In Shakespeare's 'Macbeth' the central character's fatal flaw is accepted as being his ambitious nature. Shakespeare gives us an insight into the mind of a man whose fatal flaw leads to his downfall.
             On being told by the three witches that he shall be 'King hereafter', Macbeth instantly allows his ambition to run riot, spurred on by his wife, who seems also to have more than her fair share of 'vaulting ambition'. He murders Duncan and becomes King only to become possessed of a meglomania and a paranoid tyranny that hastens his ultimate downfall and death. He ruthlessly eliminates any rivals to the throne and eventually becomes embroiled in a vengeful campaign which fulfills the witches' prophesies and culminates in Macbeth's decapitation.
             Perhaps the greatest insight we are given into Macbeth's mind is when he is pondering the act of regiscide: he admits he 'has no spur to prick the sides of my intent, but only vaulting ambition which o'er leaps itself and falls on th'other' His observation of his own character is so perceptive and astute that his intelligence is undeniable. Yet he allows his wife to shame him into doing what his intellect is warning him against.
             Once committed, Macbeth cannot stop his power-crazed actions. Having himself killed a king, perhaps it is only to be expected that he sees threats from every quarter, even his best friend Banquo and his son are to be killed rather than remain as potential threats to Macbeth's power. Macbeth allows his ambition to dominate him wholly.
             It seems unlikey that Macbeth's ambition is initiated by the witches' prophecies - Banquo asks 'why do you start and seem to fear things that do sound so fair'? and while the 'start' clearly reveals that Macbeth already harbours ambitions in the 'black and deep desires' mould. It is perhaps a little strange that no-one has picked up on this aspect of Macbeth's character before he kills Duncan. Macbeth is held in high regard by
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