Macbeth essay plan - Ambition

Introduction

Macbeth by William Shakespeare is a dark tale of desire for power and guilt driven paranoia set in Scotland. The play delves into the destructive consequences of unchecked ambition on both personal and societal levels. Through the character of Macbeth, Shakespeare explores how ambition, when unrestrained, can lead to moral decay, betrayal, and ultimately, downfall. Additionally, the portrayal of Lady Macbeth highlights the complexities of ambition, showcasing its power to manipulate and corrupt.

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- Based of extract
- Structure: point, evidence, analysis, evidence, analysis, development
- Make sure to read whole extract

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- Lm can be seen as the ultimate driving force behind the plot as she spurs on her husband with her own ambition
- 'To full of the milk of human kindness' - Act one Scene 5 - first introduced
- Lm believes the only way to achieve ones ambitions is to ignore moral compass
- As a women social encouraged to not have ambition and simply settle for what she is given
- Ambition is a masculine trait
- 'A little water clears us of this deed' - Lm has allowed her ambition to take such hold she does not see the negatives only what she has achieved
- Ruthless in her ambition unliked Mb who says 'Will all great neptune's ocean wash this blood from my hand?'
- His ambition is much less than Lm especially at the beginning of the play
- Hasn't allowed it to take such a great hold of him as Lm has

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- 'Let not light see my black and deep desires' - Act One Scene 4
- Mb does hold the same ambition as Lm but is ashamed and does not let it become as insatiable as hers
- He doesn't want god to see his ambition as he knows it is wrong and sinful
- Can be argued that Mb ambition alone wasn't strong enough to kill Duncan
- His wife and witches were main catalyst for this
- His ambition does later develop to something unstoppable and irreversible as he gets a taste of power
- Act 5 Scene 8 - 'I will not yield'
- Mb ambition has become so great despite his reign obviously coming to an end he will not give up
- Imperative shows he is clear and decided in this choice
- He will not give up his tragic flaw of ambition is leading death but he does not care
- Stubborn ambition and unwillingness to relinquish power without a fight

Conclusion

In "Macbeth," Shakespeare shows how ambition can change people in big ways. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth get what they want, but it leads to their own ruin. The play warns us that wanting too much can be dangerous. By watching Macbeth's story unfold, we learn that it's important to be careful about how much we want things and what we're willing to do to get them. Shakespeare's message is clear: too much ambition can be a bad thing.