Key themes

• Ambition


  A strong desire to do or achieve something
• Guilt


  The feeling of shame/regret after doing something wrong
• Macbeth suffers hallucinations


  Because of his guilt
• Fate


  Someone's destiny outside of their control
• Free will


  The ability to make your own choices
• Gender


  Believed to be the two sexes, male and female
• Loyalty


  Showing constant support towards a person or institution
• Betrayal


  Being disloyal to a person, country or group
• Kingship

  • Duncan had “golden blood and golden skin”
  • Duncan’s body described as a “temple”
  • Macbeth is described as “valiant cousin, worthy gentleman”
  • Macbeth becomes a tyrannical leader
  • Duncan’s weak reign opens the disruption of the natural order
• Supernatural

  • Witches influence
  • Prophecies
  • Banquo’s ghost
  • Apparitions
  • Spells
  • Hallucinations
  • Sleepwalking
  • disruption of natural order
  • Witches vs Divine Right