Macbeth

William Shakespeare

☆ Ambition:

The Witches Prophecy: Act 1, Scene 3

☆" My thought, whose murder yet is but fantastical/ Shakes so my single state of man…"

☆ This line demonstrates the beginnings of Macbeth's ambition, as at this point those feelings are only internal. This is the first point where the idea that Macbeth could become king settles itself in his mind, this is the first spark that sets off Macbeth's ambition.

The Murder of Duncan: Act 2 Scene 2

☆"Will all great Neptune's ocean wash this blood/ Clean from my hand? No, this my hand will rather/ The multitudinous seas incarnadine, /Making the green one red."

☆These lines show Macbeth's regret in murdering Duncan, but at that point the deed had already been done and there was nothing else he could do to alleviate his guilt. During this scene Macbeth chooses his need to become king over his morality and his ambition overrides his conscience.

Ordering the Murder of Banquo: Act 3 Scene 1

☆"For Banquo's issue have I filed my mind;/ For them the gracious Duncan have I murdered."

☆These lines reveal that Macbeth is now driven to eliminate threats if it means to aid him in this journey of becoming more powerful. Macbeth worries that Banquo's existence threatens his power because of the prophecies words on Banquo's sons, so in order to combat against this he orders Banquo to be killed. His ambition really takes off here since he planned the murder by himself, acting purely off his ambition to gain power.