Themes of Macbeth

Themes of Macbeth

1. Ambition

   • Lady macbeth
     • "What greatness is promised thee" - Macbeth
       • Macbeth persuades Lady Macbeth to spur him on - equal blame
       • "My dearest partner of greatness"
   • Macbeth
     • "I have no spur To prick the sides of my intent," - Macbeth
       • has no ambition - Macbeth
   • Banquo
     • "Say which grain will grow and which will not," - Banquo to Witches
       • He is ambitious for his own success
     • "I dreamt last night of the three weird sisters:"
       • ambition for himself to be successful - dreamt of them before they meet - shows he wants to be told good things of his future
     • "My bosom franchised and allegiance clear, I shall be counsell'd"
       • isnt blankly turning down an opportunity to move up in the world - only saying that he will do it if it is with good morals
     • He sacrifices himself to save his son
       • He might just be doing it to continue his family name
   • The Witches
     • "Loves for his own ends, not for you" - hecate to witches
       • Macbeth only cares for himself, not the witches
         • men didn't care about what women wanted in life

2. Masculinity and Cruelty

   • Lady Macbeth
     • has to become more masculine (cruel)
     • "unsex me here"
       • wants to be a man so she can be more cruel- "fill me from the crown to the toe top-full Of direst cruelty"
     • "Come to my woan's breasts, and take my milk for gall"
       • Shakespeare is suggesting that in a patriarchal society, for women to get power they must behave unnaturally
   • Malcolm
     • "Dispute it like a man," (Malcolm) Macduff replies, "I sall do so. But I must also feel it as a man"
       • Malcolm tells Macduff to push aside feels of sadness as his family are killed
         • Macduff then teaches Malcolm that it is manly to feel sad, and then push it aside
           • Malcolm then passes on this knowledge to Siward, showing he learnt the lesson - Shakespeare trying to get through to the audience of nobles
             • "he's worth more sorrow And that I'll spend for him." - Malcolm to Siward

3. Divine Right of Kings

   • Shakespeare wants to promote the idea of Divine right of Kings, there should be no dispute over King James
   • Macbeth
     • Shakespeare Warning the potential rebels to not to proceed further
     • "Bloody instructions, which, being taught, return To plauge the inventor"
       • Shakespeare reminds them that causing trouble will come back to bite
       • Gunpowder plot succeeding wouldn't lead to a better world, only promoting "bloody instructions" as more rebels will come later to take down the next king
   • Banquo
     • Described as having a "royalty of nature"
       • Banquo thought to be ancestor of King james
         • Important for Banquo to presented in a positive light
     • "He hath a wisdom that doth guide his valour To act in safety"
       • Shakespare suggesting to King James that doing nothing, not going out for vengence against catholics is wisdom and bravery - sign of good kingship
   • Fleance and King James
     • "What, will the line stretch out to the crack of doom?" Macbeth to witches
       • King James' descendants will stay on the throne forever
         • Shakespeare is trying to flatter king james
           • Only if you are kind
           • Suggests that being like Macbeth will end your dynasty

4. Tyranny

   • Macbeth
     • "And that which should accompany old age, As honour, love, obedience, troops of friends, I must not look to have"
       • King James will achieve these things if he acts with mercy
       • We question if Shakespeare was Catholic, did he have any other motives to stop King james from destroying catholicisim