How is ambition shown in macbeth
Shown as powerful and dangerous to society through macbeth and lady macbeth
Shows elements of some good levels of ambition through malcolm and macduff[“bring thou this fiend of scotland and myself, within swords length set him”] (metonomy)
Overall shakespeare suggests a level of ambition is good, extreme ambition outside the natural order is shown to be terrible for all
How is ambition shown through the character of macbeth
-macbeth expresses his own fear about his ambition, calling it “vaulting” [“vaulting ambition- Macbeth]
Suggesting it is too extreme, and that the rise of vaulting will lead to a downfall thereafter. Shakespeare shows this extremem ambition lead to the tyrany of macbeth
How is ambition shown through lady macbeth
Lady macbeth likely exceeds this ambition, as the second she can, she encourages and manipulates macbeth into killing duncan and becoming king, she is aware of this, and says she may “pour my spirits in thine ear” i.e, manipulate Macbeth
How is the supernatural shown in macbeth
The witches prophecies push macbeth into murdering duncan, the witches are able to predict all events to come in the play, simply to manipulate macbeth
Different responses to the supernatural
Macbeth is curious, and then driven to insanity by it, and becomes desperate for more of it
Lady Macbeth tries to control it, which some would argue leads to her suicide
Banquo however, is dismissive of it, and tries to explain to macbeth the reality of it, however macbeth wont listen [“to win us to our harm, the instruments of darkness tell us truths”]
How is guilt shown through macbeth and lady macbeth
From vast emotions snd drives like ambition and the supernatural, Both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth have to deal with guilt at some point in the play
Macbeths guilt
Macbeth is immediately guilty even before killing Duncan, however in killing Duncan , this is what truly sets macbeths guilt off. Macbeth exclaims things like “sleep no more! Macbeth doth murder sleep” and “will all great neptunes ocean was this blood clean from my hands”
His guilt manifests itself in banquos ghost. At the dining table, Macbeth is terrified to see the grotesque nature of banquos ghost, he exclaims “never shake thy gory locks at me”. He goes as far as to say that banquos ghost would even terrify the devil “look on that which might appul the devil”
