Ambition

• Macbeth: Themes - Ambition
• The plot of Macbeth is propelled forwards by the Macbeths’ manipulative ambition; both centre their actions around their ultimate desire for Macbeth to become king. Both characters 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 is seen as corrupting and causes Macbeth to lose his nobility and ultimately become intensely violent. Nevertheless, both he and his wife suffer deep remorse and guilt over their actions - causing Lady Macbeth to ultimately kill herself. Macbeth in some senses is a dramatic representation of the devastating psychological consequences of pursuing one’s ambitions without any regard for morality.
• Macbeth was (most likely) written in 1606, at the start of the Jacobean period. At that time, societal status was intensely important. A rigid class system and intricate social hierarchy meant that people, particularly those belonging to the upper echelons of society, valued titles highly.
• In Modern Western society, ambition is treated as a good quality, whereas in Jacobean and Elizabethan England, ambition would have generally been treated as a dangerous quality to possess. Many people in Elizabethan and Jacobean times believed in the Divine Order, where ambition was equated with sin.
• The entire play explores the titular character’s quest to fulfil his ambitions, which he describes as: “black and deep desires” (A1.S4). Through Macbeth, Shakespeare explores whether ambition is useful, and how it relates to fate.
• Two key sources of Macbeth’s ambition

  • The Witches prophecy
  • His wife, Lady Macbeth
• Effect of the Witches

  When Macbeth initially meets with the Witches in Act One, they reveal their prophecies to him. Although they don’t mention murder, Macbeth’s thoughts jump ahead to the possibility of killing the King
• Beth’s ambitions

  Are the Witches' prophecy and his wife, Lady Macbeth
• One characteristic of Shakespearean tragedy is that all protagonists have a tragic or fatal flaw (hamartia). Macbeth's insatiable ambition is his tragic flaw
• Macbeth is willing to give up everything to become king. The murders that he and his wife commit cause both to grow mad with guilt
• Macbeth begins experiencing visions of the bloody knife, showing how the consequences of his ambition have caused him mental distress and near insanity
• Macbeth's ambition


  Ultimately leads him to murder Duncan as he sees it as the only option to continue on his ambitious path
• Macbeth: '“I have no spur // To prick the sides of my intent, but only // Vaulting ambition, which o’erleaps itself // And falls on the other” (A1.S7)'
• Upon discovering Duncan dead in Act Two, it’s implied that Duncan’s children are the murderers, and Ross exclaims: “Gainst nature still! // Thriftless ambition, that will ravin up // Thine own lives’ means!” (A2.S4)
• Ross' exclamation


  Implies that ambition is an unnatural phenomenon and questions whether it is against nature for Macbeth to kill someone he respected and was indebted to, just in the hope of fulfilling his ambition
• He justifies all his actions in Act Three, arguing that they’re “For mine own good” (A3.S4)
• Lady Macbeth


  Is seen as the other motivator of Macbeth's ambition to usurp the crown. She relentlessly criticises his actions and lack of masculinity, leading him to kill Duncan
• Lady Macbeth has both the ambition and the confidence to act on her desires
• Lady Macbeth's ambition contributes to her own insanity and she eventually commits suicide
• Ambition leads Lady Macbeth to kill Duncan


  Contributes to her own insanity and she eventually commits suicide
• Lady Macbeth has both ambition and confidence to act on her desires


  Doubts her husband's capacities to do so
• Lady Macbeth's soliloquy: '“Yet I do fear thy nature; It is too full o’ th’ milk of human kindness To catch the nearest way. Thou wouldst be great, Art not without ambition, but without The illness should attend it.” (A1.S5)'
• Lady Macbeth's defining trait is her ambition
• Lady Macbeth can be seen as the ultimate catalyst for the plot, spurring her husband to commit murder
• Lady Macbeth believes that to achieve greatness, one must sacrifice or ignore their moral compass
• Evil is equated with "illness" in Lady Macbeth's quote
• Lady Macbeth suggests that pursuing ambitions generally necessitates doing evil deeds
• Lady Macbeth would've been socially pressured to appear less ambitious and encouraged to hide her desires
• Lady Macbeth can be viewed as more ruthless and single-minded in her ambition than Macbeth
• Lady Macbeth wields power over Macbeth and directs his actions
• Lady Macbeth would have been viewed as a masculine character due to her ruthless ambition and power dynamics with Macbeth
• Shakespeare demonstrates in his play that overwhelming ambition leads to loss and suffering
• Reason for being untrustworthy

  Not conforming to accepted gender norms
• Shakespeare: 'Overwhelming ambition leads to loss and suffering. Both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth end up dead, and prior to their deaths they are less powerful and less happy than they were at the beginning of the play. Desire for power ultimately corrupts both characters but also drives the plot'
• Ambition


  • Central theme in the play
• Guilt


  • Result of ambition in the play. Macbeth and his wife are tormented by guilt, undermining their sanity. Guilt is symbolized by blood in the play
• Apparition of Banquo's ghost to Macbeth


  May be interpreted as a psychological phenomenon by a modern audience, a projection of Macbeth's guilt-hinged mind
• Blood


  • Vividly symbolises sin and is intimately connected to guilt in Macbeth. Represents loyalty and bravery at the beginning of the play, but later symbolizes guilt as Macbeth's character changes