Theme of Ambition

Theme of Ambition

1. Macbeth

   • Initial reaction to witches prophecy
     • Fearful
       • 'my seated heart knock at my ribs'
       • 'art not without ambition but without the illness should attend it'
     • Uncertain
       • 'cannot be good, cannot be ill'
         • bicolon
         • parallel phrasing of 'cannot be' implies M is judging the situation
       • rhetorical question
       • 'if ill'
     • Confused
       • 'and nothing is, but what not'
   • Later reaction
     • Without apprehension
     • Secretive
       • 'let not light see my black and deep desires'
       • 'the eye wink at the hand'
   • Macbeth's ambition motivates him to commit terrible deeds
     • Considers morality of killing Duncan but doesn't hesitate killing Banquo as a result of his profound ambitious nature
       • Shakespeare presents ambition as dangerous through Macbeth's quick downfall (ambition was his hamartia)
         • Audience might see this as warning that ambition isn't balanced by morals or reason
         • M's downfall is foreshowed where he says 'vaulting ambition...falls on th'other'
       • Original reluctance against killing Duncan shows M is moral, but his later actions emphasise how strong his ambition is
     • Turns Macbeth ruthless and selfish (for power)

2. Lady Macbeth

   • Initial reaction to witches prophecy
     • Not apprehensive
       • 'unsex me here'
         • imperative verb 'unsex' shows readiness. Also portrays how LM is calling on supernatural powers to remove feminity to succeed
     • Unafraid
   • Later reaction
     • Greatly affected by previous ambitious nature
       • 'what's done cannot be undone'
       • 'will these hands ne'er be clean?'
       • Imperitives used before have had no effect

3. Shakespeare presents Lady Macbeth's reaction differently to Macbeth's

   • In Jacobean society, LM would be more repressed than M (as a woman) so her ambition stems from her chance of freedom
   • M already has status as Thane of Glamis/Cawdor and so might be less motivated than LM

4. Shakespeare portrays M and LM's desires by contrasting their characters and behaviours

5. Through the characters of LM and M, Shakespeare presents ambition as deeply corruptive. However, he also presents it a driving stimulus for good when it is exercised for the others, not just egocentric choices.

   • Malcolm and Macduff take M's power using ambition for their country's greatness (which wouldn't happen under M's tyrannical rule) rather than individual desires

6. Lies at the root of wealth, happiness and nobility.

   • 'golden round'
     • 'round' - cyclical nature and infinite notion in M's personality
     • 'golden' prosperity
     • foreshadows later rise in power of Macbeth's, creating anticipation in the audience

7. Creates paranoia

   • Illusions (motif)
     • 'is this a dagger which i see before me'
     • blood
     • Banquo's ghost
     • result of a disturbed mental state
       • chaotic
   • Denial of paranoia (M-> after talking to the witches a second time)
     • 'what's done, is done'
   • 'after life's fitful fever, he sleeps well'
     • 'sleeps' euphemistic of death
     • M is jealous of how D can sleep peacefully, whereas he is unable to sleep due to paranoia

8. Shakespeare does not give either character the opportunity to enjoy what they have achieved – perhaps suggesting that it is more satisfying to achieve your goals fairly than to achieve them through corruption.