English: Macbeth - Ambition

• What drives the plot of Macbeth forward?

  The Macbeths' manipulative ambition
• How do the Macbeths exploit those around them?

  To improve their position in society
• What role do the Witches' prophecies play in Macbeth's ambition?

  They spur on his desire to become king
• What is the consequence of ambition for Macbeth?

  He loses his nobility and becomes violent
• What psychological effects do Macbeth and Lady Macbeth experience?

  They suffer deep remorse and guilt
• What ultimately happens to Lady Macbeth?

  She commits suicide
• How does Macbeth represent the consequences of ambition?

  It shows the psychological devastation of unchecked ambition
• When was Macbeth likely written?

  In 1606
• What societal structure existed during the Jacobean period?

  A rigid class system and social hierarchy
• Why does Macbeth take the Witches' prophecies seriously?

  Because societal status was important
• What causes tension in Macbeth?

  A battle over names and titles
• How is ambition viewed in modern Western society?

  As a good quality
• What is the Great Chain of Being?

  A hierarchy of all beings in the universe
• What happens to those who try to rise above their rank?

  They are believed to go against God
• How does ambition relate to sin in Jacobean England?

  Ambition was equated with sin
• What does Macbeth describe his ambitions as?

  “Black and deep desires”
• What are two sources of Macbeth's ambition?

  The Witches' prophecy and Lady Macbeth
• What does Macbeth think about after meeting the Witches?

  He considers murdering the King
• What is Macbeth's tragic flaw?

  His insatiable ambition
• What does Macbeth's ambition lead him to do?

  Commit murder to become king
• How does Macbeth compare ambition to horse riding?

  Ambition is the spur motivating him
• What does Macbeth's admission foreshadow?

  His tragic end
• What does Ross imply about ambition in Act Two?

  It is an unnatural phenomenon
• How does Lady Macbeth influence Macbeth's actions?

  She criticizes his masculinity and ambition
• What does Lady Macbeth fear about Macbeth?

  That he is too kind to act on ambition
• How does Lady Macbeth's ambition compare to Macbeth's?

  She is more ruthless and single-minded
• What does Lady Macbeth believe about achieving greatness?

  It requires sacrificing moral compass
• How is Lady Macbeth viewed in terms of gender norms?

  She is seen as masculine and untrustworthy
• What does Shakespeare demonstrate about ambition in the play?

  It leads to loss and suffering
• What is the central theme of Macbeth?

  Ambition and its resulting guilt
• How does guilt affect Macbeth and Lady Macbeth?

  It undermines their sanity
• How might a modern audience interpret Banquo's ghost?

  As a psychological phenomenon
• What does blood symbolize in Macbeth?

  Sin and guilt
• What does Macbeth say about washing away blood?

  It cannot be washed clean
• How does blood's symbolism change throughout the play?

  From loyalty to guilt and sin
• How is Macbeth introduced in the play?

  As a brave and noble soldier
• How does Macbeth's character change throughout the play?

  From noble to butcher and tyrant
• What do Macbeth's hallucinations of blood represent?

  His guilt and mental distress
• What does the captain say about Macbeth's valor?

  He describes him as "brave Macbeth"
• How does the captain describe Macbeth's actions in battle?

  As ruthless and commendable