Ambition Flashcards
How would a contemporary audience view Macbeth’s ambition?
They would have viewed it as a grave threat to the rigid hierarchy of the time and not reinforcing the Great Chain of Being.
How would a modern audience view Macbeth’s ambition?
A capitalistic society would likely support Macbeth’s individualism.
What is ambition to Macbeth?
His fatal flaw (hamartia)
What is Macduff’s ambition?
To bring justice to Macbeth and protect Scotland.
What is Lady Macbeth’s ambition?
To gain as much power as she can, through Macbeth and gaining masculinity.
“take my milk for gall’
-Imperative
Lady Macbeth commands evil spirits showing her similarity to the witches and her masculinity.
‘hide your fires, let not light see my black and deep desires’
-Plosive alliteration
His desires are innately violent and stars, which are normally seen as enchanting, are destructive to him.
‘vaulting ambition’
The only thing driving Macbeth to commit his actions is his ambition.
‘Life’s but a walking shadow’
Macbeth towards the end realises the futility of his struggle, losing his ambition and giving into nihilism.
‘a step on which I must fall down or else o’erleap’
This metaphor shows he has decided he needs to take action, by killing the king, demonstrating how much ambition he has.
