Ambition

• Macbeth's ambition linked to becoming Thane of Cawdor and then King
• Monarchs seen as God's Representatives on Earth


  Monarchs come above all other humans
• Elizabethans saw themselves as part of a hierarchical world called the great chain of being
• Macbeth's ambition faces physical obstacles - Duncan and Malcolm
• Macbeth's ambition to be king needs to be achieved by murder
• Transgressive act for Macbeth to have ambition to be king in Elizabethan Society
• Macbeth's ambition

  Overleaps itself and falls on the other
• Macbeth's initial thoughts: 'To be king stands not within the prospect of belief, no more than to be called or stand'
• Macbeth characterizes his intention to kill the King as a horse


  His ambition itself is the only spur
• Macbeth's hope regarding the consequences of killing Duncan: 'If only the killing of Duncan could be the be-all and the end all'
• Steps in the great chain of being

  • Minerals of the Earth, plants, animals, humans, Angels, God
• Macbeth's ambition to be king was problematic in the context of Elizabethan Society
• Effects of ruthless ambition after the murder in Macbeth
• Macbeth: 'It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing'
• Lady Macbeth provokes Macbeth to follow through on his actions


  She urges him to be physically and mentally Brave and to not back out of the murder
• Changes to Lady Macbeth after the murder

  1. She walks in her sleep saying "out damn spot out I say"

  2. She is haunted by the idea that she cannot wash Duncan's blood off her hand

  3. She carries a candle representing the light of Grace and forgiveness that she cannot see

  4. She kills herself in despair
• Ambition is presented as something that destroys the meaning of everything for Macbeth
• External disruption of nature after Macbeth breaks the great chain of being by killing the King
• Macbeth characterizes his intention to kill the King as a horse that needs a Spur


  Spurs are worn by horse riders to jab a horse to make it move but the only spur Macbeth possesses is his ambition itself which can only spur itself to Vault or jump too far, leading to his fall
• Banquo's prophecy

  His children will be Kings
• Macbeth is a virtuous man who would not kill the rightful King
• Lady Macbeth's mental transformation

  1. She needs to be filled from head to toe with diarist Cruelty

  2. She carries a candle metaphorically representing the light of Grace and forgiveness that she cannot see

  3. She walks in her sleep haunted by the idea that she cannot wash Duncan's blood off her hand

  4. She kills herself in despair
• Ambition in Macbeth

  • Macbeth lacks some of the mental qualities required to kill a lawful King
  • Ambition must be attended by wickedness in this context
  • Lady Macbeth appeals to evil spirits to make her wicked
• The play shows how evil is defeated and the righteous King is now on the throne of scotland
• Physical obstacles


  Tangible barriers that prevent Macbeth from achieving his ambition; examples include Duncan and Malcolm
• Moral obstacles


  Internal or psychological barriers that prevent Macbeth from achieving his ambition; examples include guilt, fear, paranoia, and isolation
• Ambition


  The Macbeths' manipulative ambition propels the plot of the play forward; they centre their actions around their ultimate desire for Macbeth to become king
• Both the Macbeths exploit those around them in order to improve their position in the social hierarchy and are spurred on by the prophecies of the three Witches
• Ambition


  Seen as corrupting and causes Macbeth to lose his nobility and ultimately become intensely violent
• Both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth suffer deep remorse and guilt over their actions, with Lady Macbeth ultimately killing herself
• Macbeth


  A dramatic representation of the devastating psychological consequences of pursuing one's ambitions without any regard for morality
• People, particularly those belonging to the upper echelons of society, valued titles highly
• When told he will potentially become the Thane of Cawdor and then a king


  Macbeth takes this incredibly seriously
• A lot of the tension in the play is caused by a battle over names and titles, as many of the characters are ambitious and keen to increase their social standing
• Many people in Elizabethan and Jacobean times believed in the Divine Order or Great Chain of Being, where everything has a specific place and rank in order of their perceived importance and spiritual nature
• Anyone trying to rise above their rank was believed to be going against God, so ambition was equated with sin
• Macbeth's ambition


  His "black and deep desires" to fulfil his ambitions
• Macbeth


  • Shakespeare explores whether ambition is useful, and how it relates to fate
• Two key sources of Macbeth's ambition are the Witches' prophecy, and his wife, Lady Macbeth
• When Macbeth initially meets with the Witches


  Their prophecies make him think about the possibility of killing the King