Ambition

In order to anlayse what the play says about ambition, consider the following questions:

What is ambition? Give a general definition.

- A strong desire to do or to achieve something, typically requiring determination and hard work.

- Desire and determination to achieve success

In Macbeth, Who is ambitious?

- Macbeth and Lady Macbeth

How do they put their ambition into action?

- By being deceitful and going against natural order

What are the consequences of their ambition?

Macbeth:

• -       -Originally awarded with power and status
• -       -Initially they get the reward of achieving high status but are then punished by intense feelings of guilt.
•      Feelings of suspicion, paranoia, ultimately punished by death
•       More and more people turn away from him
•       Noble and brave to tyrant to butcher- peoples impressions change
•       Becomes extremely isolated

Lady Macbeth

•          punished by death, yet it is self inflicted

What does this say to us about ambition? Consider its relation to the important ideas, attitudes and values in the play.

• -       It is not seen as a positive trait to have
•      Ambition is actually to destroy the natural order- they are aware of this
•     Order is more important than ambition
•     Macbeth should ave lived up to his role and responsibilities, knows that he should honour his king, not kill him
•      Nothing stops ambition