Summary
Highlights
According to A. C. Bradley, Shakespearean tragedy features a hero with a tragic flaw, or 'hamartia,' that leads to their downfall. In Macbeth, this is his unchecked ambition. Initially praised as a brave warrior, Macbeth's ambition is awakened by the witches' prophecy that he will be king. Despite his public denial, he immediately believes the prophecy and fixates on achieving the crown.
King Duncan's praise and promise of advancement initially seem to align with the witches' prophecy. However, Duncan's naming of Malcolm as his successor dashes Macbeth's hopes, leading him to reveal his dark desires: 'The Prince of Cumberland: that is a step on which I must fall down, or else o'erleap, for in my way it lies. Stars, hide your fires; let not light see my black and deep desires.' He concludes he must act to fulfill the prophecy, seeing not having the crown as a failure.
Macbeth initially struggles with the idea of murdering Duncan, finding the thought horrifying. He is not inherently a monster and possesses good qualities. He acknowledges that Duncan is a good king and that his own ambition is the sole reason for contemplating regicide, comparing it to 'vaulting ambition, which o'erleaps itself and falls on the other side.'
Lady Macbeth is a pivotal character, even more ambitious than her husband. Defying Jacobean societal norms for women, she recognizes Macbeth's ambition but fears his lack of ruthlessness. She resolves to 'pour my spirits in thine ear' to instill in him the 'valor of my tongue' and eliminate his perceived weakness, showing a clear intention to manipulate him.
Lady Macbeth fears Macbeth is 'too full o' the milk of human kindness.' She calls on spirits to 'unsex me' and requests her 'milk for gall,' transforming her femininity into cruelty. She repeatedly challenges Macbeth's manhood, linking ambition to masculinity. Her shocking statement about dashing a baby's brains out illustrates her extreme determination, effectively emasculating Macbeth and highlighting her ruthless ambition.
Shakespeare's portrayal of ambition reflects contemporary views influenced by Niccolò Machiavelli, whose ideas, though often misunderstood, were seen as encouraging ruthlessness for power. Macbeth, like many of Shakespeare's 'machiavelles,' utilizes cunning and deceit. The play shows ambition as an unnatural and self-destructive force, as seen when Malcolm and Donalbain are accused of 'thriftless ambition'.
After achieving his ambition, Macbeth finds neither peace nor satisfaction, lamenting 'To be thus is nothing, but to be safely thus.' He becomes paranoid and insecure, viewing Banquo as a threat due to his moral integrity and the prophecy that Banquo's descendants will be kings. Macbeth's fear and resentment drive him to commit further heinous acts, becoming 'in blood stepped in so far that should I wade no more, returning were as tedious as go o'er.'
Ambition initially unites the Macbeths but ultimately tears them apart. Macbeth sidelines Lady Macbeth, acting independently and refusing to share his plans. Lady Macbeth, tormented by guilt, descends into insanity, depicted in her sleepwalking scene with incoherent confessions, culminating in her suicide. Both become 'this dead butcher and his fiend-like queen,' meeting a tragic end, with equilibrium restored as Malcolm takes the throne, symbolizing the vanquishing of unfettered ambition.