Summary
Highlights
Ambition is defined as the desire to achieve something, serving as the tragic hero Macbeth's fatal flaw. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth pursue their desires through murder, defying God and accepted societal beliefs of fate. Unchecked ambition leads to Macbeth's paranoia and megalomania, while Lady Macbeth loses her mind. Shakespeare suggests that rampant ambition is catastrophic, potentially to please King James, who believed in the Divine Right of Kings, a concept Macbeth defies.
In Act 1, Scene 3, Macbeth states, 'If chance will have me King, why chance may crown me.' The repetition of 'chance' reflects the Jacobean audience's belief in fate and God's will. Macbeth grapples with his desire for kingship, recognizing it should be left to God. The modal verb 'may' signifies his understanding that it's not his free will to decide, yet there's an undeniable excitement in the prospect of being king. This shows Macbeth managing the news from the 'weird sisters' while acknowledging the powerful Divine Right of Kings.
Macbeth's plea in Act 1, Scene 4, 'Stars, hide your fires, let not light see my black and deep desires,' reveals his urge to keep his ambition hidden. The imperative mood and personification of stars emphasize his desire for concealment. 'Let not light' underscores his shame, acknowledging his free will desires are immoral. The possessive pronoun 'my' and adjectives 'black and deep' convey the sinister and alarming corruption within him. The alliteration 'deep desires' intensifies his uncontrollable craving for power. This prefigures Lady Macbeth's introduction, showing Macbeth's internal struggle with his conscience before external influence.
In Act 1, Scene 7, Macbeth declares, 'I have no spur to prick the sides of my intent, but only vaulting ambition, which o'erleaps itself and falls on th' other.' He has no real motivation to kill Duncan other than his own blind ambition. The possessive pronoun 'my intent' highlights his selfish rationale. 'Vaulting ambition' suggests a huge distance he's willing to travel, defying God's will. The extended metaphor of 'o'erleaps itself and falls on th' other' indicates he hasn't fully considered the consequences. This scene depicts Macbeth's internal conflict, revealing his selfish logic and broken reasoning, even before committing the deed.
In Act 3, Scene 1, Macbeth states, 'To be thus is nothing, but to be safely thus.' This illustrates the deep insecurity stemming from his ambition. Being king is meaningless if he isn't 'safely' king, revealing his yearning for secure power and his paranoid mindset. The adverb 'safely' highlights his fear, possibly due to guilt or the knowledge that his ambition won't stop at Duncan's murder, now targeting Banquo and Fleance. This serves as a reminder to the audience that unchecked ambition leads to destruction once ethical boundaries are crossed.
During the banquet scene in Act 3, Scene 4, after Banquo's ghost appears, Macbeth proclaims, 'For mine own good, all causes shall give way.' This marks a turning point where his ambition drives him completely. The possessive pronoun 'mine' emphasizes that his own safety is paramount. 'All causes will give way' signifies that nothing is more important than his security, amplifying his insecurity and paranoia. He has humiliated himself, becoming utterly self-obsessed and losing the 'brave Macbeth' persona. Shakespeare suggests that without a moral compass, ambition leads to a fall from grace, particularly in a Jacobean context where defying God and king was unacceptable.
Macbeth's promotion from Thane of Glamis to Thane of Cawdor is presented as a 'poisoned chalice,' as the previous Thane of Cawdor was a traitor, foreshadowing Macbeth's own treachery. His ambitions are rooted in the superstitious world of the witches, who become his 'crutch.' Even after these events, Macbeth will desperately seek out the witches for further guidance. Ultimately, Macbeth experiences a 'pathetic lame death,' suggesting that while quotes are important, understanding the pivotal moments of ambition is key to analyzing the play.