Macbeth himself

• "Vaulting ambition which overleaps itself and falls on the other "(Act1)(ambition)

  • Personification-potraying it as possesing a potency comparable to a human force that can exert influence and corrupt his formerly innocent mind
  • Metaphor of "vaulting ambition" draws a parallel between him and a jockey who is to mangae a untameable,almost animalistic force
  • Metaphor also depicts macbeths self deception-he believec that he is able to harness some control over his ambition,enough to transcend the societal,political and divine limitations placed upon him
• "With Tarquin's ravishing strides, towards his design" (Act 2)(ambition)


  • "design" connotes intentional creation; mirroring Macbeth's intentional crafting of his desired position as King through ambitious pursuits. Despite his transgression (going against) of natural order in this pursuit, the seductive allure of these temptations of power and authority obstructs him from seeing the permanent and eternal consequences he will face.
• • "With Tarquin's ravishing strides, towards his design" (Act 2).


  Context: Macbeth ambitiously strives to emulate Tarquin, the Roman tyrant whom raped his wife, so he can embody what it means to be a ruthless blood-thristy leader.

  Macbeth's ambition is further fuelled by the lingering emasculation he experienced at the hands of Lady Macbeth in Act 1. For him, power becomes synonymous with brutality, and this perception is compounded by his insatiable ambition, which propels him towards a relentless pursuit of dominance through brute force
• "I am in blood/ Stepp'd in so far that should I wade no more, returning were as tedious" (act 3)(violence).


  • blood- (motif) was merely on his hands, yet now it has enrobed his entire body+ extension his entire sense of being.

  • Macbeth's response to fear and guilt transitioned from horror to indulging further in heinous acts, murder becomes self-preservation.

  wade -biblical allusion-metaphorical wading in blood exemplifies acknowledgement of conscience is permanently stained with guilt as a result of his violence.
• 'I heard a voice cry Sleep no more! Macbeth does murder sleep '(act2)(guilt)


  Motif of sleep-

  • sleep synonymous w/ innocence; his lack of sleep explores his complete loss of innocence
  • [heard a voice cry ‘’] after literally killed the sleeping Duncan
  • no use of imperatives=he reflects on the menta; aguish and haunting "cries" that torment his troubled mind
• 'i am in blood/ stepp'd in so far’(act3)(guilt)

  • 'blood' was merely on his hands
  • yet now it has enrobed his entire body + by extension his entire being motif
• "stars hide your fires,let no light see my black and deep desires" [act1][appearancevsreality]

  • dark and light imagery - ominous connotations=highlight macbeths dichotomous ( divided into two) character
  • virtous facade of a man b w malevolent and tyrannical intentions
  • wants to shroud sinister motives-metaphorical darkness bc true intentions came to light then this would stop him from being king
  • Rhyming couplet-spellcasting technique-witches=macbeths decent into malovent trajectory ->asking got duplicitous intentions revealed so he can fulfil ambitious ego centric desires