theme of ambition in macbeth essay

Macbeth Key Theme: Ambition ( AQA GCSE English Literature )

Revision note.

Ambition in Macbeth

Although it is important to stress that Shakespeare explores many other themes in Macbeth, and that you should aim to revise those other themes in some detail, it can be argued that, at heart, Macbeth as a play is an exploration of ambition and its consequences. On this page you will find a summary of how Shakespeare explores ambition in Macbeth, and also tips on how to answer an exam question on the theme of ambition.

Although understanding the theme of ambition is crucial in understanding Macbeth as a play, it is equally important to understand what other ideas Shakespeare is exploring, and how the theme of ambition relates to the principal characters in the play. See our Macbeth: Themes and Macbeth: Characters pages for more detailed revision notes on these.

How does Shakespeare present ambition in Macbeth? When we talk about “ambition” in Macbeth, we are not talking about a desire to do something or determination to succeed towards a set goal. Instead, we should understand ambition in the play as a negative character trait: not just a desire to achieve something, but an unnatural desire to achieve something at any cost .  Indeed, Shakespeare has Macbeth speak the lines “vaulting ambition, which o’erleaps itself” in Act I, Scene VII. “Vaulting” means jumping over, suggesting that Macbeth, in order to achieve his ambition (to become king), knows that he must overcome an obstacle that stands in his way. This obstacle is King Duncan, and the only way to remove this obstacle is to murder him. To murder a king was a shocking, unnatural act in Jacobean  England (for more on Jacobean society and its beliefs, see our Macbeth: Context page), but Macbeth is prepared to commit regicide  to realise his ambition. Ultimately, the cost he will pay for his ambition is his own life.

Below you will find a summary of the ways in which Shakespeare explores the theme of ambition in Macbeth. For more detailed revision notes on ambition, please see the Macbeth: Themes page.

• Ambition is Macbeth’s fatal character flaw, his hamartia:
• In tragedy , a tragic hero  must have a tragic flaw
• In Macbeth, as in most tragedy, the tragic hero’s hamartia is the cause of their own downfall:
• Macbeth’s ambition to gain, and retain, the throne leads to him committing more and more evil acts
• Other characters seek revenge for these acts of murder
• Macbeth’s own conscience also begins to terrorise him
• Ultimately, a combination of his own mental disintegration and avenging heroes sees him killed by the hand of Macduff
• At heart, Shakespeare is presenting a morality play to the audience:
• Allow yourself to be consumed by ambition, or hubris , and prepare to suffer dire consequences
• It can also be seen as a warning against those who seek to undermine – or overthrow – the rule of a rightful king:
• Shakespeare may also be suggesting that those unaccustomed and undeserving of power will be destroyed by it
• Shakespeare is suggesting that kings are legitimate rulers, but tyrants  are not

Answering an exam question on ambition in Macbeth

In order to get top marks for your essay, it is very important that you know the format and requirements of the exam paper, and the nature of the exam question. It is also vital that you know how to plan an answer in the Shakespeare exam, and are aware of what you need to include to get the highest grade. In this section you will find:

• an overview of the exam
• a plan for a question on ambition
• an ambition essay model paragraph

Overview of the Shakespeare Exam

• Your Shakespeare question would be part of Section A of Paper 1 of your GCSE
• The essay is worth 34 marks: 30 for the quality of your essay, and 4 for the level of your spelling, punctuation and grammar
• In your question paper, you will find an extract from the text of Macbeth and only one question
• You must answer the question that is set and refer to the extract, but also the rest of the play
• This is challenging because the exam is what’s called “closed-book”, meaning that you will not have access to a copy of the text (other than the printed extract) in your exam
• Therefore, in order to refer to the play as a whole, it is important to:
• revise the plot of the play 
• revise some selected quotations from different parts of the play

For a much more detailed guide on answering the Macbeth question, please see our revision notes on How to Answer the Shakespeare Essay Question .

Plan for a question on ambition in Macbeth

Below you will find a template for a plan for the following exemplar question on ambition. It is always worthwhile spending a good deal of time planning an answer at GCSE, with examiners repeatedly reporting that the highest marks are awarded to those students who have clearly set aside time to plan their essays. For more information on planning a response, and approaching the Shakespeare question in general, see our comprehensive revision notes here .

Exemplar question

‘Macbeth’s ambition proves to be his downfall’

Starting with this moment in the play, explore how far you agree with this view.

Write about:

• How Shakespeare presents Macbeth’s ambition in this extract
• How far Shakespeare presents Macbeth’s ambition as the reason for his downfall in the play as a whole

AO4 [4 marks]

Act I, Scene VII

Macbeth is contemplating whether or not to go through with the plan to murder King Duncan

    If it were done when 'tis done, then 'twere well

    It were done quickly: if the assassination

    Could trammel up the consequence, and catch

    With his surcease success; that but this blow

    Might be the be-all and the end-all here,

    But here, upon this bank and shoal of time,

    We'd jump the life to come. But in these cases

    We still have judgment here; that we but teach

    Bloody instructions, which, being taught, return

    To plague the inventor: this even-handed justice

    Commends the ingredients of our poison'd chalice

    To our own lips. He's here in double trust;

    First, as I am his kinsman and his subject,

    Strong both against the deed; then, as his host,

    Who should against his murderer shut the door,

    Not bear the knife myself. Besides, this Duncan

    Hath borne his faculties so meek, hath been

    So clear in his great office, that his virtues

    Will plead like angels, trumpet-tongued, against

    The deep damnation of his taking-off;

    And pity, like a naked new-born babe,

    Striding the blast, or heaven's cherubim, horsed

    Upon the sightless couriers of the air,

    Shall blow the horrid deed in every eye,

    That tears shall drown the wind. I have no spur

    To prick the sides of my intent, but only

    Vaulting ambition, which o'erleaps itself

    And falls on the other.

Ambition in Macbeth Essay Model Paragraph

Despite the fact that Macbeth is clearly aware of the dire religious consequences of regicide, his ambition means he proceeds with the murder of King Duncan anyway, indicating that his ambition overrides all other sensibilities. In this scene, Shakespeare uses the semantic fields of religion throughout Macbeth’s soliloquy: he refers to “Heaven”, “cherubin” and “angels”, as well as “damnation”. Ostensibly, this language is being used because Macbeth is discussing King Duncan’s prospective life after death. However, it could also be argued that this language betrays Macbeth’s own acknowledgement that committing the planned act of regicide (a mortal sin in the Jacobean era) will instead send him to eternal “damnation”. Indeed, later on in the play, Shakespeare has Macbeth speak the lines: “That summons thee to Heaven, or to Hell”, again, on the face of it referring to Duncan’s passage to the afterlife, but in reality speaking about his own fate. Indeed, both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth use the language of Heaven and Hell throughout Act I and the beginning of Act II, suggesting that they are both – on a subconscious level at least – mortally concerned for their future should they commit the sacrilegious act of murdering a sitting monarch. It can be argued that the regicide of King Duncan is the catalyst for Macbeth’s ultimate downfall. In terms of tragedy, this is the inciting incident, after which a tragic hero’s fate is sealed. Therefore, the language that Shakespeare has Macbeth use prior to the murder is very illuminating. Before the murder, Macbeth admits in this soliloquy that – despite the acknowledgement of his own eternal punishment – that it is “only vaulting ambition” which is tempting him to overthrow the king. This is indeed Macbeth himself identifying that his ambition is the “only” reason that he himself identifies to commit the murder, and by extension, it is his ambition that sets the wheels in motion for his ultimate demise.

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Nick is a graduate of the University of Cambridge and King’s College London. He started his career in journalism and publishing, working as an editor on a political magazine and a number of books, before training as an English teacher. After nearly 10 years working in London schools, where he held leadership positions in English departments and within a Sixth Form, he moved on to become an examiner and education consultant. With more than a decade of experience as a tutor, Nick specialises in English, but has also taught Politics, Classical Civilisation and Religious Studies.

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Macbeth is a play about ambition run amok. The weird sisters ' prophecies spur both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth to try to fulfill their ambitions, but the witches never make Macbeth or his wife do anything. Macbeth and his wife act on their own to fulfill their deepest desires. Macbeth, a good general and, by all accounts before the action of the play, a good man, allows his ambition to overwhelm him and becomes a murdering, paranoid maniac. Lady Macbeth, once she begins to put into actions the once-hidden thoughts of her mind, is crushed by guilt.

Both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth want to be great and powerful, and sacrifice their morals to achieve that goal. By contrasting these two characters with others in the play, such as Banquo , Duncan , and Macduff , who also want to be great leaders but refuse to allow ambition to come before honor, Macbeth shows how naked ambition, freed from any sort of moral or social conscience, ultimately takes over every other characteristic of a person. Unchecked ambition, Macbeth suggests, can never be fulfilled, and therefore quickly grows into a monster that will destroy anyone who gives into it.

Ambition ThemeTracker

Ambition Quotes in Macbeth

Mr Salles Teaches English

Grade 9 Essay: How does Shakespeare present the theme of ambition in the play?

What is the shortest essay which can get full marks.

I’m writing a guide to how to write essays at each grade for Macbeth. My Ultimate Guide to Macbeth shows you how to understand the whole play, scene by scene, to above grade 9. It also shows you how to write about each scene at grades 6, 7, 8, 9 and beyond grade 9.

I’ve written over 20 guides and it is the best guide I have ever written.

But, what if you are a student who just wants a grade 5, or just wants a grade 7, or you want a grade 9, but you want it as quickly as possible. You don’t want to read an Ultimate Guide to Macbeth - that’s going to have a lot of Mr Salles brilliance in it but, no offence Mr Salles, English isn’t even in my top 5 subjects.

I want the maximum marks, with the minimum effort.

So, that’s why I’m writing a series of new guides, showing you ‘just’ what you need for each grade, and no more.

How I wrote the essays in the essay writing guide (out in September)

I found all the essays I could which had been marked by a senior examiner.

I rewrote them, changing all the words, but keeping every idea and technique, and every quote.

Then I counted the features of each essay. Exam criteria are vague and open to interpretation. So I wondered, are there features of each essay I can count, which are not open to interpretation? And then, if we do count these features, will they predict the right mark?

Let’s find out.

This is an extract from the guide. Normally, my comments, and the examiner comments, follow the essay. Here, I have put the comments first so you can see what the examiner is looking for before you read the essay.

Response 24

Thesis Statement Yes Explanations 9 Quotes 5 Named Methods 5 Society/era/patriarchal/Jacobean/contemporary/ historical reference etc 3 Shakespeare 4 Exploratory Could, Might, May, Perhaps, Probably 0 Conclusion Yes Paragraphs 7

My Comments

Well, well, well. I was not expecting that mark. (It scored 25/30).

It doesn’t have anywhere near the number of references or quotations I was expecting for AO1.

It introduces the idea that ambition will affect ‘reason’, but never actually proves it –there are many easy examples and quotes revealing the mental state of Macbeth – is this a dagger, murdered sleep, never shake they gory locks, my mind is full of scorpions etc - and Lady Macbeth sleepwalking. The original essay included mistakes in identifying adverbs and nouns, which I’ve got rid of, because even naming them correctly adds no marks. There is very little context used to back up interpretations.

So, what has impressed the examiner?

There are both a thesis statement and a conclusion, so it becomes a well-constructed argument. The student has quoted from the end of the play right at the beginning, to show that they are dealing with the whole text. Although they don’t give many examples from the rest of the play, they do move through it chronologically, so it is a well-constructed argument. This, and very specific language to describe it, helps the student look at Macbeth’s character arc, his ‘journey’, showing how Macbeth changes. The answer looks at the structure of the play in two ways. First by viewing Macbeth’s life in two parts – a rise and fall. Secondly, by exploring Banquo as the antithesis to Macbeth in his ambition. These two ideas mark the answer out as thoughtful and different from most students’ essays.

Examiner Comments

The answer focuses on ambition right from the start and with every point. The thesis statement and next paragraph make it clear that the student is dealing with the whole text. The essay is thoughtful and developed. The student embeds quotations and references to illustrate their ideas. The student’s comments about Shakespeare’s intentions throughout the essay show that they realise his choices are deliberate. In order to get into level 6 the student should explore more of Shakespeare’s ideas.

Write down the other ideas you could put into this essay.

Find references or quotes to back these up.

Write another 350 words to add in to get 30/30.

Thank you for reading Mr Salles Teaches English. I want every student to be able to go up by several grades. Please share this post to help me reach that goal.

The 420 Word Essay!

Shakespeare reveals ambition as the dominant theme in the play, because it is Macbeth’s overpowering ambition which leads to his immoral murder of King Duncan. Lady Macbeth and the witches can only influence Macbeth in this because his ambition is already so great.

In this extract, Shakespeare explores how ambition influences even the most honourable. This is why he gives Lady Macbeth the perspective that Macbeth’s character is “ too full o’th’ milk of human kindness ”, which is her real perception because Shakespeare reveals it in SOLILOQUY. We associate “ milk ” with innocence and purity, which implies that Macbeth is too noble to act on his ambition. Yet, once he has reigned as king, he is viewed as a “ butcher ”, because he has become both cruel and indiscriminate in his killing.

This change from excessive kindness to tyranny is a surprising journey, which warns the audience of the danger of ambition. Moreover, Shakespeare portrays ambition as a force which will overcome morality and reason. He gives Lady Macbeth the view that Macbeth is “ not without ambition, but without the illness should attend it ”. The COMPARISON of ambition to “ illness ” implies that it is destructive, and also that this destruction can turn on the ambitious person themselves, attacking their sense of morality and ability to be kind.

Macbeth lists every reason not to murder Duncan, before focusing on his “ vaulting ambition ”. This METAPHOR implies that his ambition is more powerful than his conscience, so he will overcome his moral objections.

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How Macbeth Addresses Power and Ambition

The Tragedy of Macbeth is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare that was first performed back in 1606. Macbeth dramatizes the psychological and physical damaging effects caused by the political ambition of those who look for power just for their own sake.

The driving force in this tragedy is the ambition, or more specifically, the ambition that goes unbridled by any theory of morality. And that is why the theme of ambition in Macbeth starts to look like a dangerous quality. We did some research on this topic and went through some of the free paper and essay examples on https://gradesfixer.com/free-essay-examples/macbeth-ambition/ . And many of the students who have written Macbeth essays on ambition state that all of his actions were inspired by his ambitions, and that led to horrific punishments and deaths of many characters, it even caused the downfall of both Lady Macbeth and him.

The source of Macbeth’s ambition

Macbeth’s ambition is driven by various factors. To begin with, he has a deep desire for advancement and power, although that is not the only thing that made him turn to crime. It took two other factors that forced that hunger and made him take various violent actions just to obtain power.

• The three witches were the ones who initially made Macbeth act on his ambition. Still, his wife, Lady Macbeth, was the one who gave him ideas and pushed him to murder. She was constantly telling him to focus on his ambition and not pay attention to his conscience. She encourages him to feel free and put aside his guilt, and murder Duncan.
• Throughout the whole tragedy, the witches make many prophecies, and Macbeth believes them every time and allows the prophecies to influence his next actions. As an example, Macbeth kills Banquo just because he was a threat to the throne. The prediction always ended up being true. However, it is unclear whether they are truly predictions of fate or simply were self-fulfilled due to the manipulation of Macbeth.

Controlling Ambition

The ambition of Macbeth starts to get out of control and makes him repeatedly kill, just to cover up his previous murders. His first victims are the people that he framed for the murder of King Duncan. He killed them as a “punishment.” Later, his fear of Macduff makes him murder Macduff and his family. That unnecessary murder of Macduff’s wife and his children clearly showed that Macbeth lost control over his ambition.

Balancing Morality and Ambition

We also see some honorable examples of ambition in Macbeth . Malcolm decides to test the loyalty of Macduff. So he starts pretending to be lustful, greedy, and power-hungry. However, Macduff condemned him and cries out for the future of Scotland. With that, he showed his allegiance to the country. Macduff’s steps and Malcolm’s decision to test him demonstrate that the moral code is a powerful position that is more important than just ambition to get there.

Consequences

The consequences of the ambition in this play are dire. Many innocent people are killed, and Macbeth dies known as a tyrant, which is a significant downfall because he started as a noble hero. Also, neither Macbeth nor his wife get the opportunity to enjoy the things that they gained. Thus, forming a summary and telling the readers that it is more fulfilling to achieve your goals in a fair way than achieve them through corruption.

Macbeth and his wife see how their ambitions made them cross many moral lines that lead them to their downfall. Once Macbeth killed Duncan, his ambition to hold the title of a king becomes very intertwined with his paranoia, and he becomes obsessed with maintaining the power that he got instead of enjoying the fruits of his ambition.

Macbeth’s ambition can be contrasted with the ambition of Banquo, who also listens to the witches’ predictions and had many ambitions for his sons. However, Banquo’s morality didn’t allow him to pursue his goals at such a terrible cost. At the end of this tragedy, Macbeth had achieved everything that he wanted but was left without anything. With Lady Macbeth’s death, he had no hopes of producing a prince, so he finally understands that his ambition made him lose all that he holds dear.

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Hi! I really like your thoughts and the way you expressed them so clearly. However, there seems to be a problem in the text: the passage “his fear of Macduff makes him murder Macduff and his family” seems to be wrong, since Macbeth does not kill Macduff. It is quite the opposite, actually. Thank you for sharing your ideas!

The ambition, or more especially the ambition that is unrestrained by any idea of morality, is the driving force behind this catastrophe. And for this reason, Macbeth’s theme of ambition begins to seem like a potentially deadly one. Razones por Divorcio en Estado de Nueva York Abogados de Divorcio de Rochester Nueva York

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Macbeth – A* / L9 Full Mark Example Essay

This is an A* / L9 full mark example essay on Macbeth completed by a 15-year-old student in timed conditions (50 mins writing, 10 mins planning).

It contained a few minor spelling and grammatical errors – but the quality of analysis overall was very high so this didn’t affect the grade. It is extremely good on form and structure, and perhaps could do with more language analysis of poetic and grammatical devices; as the quality of thought and interpretation is so high this again did not impede the overall mark. 

Thanks for reading! If you find this resource useful, you can take a look at our full online Macbeth course here . Use the code “SHAKESPEARE” to receive a 50% discount!

This course includes: 

• A full set of video lessons on each key element of the text: summary, themes, setting, characters, context, attitudes, analysis of key quotes, essay questions, essay examples
• Downloadable documents for each video lesson 
• A range of example B-A* / L7-L9 grade essays, both at GCSE (ages 14-16) and A-Level (age 16+) with teacher comments and mark scheme feedback
• A bonus Macbeth workbook designed to guide you through each scene of the play!

For more help with Macbeth and Tragedy, read our article here .

MACBETH EXAMPLE ESSAY:

Macbeth’s ambition for status and power grows throughout the play. Shakespeare uses Macbeth as an embodiment of greed and asks the audience to question their own actions through the use of his wrongful deeds.

In the extract, Macbeth is demonstrated to possess some ambition but with overriding morals, when writing to his wife about the prophecies, Lady Macbeth uses metaphors to describe his kind hearted nature: “yet I do fear thy nature, / It is too full o’th’milk of human kindness”. Here, Shakespeare presents Macbeth as a more gentle natured being who is loyal to his king and country. However, the very act of writing the letter demonstrates his inklings of desire, and ambition to take the throne. Perhaps, Shakespeare is aiming to ask the audience about their own thoughts, and whether they would be willing to commit heinous deeds for power and control. 

Furthermore, the extract presents Macbeth’s indecisive tone when thinking of the murder – he doesn’t want to kill Duncan but knows it’s the only way to the throne. Lady Macbeth says she might need to interfere in order to persuade him; his ambition isn’t strong enough yet: “That I may pour my spirits in  thine ear / And chastise with the valour of my tongue”. Here, Shakespeare portrays Lady Macbeth as a manipulative character, conveying she will seduce him in order to “sway “ his mind into killing Duncan. The very need for her persuasion insinuates Macbeth is still weighing up the consequences in his head, his ambition equal with his morality. It would be shocking for the audience to see a female character act in this authoritative way. Lady Macbeth not only holds control of her husband in a patriarchal society but the stage too, speaking in iambic pentameter to portray her status: “To catch the nearest way. Thou wouldst be great”. It is interesting that Shakespeare uses Lady Macbeth in this way; she has more ambition for power than her husband at this part of play. 

As the play progresses, in Act 3, Macbeth’s ambition has grown and now kills with ease. He sends three murders to kill Banquo and his son, Fleance, as the witches predicted that he may have heirs to the throne which could end his reign. Macbeth is suspicious in this act, hiding his true intentions from his dearest companion and his wife: “I wish your horses swift and sure on foot” and “and make our faces vizards to our hearts”. There, we see, as an audience, Macbeth’s longing to remain King much stronger than his initial attitudes towards the throne He was toying with the idea of killing for the throne and now he is killing those that could interfere with his rule without a second thought. It is interesting that Shakespeare presents him this way, as though he is ignoring his morals or that they have been “numbed” by his ambition. Similarly to his wife in the first act, Macbeth also speaks in pentameter to illustrate his increase in power and dominance. 

In Act 4, his ambition and dependence on power has grown even more. When speaking with the witches about the three apparitions, he uses imperatives to portray his newly adopted controlling nature: “I conjure you” and “answer me”. Here, the use of his aggressive demanding demonstrates his reliance on the throne and his need for security. By the Witches showing him the apparitions and predicting his future, he gains a sense of superiority, believing he is safe and protected from everything. Shakespeare also lengthens Macbeth’s speech in front of the Witches in comparison to Act 1 to show his power and ambition has given him confidence, confidence to speak up to the “filthy nags” and expresses his desires. Although it would be easy to infer Macbeth’s greed and ambition has grown from his power-hungry nature, a more compassionate reading of Macbeth demonstrates the pressure he feels as a Jacobean man and soldier. Perhaps he feels he has to constantly strive for more to impress those around him or instead he may want to be king to feel more worthy and possibly less insecure. 

It would be unusual to see a Jacobean citizen approaching an “embodiment” of the supernatural as forming alliance with them was forbidden and frowned upon. Perhaps Shakespeare uses Macbeth to defy these stereotypical views to show that there is a supernatural, a more dark side in us all and it is up to our own decisions whereas we act on these impulses to do what is morally incorrect. 

If you’re studying Macbeth, you can click here to buy our full online course. Use the code “SHAKESPEARE” to receive a 50% discount!

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Understanding Macbeth's Ambition

An Analysis of Ambition in Shakespeare's 'Macbeth'

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Ambition is the driving force of William Shakespeare's tragedy " Macbeth ." More specifically, it is about ambition that goes unchecked by any concept of morality; this is why it becomes a dangerous quality. Macbeth’s ambition inspires most of his actions, and that results in the deaths of numerous characters and the ultimate downfall of both himself and Lady Macbeth.

The Sources of Ambition in 'Macbeth'

Macbeth’s ambition is driven by a number of factors. For one, he has a deep internal desire for power and advancement. However, that is not exactly why he turns to crime. It takes two outside forces to ignite this hunger and push him to take violent action to obtain power.

• Prophecies: Throughout the play, the Macbeth witches make a number of prophecies, including that Macbeth will become king. Macbeth believes them each time, and often uses the predictions to decide his next actions, such as killing Banquo. While the prophecies always turn out to be true, it is unclear whether they are preordained instances of fate or self-fulfilling via the manipulation of characters like Macbeth.
• Lady Macbeth : The witches may have planted the initial seed in Macbeth’s mind to act on his ambition, but his wife is the one who pushes him to murder. Lady Macbeth’s persistence encourages Macbeth to put aside his guilt and kill Duncan, telling him to focus on his ambition, not his conscience.

Controlling Ambition

Macbeth’s ambition soon spirals out of control and forces him to murder again and again to cover up his previous wrongdoings. His first victims of this are the chamberlains who are framed by Macbeth for the murder of King Duncan and killed as “punishment.”

Later in the play, Macbeth’s fear of Macduff incites him to pursue not only Macduff but also his family. The unnecessary murder of Lady Macduff and her children are the clearest example of Macbeth losing control over his ambition.

Balancing Ambition and Morality

We also see a more honorable take on ambition in "Macbeth." To test Macduff’s loyalty, Malcolm pretends to be greedy, lustful, and power-hungry. When Macduff responds by condemning him and crying out for the future of Scotland under such a king, he shows his allegiance to the country and refusal to submit to tyrants. This reaction from Macduff, along with Malcolm's choosing to test him in the first place, demonstrates that moral code in positions of power is more important than the ambition to get there, especially blind ambition.

Consequences

The consequences of ambition in “Macbeth” are dire—not only are a number of innocent people killed, but Macbeth’s life also ends with him being known as a tyrant, a significant downfall from the noble hero he begins as.

Most importantly, Shakespeare gives neither Macbeth nor Lady Macbeth the opportunity to enjoy what they have gained—perhaps suggesting that it is more satisfying to achieve your goals fairly than acquire them through corruption.

Does Violent Ambition End With Macbeth?

At the end of the play, Malcolm is the victorious king and Macbeth’s burning ambition has been extinguished. But is this really the end to over-reaching ambition in Scotland? The audience is left to wonder if Banquo’s heir will eventually become king as prophesied by the trio of witches. If so, will he act on his own ambition to make this happen, or will fate play a part in realizing the prophecy?

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Notes on the Theme of Ambition in Macbeth by William Shakespeare

Back to: Macbeth by William Shakespeare

Ambition fills a man with eagerness. Once it is discovered in one’s mind, it demands to be acted upon. Shakespeare’s Macbeth is a tale of the fight between men’s instinct and their love for hierarchical order.

The play portrays various levels and dimensions of ambition through its major characters. Shakespeare loves social stability. In this play, we notice the consequences of sheltering uncontrolled ambition. The realisations of Macbeth teach us the role of ambition in life.

While Macbeth divides himself between his conscience and his much darker side, Lady Macbeth sets herself on the path to break into a world of men without knowing how to do it. 

When an obsessively ambitious person is busy in progress, he remains less dangerous. Every time the progress of ambition is presented in the play, violence happens. In a political climate, we get to see minds revealing themselves at the mercy of ambition.

Macbeth’s life could have been an example of honour and royalty sanctioned by society but he is a deeply ambitious person with a relentless pursuit of power. He realises what is right but he is a slave to his darker side.

His darker side is constantly fuelled by Lady Macbeth and the witches. The ambition set against the time-honoured principles takes away any hint of hope from this tragic text.

Here we see, how ambition spreads its branches across individuals. Ambition makes her ruthless. With acute clarity, she brings Macbeth out of the moral dilemma and conspires him into darker deeds. She is caught in a conflict of “ unsex ”ing herself.

Somehow unconsciously, her ambition is also to break away from the domination of any man. In the play, we also see instances of stabilising ambition inspired by a sense of revenge in Macduff and Malcolm .

The Theme of Ambition in “Macbeth” – Essay

Antonious Mekheail

In many of Shakespeare’s plays there exists relationships between characters; these relationships in many cases influence the direction in which the play goes. For example, in the  “The Merchant Of Venice”  the elopement of Lorenzo and Jessica is what triggers Shylock’s rage and blind desire for revenge, which sets the stage and the necessary atmosphere that is required for the climax in the court scene. Likewise in Shakespeare’s  “Macbeth”  the everlasting relationship between Macbeth and the three witches is the foundation of the entire plot. When Macbeth meets the witches he views them as honest and believes on them quickly. The witches having established contact with the protagonist, indirectly affect and transform his beloved wife. Towards his demise Macbeth finally realises how the witches have heinously betrayed him.

From the very start of the play the witches establish how important Macbeth is to their evil scheme:  “There to meet with Macbeth” . It is from this moment that a permanent link is established between Macbeth and the witches.  “A drum, a drum, Macbeth doth come” . The witches use extraordinary equivocatory language when speaking:  “hail to thee Thane Glamis/ hail to thee thane of Cawdor/ All hail Macbeth that shalt be king hereafter” . Macbeth is confused, he is the thane of Glamis but not of Cawdor, and he is not the king. When Macbeth receives news of his promotion he immediately believes in the witches’ prophecies:  “The greatest is behind-Thanks for your pains” .

Macbeth is also very fond of the witches as they awaken in him his dormant vaulting ambition to be king. He cannot forget the meeting that he had with them:  “My thought, whose murder is yet but fantastical, shakes so my very single state of man that function is smothered in surmise, and is but what is not” . Macbeth very quickly believes whole heartily without any shred of proof , it is unimaginable how the witches could manipulate one who is supposed to be  “Valliant” . Macbeth trusts in the witches to an extent that he stars to suspect people who are close to him, even his brother in arms:  “We would spend it in some words upon that business, if you would grant the time” . It is quite clear that Macbeth has become increasingly paranoid due to his evolving relationship with the three weird sisters.

Throughout the whole play the witches are in Macbeth’s mind corrupting him even further. Lady Macbeth is no exception:  “Come you spirits that tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here, and fill me from the crown to the toe top full direst cruelty.” . Notice how Lady Macbeth uses the word crown, this shows that the witches, in form of spirits, have filled lady Macbeth with ambition more vaulting than Macbeth’s one. Under the influence the witches she is driven to extreme measures:  “Come thick night and pall thee in the dunnest smoke of Hell” . One would not have imagined that the witches’ power would have extended to influence humans to bow to the devil indirectly.

The witches may also appear in many different forms, this has already been witnessed by the audience:  “I come, Graymalkin”/ “Paddock calls” . When Duncan arrives at Macbeth’s castle the witches are present in a way. They are present in Lady Macbeth’s fake attitude towards the King:  “Your majesty loads our house: for those of old, and the late dignities heap’d up to them, we rest your hermits.” . It is noticeable that Lady Macbeth speaks somewhat like the witches in rhyme this shows the extent of the power of the three weird sisters and how solid their relationship is with the Macbeths.

The power of the witches does not cease to guide Macbeth further along the path of hell: “Is this a dagger which I see before me, the handle towards my hand? Come, let me clutch thee.” . A deadly illusion is created before Macbeth in order to make sure that he does not sway from his hell-bound vaulting ambition to become king. This is the most solid proof yet that the relationship between Macbeth and the witches is the triggers the most important events in the play: the murder of the gracious king Duncan.

Having fully fulfilled the prophecy of the witches, the relationship between Macbeth and these ministers of evil continues to grow evermore leading Macbeth even closer to his demise:  “How now, you secret, black and midnight hags?” . Notice the normal, familiar, even demanding tone that Macbeth uses with the witches this emphasizes how close Macbeth and the witches are, or so does Macbeth think. The witches corrupt Macbeth even further by showing him three apparitions:  “Come high or low: thyself and office deftly show” .

The apparitions were the cornerstone of the witches’ evil scheme; they further trick and blind Macbeth from the truth making him think that he is invincible, and hence deceiving him:  “none of woman born shall harm Macbeth”/ “Macbeth shall never vanquished be, until great Birnam wood to high Dunsinane hill shall come against him” . It is here where we see the true face of the relationship between the witches and Macbeth as it really is: a deceptive, manipulating and equivocating one. This is never seen by Macbeth himself, which influences the story even more.

To show the audience how the relationship between Macbeth and the witches is important to the plot of the play he breaks down their relationship at the climax of the play:  “I looked toward Birnam, and anon methought the wood began to move” . The first brutal betrayal by the witches came at a time when Macbeth was already in turmoil due to the death of his partner in greatness. It is at this moment when an epiphany strikes Macbeth and shows him the true nature of the witches in which he placed so much of his trust:  “I pull in resolution, and begin to doubt the equivocation of the fiend that lies like truth” .

Even at when he is so near to his moment of death Macbeth still carries little belief of what the witches had previously told him:  “Thou wast born of woman; but swords I smile at, weapons laugh to scorn brandished by man that’s of woman born” . This proves how intact the relationship between Macbeth and the weird sisters was; even after discovering that they betrayed him Macbeth still clings to the one prophecy that he hopes to be true. This fool’s hope is ripped away by Macduff:  “Macduff was from his mother’s womb untimely ripped” . The solid, seemingly unbreakable relationship between Macbeth and the witches has finally broken down completely proving that it was futile from the start.

This play is no exception to the fact that relationships are important and affect the story of Shakespeare’s plays. If it was not for the doomed relationship between the witches and Macbeth the play might not have been a tragedy at all. This bond between Macbeth and these minsters of evil serves as the cornerstone of the entire play and a crucial catalyst to the plot. It could be said that the relationship was forged before the fatal meeting and started to decide the fate of the plot and of Macbeth.

so... what is ambition about in Macbeth actually? you didn’t really explain it to me………

Has a question on ambition and regret ever came up on a leaving cert paper? I’m really worried i’ll get a question that i cant answer in June! HELP!!

prepared me 4 a question on my mock…did pretty well in macbeth question anyway..thanx

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Macbeth Theme: The Role of Ambitions in Poem

• Categories: Macbeth Macbeth Ambition Macbeth Power

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Published: Jan 4, 2019

Words: 729 | Pages: 2 | 4 min read

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Ambition as the central theme of shakespeare's "macbeth", to conclude, works cited:.

• Beck, A. (1988). Love is never enough: How couples can overcome misunderstandings, resolve conflicts, and solve relationship problems through cognitive therapy. New York: Harper Perennial.
• Cohen, L. (1992). The Future. In The Future (p. 13). Columbia Records.
• Epstein, M. (2009). The nature of love: A philosophical exploration. Oxford University Press.
• Fisher, H. (2017). Anatomy of love: A natural history of mating, marriage, and why we stray. WW Norton & Company.
• Fromm, E. (1956). The art of loving. Harper & Row.
• Johnson, S. (2008). Hold me tight: Seven conversations for a lifetime of love. Little, Brown.
• Rumi. (2004). The Essential Rumi (Coleman Barks, Trans.). HarperCollins.
• Schwartz, B. (2016). The paradox of choice: Why more is less. HarperCollins.
• Sue, D. W., & Sue, D. (2015). Counseling the culturally diverse: Theory and practice. John Wiley & Sons.
• Whelan, M. (2013). Love 2.0: How our supreme emotion affects everything we feel, think, do, and become. Penguin.

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