Ambition + power

• “I have no spur to prick the sides of my intent but only vaulting ambition”-Macbeth

  Macbeth struggles to find the motivation to kill Duncan (only ambition). “Vaulting“ shows he is taking a shortcut. Ambition is Macbeths hamartia.
• “Stars hide your fires! Let not light see my black and deep desires“-Macbeth

  He is initially ashamed of his own desires. Shakespeare presents Macbeth this way to exhibit how the witches prophesies influence Macbeth so much he’s hiding from God using the power of hamartia.
• “Chastise with the valour of my tongue all that impedes thee from the golden round“-Lady Macbeth

  Lady Macbeth persuades Macbeth to act on his ambition. “The golden round” symbolises kingship and the fact that Lady Macbeth believes Macbeth is designated for this role.
• “Too full o’the milk of human kindness“-Lady Macbeth

  Implies she views him as a child who still needs to be nurtured and guide. This quote is in a soliloquy by Lady Macbeth expressing how little faith she has in Macbeths courage, manhood and believing they his kind nature will prevent him from committing this treason, so Lady Macbeth plants some ambition within him which reassured her she will get what she wants.