphor turned into Li’s inspiration and he poured his heart and soul into dance. Without Teacher Xiao Li would he back in the commune and be working in the fields. Mao’s last dancer is a great book about ambition and success, but what I think Mao’s last dancer portrays best is that it’s the people that make a story.

I believe that every piece of literature, film, or performance has a lesson they want the audience to take away. Theses texts in combination teach us the power of ambition, but I don’t believe this is the only thing, Balance. Holding yourself accountable to what you believe in. But each text had a re occurring theme, yes ambition, but what about the people? In Ozymandias no people are mentioned, we do not hear of any relationships he had and how did it end? With a wrinkled lip, and a sneer of cold command? Macbeth, his relationship with Lady Macbeth detoriated throughout the play, ending in susicide. Both Ozymandias and Macbeth forfeited their relationships for the overall goal. In comparison, Vincent and Li, throughout both stories their relationships grew stronger and had people by their side, supporting, and encouraging them to do the right thing. The contrast is too big to ignore and that is why I believe its the people we surround ourselves with that determine our attitude, and create our story.

Describe at least one important object or symbol in the written text, explain how this object or symbol has helped you to understand at least one character.

1. describe at least one object or symbol
2. how did this help you to understand at least one character

“thou Marshalls’t me the way I was going”- macbeth

“or art thou but a dagger of the mind, a false creation”- macbeth

“Macbeth, Macbeth, Macbeth, beware macduff, beware the thane of Cawdor, dismiss me, enough” -witches/appirations

“I am thane of Cawdor, if so good, why do I yield to that suggestion whose horrid image doth unfix my hair, and make my seated heart knock at my ribs, against the use of nature” -Macbeth

“stars hide your fires, let not light see my back and deep desires” Macbeth

“why one that swears and lies”

“But there is no bottom, none in my vulptunousness, your wives, your daughters, your matrons, and your maids”

“stay you imperfected speakers, tell me more”

“will all great Neptunes ocean wash this blood clean from my hand? no, this my hand will rather the multidinous seas incardnaine, making the green one red.

Macbeth destroyed-
“Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth! Beware Macduff.Beware the thane of Fife. Dismiss me. Enough.”
‘thou Marshall’st me the way I was going’.
"or art thou but a dagger of the mind, a false creation"

Symbolism-
"stars, hide your fires!
let not light see my black and deep desires"

Morals-
‘Why, one that swears and lies’
‘but there’s no bottom, none, In my voluptuousness: your wives, your daughters, your matrons and your maids’- Malcom testing Macbeths morals
“Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this bloodClean from my hand? No, this my hand will ratherThe multitudinous seas incarnadine,Making the green one red”

 Ambition- 
“Stay, you imperfected speakers, tell me more”
“I am Thane of Cawdor. If so good, why do I yield to that suggestion whose horrid image doth unfix my hair, And make my seated heart knock at my ribs, against the use of nature”

The main idea of modernism is a movement within society and culture, of making things more simplistic.

Modern architecture was based on developing technologies that mainly use glass, steel and reinforced concreate, to follow the idea of minimalism.

Modern architecture, or modernist architecture, was based upon new and innovative technologies of construction, particularly the use of glass, steel, and reinforced concrete; the idea that form should follow function (functionalism); an embrace of minimalism; and a rejection of ornament.

William Shakespeare includes the idea of fate in his play Romeo and Juliet.

William Shakespeare involves the idea of fate in his play Romeo and Juliet.

William Shakespeare portrays the idea of fate in his play Romeo and Juliet.