How Does Shakespeare Present Ambition In Macbeth

1403 Words3 Pages

How does Shakespeare present ambition in the play as a whole? Ambition is a central theme in Shakespeare's 1606 play Macbeth as it is the primary motivation for many of the characters and the main cause of their downfall. It is also the theme that conforms to the Shakespearean idea of a tragedy. In Macbeth, the hero's greatest weakness, causing him to fall from grace, is his ambition. Through the plot, characters and language, Shakespeare presents ambition as a dangerous characteristic that could destabilise the great chain of being and potentially threaten the natural order. This was a topical subject at the time, due to the attempt to kill James I in the gunpowder plot of the previous year. The tragedy begins with a power struggle over the …show more content…

He is a good man who displays all the traditional qualities of masculinity that were highly valued by a Jacobean audience, such as bravery and nobility. Macbeth's tragic flaw is his ambition, which leads to his eventual downfall. When Macbeth meets the witches, he becomes fascinated by their prophecies of him becoming king. His ambition takes control over him, and he is eager to believe the witches' predictions, unlike his fellow soldier Banquo, who is loyal to the king and suspicious of the witches. The witches manipulate Macbeth due to his weak nature. They plant the idea of regicide in their head, which develops and grows as the play progresses. Although Macbeth is intrigued by the idea of becoming king, he is uncertain and hesitant about killing King Duncan. He believes he does not have a worthy enough reason to kill him and is concerned about the repercussions that could occur from disrupting the great chain of being. This suggests that Macbeth's ambition is being restricted by his logic and empathy. The use of the noun "murder" creates a vivid and unsettling image, yet the contrasting word "fantastical" adds an element of unreality or imagination, suggesting that it is something Macbeth has been planning and envisioning in his head almost like a dream. This whole monologue would have been shocking to a Jacobean audience. In this era, almost everyone was highly religious and believed strongly in the divine right of kings, which …show more content…

Lady Macbeth can be seen here once again manipulating Macbeth, making him feel small and weak, a characterization that so heavily contrasts his earlier depiction in Act 1. Lady Macbeth says ‘I shame to wear a heart so white’, ridiculing him for being so weak, a trait that was deemed feminine. This demonstrates her calculated and cold nature. Shakespeare uses the metaphor ‘heart so white’ to convey the image of a frightened-looking face that has gone white due to nerves. Alternatively, the color white connotes the idea of purity, cleanliness, and honesty so it can be inferred that Lady Macbeth believes Macbeth is too pure to commit the act of killing Duncan. In this way, Shakespeare warns against the Christian belief that everyone has a duty to the king and any guests. So to not only kill the king but also do it while you are meant to be protecting them would have been greatly disturbing to a Jacobean

Open Document