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

Natural Order in Macbeth

Think about the start of the play. What is Macbeth rewarded for? What is the first Thane of Cawdor punished for? 

- Macbeth is rewarded for the honour he displays towards the King
- His bravery in battle as he fights for his King and country.

When Macbeth kills Duncan what is his immediate response? What does his intense feeling do guilt tell us?  
- Macbeth's response to murdering Duncan, is that he is totally distraught. He is aware that he has gone against that order, which is naturalised in the play- he never recovers from this. 

Chaos ensues for Scotland. What does this tell us about what Macbeth has done? 

- This chaos tells us the Macbeth has gone against nature and killed Duncan, who was the king my divine right
 What occurs in the natural world when Duncan is murdered? Why? What does this tell us? 
- The chaos that comes to scotland, shows the audience what natural order is. Duncan's horses eat each other, when an owl is able to kill a falcon, this emphasises the fact that there is chaos in the human world When Macbeth is killed and Malcolm regains the throne what happens to Scotland?  
- Order returns to Scotland as Malcolm, the rightful King, regains the throne.