ambitious

• What is Macbeth's undoing in the play?

  Unchecked ambition
• What would have happened if Macbeth had been patient?

  He would have improved his position in society and kept his soul fit for Heaven
• How does Lady Macbeth influence Macbeth's actions?

  She pushes him to give into temptation
• What does Macbeth lose by the end of the play?

  Grace, favour, and respect
• What is Shakespeare's argument regarding ambition?

  The issue is not ambition itself, but how Macbeth allows it to control him
• Which characters show ambition but know how to restrain themselves?

  Banquo and Malcolm
• What do Banquo and Malcolm recognize about their desires?

  They know when it's best not to listen to their desires for the good of themselves and their country
• How does Macbeth's ambition affect his morality?

  He becomes oblivious to morality and natural order
• What does Shakespeare suggest about ambition as a sin?

  It is a sin when it goes against God's will
• What does Macbeth do to become king?

  He kills Duncan
• What does killing Duncan represent in terms of the Chain of Being?

  Macbeth fights his way up the Chain of Being
• What lesson does Shakespeare want to teach about ambition?

  To control your ambition and not let it control you
• What societal context is relevant to the themes in Macbeth?

  Fear of espionage and plotting to kill the king