and Cawdor, he was becoming, no doubt, very high-ranking. Almost overwhelmed by these merits, Macbeth remarks that Duncan should not try to thank him further for his duties on the battlefield because "the service and the loyalty... pays itself" (I. 4. 25-26). Macbeth, pleased as a servant to Duncan, is completely satisfied with his position thus far in the play and being content with this, seems as if he has everything he could desire. In addition to being respectable and of high position, Macbeth is still good person with a strong moral base. After he understands the implications of the witches' prophecy and how it would require bloodshed since he is not Duncan's successor, Macbeth tries to restrain his "black and deep desires" (I. 4. 58). Still being a completely decent person, Macbeth realizes that his thought of killing the heir to throne is indecent and cannot be justified by ambition of the throne, and so he tries to bury his wishes. Lady Macbeth realizes that Macbeth might do just that and try to ignore his ambitions because he is "too full o' th' milk of human kindness" (I.5.18). Macbeth is, still at this point, seen as too pure of a person because he would let his morals interrupt his dreams of grabbing the throne. Macbeth starts out with a high position in society and with strong moral fiber, but all this will be removed when he allows himself to submit to his tragic flaw of ambition.
             Although Macbeth tries to maintain his good person and morals, it is clear that his ambition outweighs his ethics and serves as his tragic flaw. When he hears Duncan announce his successor as his eldest son, Malcom instead of himself, Macbeth realizes that the son has become a "step on which [he] must fall down or else o'erleap" (I. 4. 55-56). Macbeth's ambition is so deep that as soon as he hea
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