ambition and power

• argument

  macbeth suggests ambition, when unchecked by moral restraint,leads to destruction, shakespeare also implies also implies amition is a fundamental human trading only dangerous combined with weakness or moral corruption
• contrast with banquo

  -banquo is ambitious but does not act immoraly ‘may they not be my oracles as well’ shows a more passive ambition
• macbeth vaulting ambition

  -initially loyal but tempted by power ‘i have no spur to prick the sides of my intent but only vaulting ambition’

  -his ambition isolates him making him feel paranoid and tyrannical
• lady macbeths ambition vs. macbeths

  -she manipulates him back later subcumms to guilt

  -‘unsex me here’ suggests a desire to transent tradditional gender roles to achieve power
• contextual links

  -jacobean concearns about regicide

  -shakespeare reflects james 1s anxieties about assassination

  -devine right of kings- macbeths unlawful rise to power disturbs natural order