A) AMBITION
Shakespeare presents ambition as the direct cause of moral corruption and
insanity which leads to Lady Macbeth’s downfall and unchecked ambition leads
our tragic hero Macbeth to his own demise. Ambition is caused by the
dissatisfaction of your role given by God having the hubris to actively achieve
better in life completely going against God’s divine order. If ambition is going
beyond what god has decreed for you then itq is wrong. If ambition is within
bounds, to serve the rightful king and be the most noble then it is right.
Crucially, being overly ambitious for power will lead to loss of it.
_______________________________________________________
Macbeths hamartia is his exceeding ambition
1) INTRODUCTION OF AMBITON
Ambition is immediately presented as worrying and evil .
1.3 Witches prophecies
Macbeth's ambition is evident from the beginning of the play -> consumed by
the idea of becoming King.
Macbeth: "And to be King/Stands not within the prospect of belief,/No more
than to be Thane of Cawdor." shows that Macbeth is aware that it is a
transgressive act to even have the ambition to be King. He appears to accept
these limitations "stands not within in the prospect" of being King as the
rightful King was believed to be appointed by God. However, the link between
Thane of Cawdor and King is significant giving Macbeth hope and fuels his
ambition.
Announcement of being named Thane of Cawdor-> gives witches prophecies
credibility -> His ambition is possible
"My thought whose murder is yet but fantastical" 1.3
The word “fantastical” suggests that the thought of murder is still unreal, a
fantasy. It exists only in Macbeth’s imagination and not as a determined plan
of action. The phrasing emphasizes his shock at the direction of his own
thoughts, which are both terrifying and alluring. The theme of ambition is seen
as a driving force that can push individuals like Macbeth to act in ways they
previously might have considered abhorrent.
"That is a step I must fall down on or else o'erleap for in my way it lies" 1.4
, 1.7-> foreshadow
Macbeth soliloquises the desire to " jump the life to come". Shakespeare’s use
of the verb “jump” suggests an overwhelming craving to leap forward
unrestricted and constrain the consequences of killing Duncan. The notion
“jump” also alludes to the Macbeth’s intention to “cheat” his way through the
hierarchy not only by regicide but by deceit, framing Duncan’s sons.
"poisoned chalice" foreshadows how dangerous Macbeth’s ambition will
become and the oxymoron of “chalice” a vessel for drinking blessed wine” but
will “poison” Macbeth as he later faces the repercussions of his actions. This
image of a chalice reinforces the belief in divine order and regicide would be
actively going against God demonstrating the consequences of unchecked
ambition.
"only vaulting ambition which ov’erleaps” warning himself to not let ambition
overwhelm him using the image of a horseman attempting to mount a horse
but falls because he is too eager. Here, “o’erleaps” strongly foreshadows the
flawed Macbeth’s own demise in the play. He fails to ambitious within bounds
and Macbeth becomes hubristic. Macbeth’s undecisive
"To be thus is nothing, But to be safely thus" 3.1 -> links back to his vaulting
and boundless ambition
Macbeth is saying that merely being king is insignificant if his position is not
secure. The use of the word "nothing" highlights the emptiness Macbeth feels
even after achieving what he thought was his greatest desire. This aligns with
the theme of insatiable ambition. Macbeth thought that attaining the crown
would fulfil him but instead, he finds it unfulfilling and this changes him to
become more violent etc -> link back to divine order and staying in what god
has given to you.
___________________________________________
Para 2) AMBITION DEVELOPED BY LADY MACBETH
1.5 "my dearest partner of greatness"
"Art not without ambition but without the illness show attend it"-ambition
must be attended by wickedness in order to fulfil regicide. Macbeth lacks the
mental qualities and ruthlessness required to kill a King. Links back to the
duality of ambition used to achieve great things but can lead to moral
corruption.
Shakespeare presents ambition as the direct cause of moral corruption and
insanity which leads to Lady Macbeth’s downfall and unchecked ambition leads
our tragic hero Macbeth to his own demise. Ambition is caused by the
dissatisfaction of your role given by God having the hubris to actively achieve
better in life completely going against God’s divine order. If ambition is going
beyond what god has decreed for you then itq is wrong. If ambition is within
bounds, to serve the rightful king and be the most noble then it is right.
Crucially, being overly ambitious for power will lead to loss of it.
_______________________________________________________
Macbeths hamartia is his exceeding ambition
1) INTRODUCTION OF AMBITON
Ambition is immediately presented as worrying and evil .
1.3 Witches prophecies
Macbeth's ambition is evident from the beginning of the play -> consumed by
the idea of becoming King.
Macbeth: "And to be King/Stands not within the prospect of belief,/No more
than to be Thane of Cawdor." shows that Macbeth is aware that it is a
transgressive act to even have the ambition to be King. He appears to accept
these limitations "stands not within in the prospect" of being King as the
rightful King was believed to be appointed by God. However, the link between
Thane of Cawdor and King is significant giving Macbeth hope and fuels his
ambition.
Announcement of being named Thane of Cawdor-> gives witches prophecies
credibility -> His ambition is possible
"My thought whose murder is yet but fantastical" 1.3
The word “fantastical” suggests that the thought of murder is still unreal, a
fantasy. It exists only in Macbeth’s imagination and not as a determined plan
of action. The phrasing emphasizes his shock at the direction of his own
thoughts, which are both terrifying and alluring. The theme of ambition is seen
as a driving force that can push individuals like Macbeth to act in ways they
previously might have considered abhorrent.
"That is a step I must fall down on or else o'erleap for in my way it lies" 1.4
, 1.7-> foreshadow
Macbeth soliloquises the desire to " jump the life to come". Shakespeare’s use
of the verb “jump” suggests an overwhelming craving to leap forward
unrestricted and constrain the consequences of killing Duncan. The notion
“jump” also alludes to the Macbeth’s intention to “cheat” his way through the
hierarchy not only by regicide but by deceit, framing Duncan’s sons.
"poisoned chalice" foreshadows how dangerous Macbeth’s ambition will
become and the oxymoron of “chalice” a vessel for drinking blessed wine” but
will “poison” Macbeth as he later faces the repercussions of his actions. This
image of a chalice reinforces the belief in divine order and regicide would be
actively going against God demonstrating the consequences of unchecked
ambition.
"only vaulting ambition which ov’erleaps” warning himself to not let ambition
overwhelm him using the image of a horseman attempting to mount a horse
but falls because he is too eager. Here, “o’erleaps” strongly foreshadows the
flawed Macbeth’s own demise in the play. He fails to ambitious within bounds
and Macbeth becomes hubristic. Macbeth’s undecisive
"To be thus is nothing, But to be safely thus" 3.1 -> links back to his vaulting
and boundless ambition
Macbeth is saying that merely being king is insignificant if his position is not
secure. The use of the word "nothing" highlights the emptiness Macbeth feels
even after achieving what he thought was his greatest desire. This aligns with
the theme of insatiable ambition. Macbeth thought that attaining the crown
would fulfil him but instead, he finds it unfulfilling and this changes him to
become more violent etc -> link back to divine order and staying in what god
has given to you.
___________________________________________
Para 2) AMBITION DEVELOPED BY LADY MACBETH
1.5 "my dearest partner of greatness"
"Art not without ambition but without the illness show attend it"-ambition
must be attended by wickedness in order to fulfil regicide. Macbeth lacks the
mental qualities and ruthlessness required to kill a King. Links back to the
duality of ambition used to achieve great things but can lead to moral
corruption.
