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Art Quote by William Shakespeare

“Thou wouldst be great; Art not without ambition, but without The illness should attend it. What thou wouldst highly That wouldst thou holily; wouldst not play false, And yet wouldst wrongly win.” quote by William Shakespeare
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“Thou wouldst be great; Art not without ambition, but without The illness should attend it. What thou wouldst highly That wouldst thou holily; wouldst not play false, And yet wouldst wrongly win.”

William Shakespeare

About This Quote

Source Play: The Tragedy of Macbeth, Act 1, Scene 7, 1606

Greatness requires ambition, but unchecked desire can corrupt and lead to false victories.

In simple terms: Ambition needs balance to avoid corruption.

Key Takeaway

Pursue goals with integrity.

Themes

ambition integrity corruption power ethics

Mood

cautious reflective

Type

advisory philosophical

When to use this quote

  • career advancement
  • political leadership
  • personal ambition
  • creative projects

Key Concepts

Moral philosophy human nature political ambition

Questions to Reflect On

  • How do you keep ambition aligned with ethics?
  • What safeguards prevent misuse of power?
A Different Perspective

Ambition can blind judgment and cause unethical shortcuts.

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