Ambition

These flashcards are for the theme of 'Ambition' in Macbeth.

In the context of a tragic play, what term describes the basic mistake or fatal flaw in a character's personality that drives their actions?

Hamartia.

What is Macbeth's hamartia, or fatal flaw?

His 'vaulting ambition' and lust for power, which leads to his inevitable downfall.

Complete the quote from Macbeth's soliloquy in Act 1 Scene 7: I have no spur / To prick the sides of my intent, but only / _.

Vaulting ambition, which o'erleaps itself / And falls on th'other --

What is the significance of Macbeth's 'vaulting ambition' metaphor?

It compares his ambition to a horse leaping over an obstacle, suggesting it is an uncontrollable force that could lead to disaster.

How did a Jacobean audience's view of ambition differ from a modern Western perspective?

In Jacobean England, ambition was generally seen as a dangerous quality that went against the divinely ordained social order, whereas modern society often treats it as a good quality.

Which Jacobean belief system held that everyone had a fixed place in the universe, and that trying to rise above one's rank was a sin against God?

The Great Chain of Being (or the Divine Order).

How do the Witches' prophecies act as a catalyst for Macbeth's ambition?

They give voice to his pre-existing, inner ambitions of one day becoming king, planting the seed of possibility in his mind.

What does Banquo's reaction to Macbeth 'starting' at the prophecies suggest about Macbeth's ambition?

It suggests that the thought of becoming king, and perhaps even of murder, had already entered Macbeth's mind, hence his fearful reaction to good news.

Who says, Thou wouldst be great, / Art not without ambition, but without / The illness should attend it?

Lady Macbeth, referring to Macbeth's lack of ruthlessness to act on his ambition.

How does Lady Macbeth intend to influence Macbeth's ambition upon his return in Act 1 Scene 5?

She plans to 'pour [her] spirits in [his] ear' and use the 'valour of [her] tongue' to persuade him to take the crown.

What does the imagery of Lady Macbeth pouring her 'spirits' in Macbeth's ear allude to?

It alludes to demonic possession and the supernatural, linking her ambition and influence to evil forces.

How does Lady Macbeth manipulate Macbeth's ambition in Act 1 Scene 7?

She attacks his masculinity, equating the act of murdering Duncan with being 'a man'.

Which character can be seen as the personification of the 'spur' and 'vaulting ambition' that Macbeth lacks in his Act 1 Scene 7 soliloquy?

Lady Macbeth, who enters immediately after he says this and convinces him to proceed.

Why does Macbeth decide he must murder Banquo?

His ambition is threatened by the Witches' prophecy that Banquo's descendants will be kings, making his own kingship feel insecure and meaningless.

Complete Macbeth's quote from Act 3 Scene 1: To be thus is nothing, / But to be _.

safely thus.

What does the quote To be thus is nothing, / But to be safely thus reveal about Macbeth's ambition after becoming king?

It reveals that his ambition has morphed into paranoia; merely being king is not enough, he must also be secure in his power.

What does Macbeth mean when he says the Witches placed a 'fruitless crown' upon his head and a 'barren sceptre' in his gripe?

He means his reign will produce no heirs to succeed him, and his ambition has been for the benefit of Banquo's children, not his own lineage.

How does Macbeth's ambition lead to his increasing greed and selfishness?

He becomes unprepared to share power, even with his wife, and murders Banquo to try and alter the Witches' prophecy for his own family's benefit.

The first consequence of Macbeth's ambition is the murder of Duncan. What Jacobean term describes the crime of killing a king?

Regicide.

Why was regicide considered such an atrocious crime in Jacobean England?

Due to the belief in the 'Divine Right of Kings,' killing a monarch was seen as a sin against God, who had chosen that person to rule.

What is the immediate psychological consequence for Macbeth after his ambition leads him to murder Duncan?

He is overwhelmed with guilt and remorse, hearing voices cry 'Sleep no more! Macbeth does murder sleep'.

How does Shakespeare use the motif of blood to symbolise the consequences of ambition?

Blood symbolises the indelible guilt stemming from the murders committed for ambition, which cannot be washed away ('Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood / Clean from my hand?').

What does Macbeth's paranoid state, described as O, full of scorpions is my mind, dear wife!, show about the effects of his ambition?

It shows that achieving his ambition has not brought peace, but has poisoned his mind with endless fear and suspicion.

How does the play demonstrate that Macbeth's ambition makes him a poor king, or tyrant?

His subjects 'move only in command, / Nothing in love,' and his reign brings chaos and sickness to Scotland ('it weeps, it bleeds').

In Act 4 Scene 3, Malcolm lists the 'king-becoming graces' such as justice, verity, and mercy. What is the significance of this list?

It provides a direct contrast to Macbeth, who as a tyrant driven by selfish ambition possesses none of these virtuous qualities.

What is the ultimate consequence of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth's shared ambition?

It leads to their complete destruction: Lady Macbeth descends into madness and suicide, and Macbeth is killed and universally hated.

How does Macbeth's ambition to secure his legacy fail completely?

He has no heir ('a fruitless crown'), and his name is reviled after his death, with Malcolm calling him a 'dead butcher'.

Lady Macbeth's ambition is constrained by her gender. How does she attempt to overcome this?

She calls on spirits to 'unsex me here' and fill her with 'direst cruelty,' rejecting her feminine nature to pursue her goals.

What is the irony in Lady Macbeth's powerful ambition at the start of the play?

Despite her initial strength and ruthlessness, she is ultimately consumed by the guilt of their ambitious deeds and dies a tragic, broken figure.

What does Macbeth challenge in Act 3 Scene 1 when he says, Rather than so, come Fate into the list, / And champion me to th'utterance?

He challenges fate itself, deciding his ambition is strong enough to fight against the prophecy that Banquo's sons will be kings.

The witches' prophecies are ambiguous. How does this ambiguity interact with Macbeth's ambition?

Macbeth's ambition causes him to interpret the prophecies in the way that best serves his desires, blinding him to their deceptive, double meanings.

The disruption of the natural order, such as horses eating each other, is a direct consequence of what ambitious act?

The murder of King Duncan, which violates the Great Chain of Being.

What is the significance of Malcolm being crowned king at the end of the play?

It signifies the restoration of the natural and divine order, which Macbeth's 'thriftless ambition' had disrupted.

Who says For Banquo's issue have I filed my mind; / For them, the gracious Duncan have I murdered?

Macbeth, in his Act 3 Scene 1 soliloquy.

What does this quote reveal about Macbeth's feeling towards his ambitious acts: For Banquo's issue have I filed my mind?

It reveals his resentment and frustration that his soul-damning actions will ultimately benefit Banquo's children, not his own.

How does ambition affect the relationship between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth?

Initially it unites them in a common, ruthless purpose, but as Macbeth's paranoia grows, he excludes her from his plans, and they become isolated from one another.

What is the final state of Macbeth's ambition by Act 5?

It has been replaced by a nihilistic despair; his ambition has brought him nothing, and he sees life as a 'tale / Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, / Signifying nothing'.

Shakespeare shows three leaders in the play: Duncan, Macbeth, and Malcolm. How does this relate to the theme of ambition?

It contrasts Macbeth's destructive, tyrannical ambition with the selfless, balanced leadership of a rightful king like Malcolm, who seeks power for Scotland's good, not his own.

The play can be seen as a cautionary tale for a Jacobean audience. What is the primary warning concerning ambition?

It warns against the dangers of 'vaulting ambition' that seeks to subvert the God-given social and political order, showing it leads only to damnation and chaos.

How does Banquo serve as a foil to Macbeth in terms of ambition?

Banquo is also ambitious ('If you can look into the seeds of time') but he resists the temptation to act immorally on the prophecies, serving as a moral contrast to Macbeth.

Which event is the turning point where Macbeth's ambition fully commits him to a path of violence from which he cannot return?

The murder of King Duncan in Act 2.

What does Lady Macbeth's statement When you durst do it, then you were a man link directly to Macbeth's ambition?

It links his ambition to his sense of masculinity, making the pursuit of power a test of his manhood.

What is the structural significance of starting the play with Macbeth as a celebrated, brave warrior?

It establishes him as a noble character, making his subsequent fall due to ambition all the more tragic and profound.

Macbeth's ambition makes him a 'tyrant'. What is the final description given to him in the play, solidifying his fall from grace?

He is called a 'dead butcher' by Malcolm.