ambition Flashcards
“Yet do I fear thy nature, it is too full of the milk of human kindness.”
Lady Macbeth worries that Macbeth’s kind nature may hinder his ambitions to become king.
“Thou wouldst be great art not without ambition, but without the illness should attend to it.”
Reflects on her husband’s character. Shows her philosophy of power, where only individuals who are willing to set their morality aside will rise to greatness.
“I have no spur to prick the sides of my intent, but only vaulting ambition, which overlaps itself”
Macbeth doubts his plans to kill Duncan, since it is only his ambition to be powerful that is pushing him to commit the act and no other reason
“My though, whose murder yet is but fantastical, shakes so my single state of man that function is smothered in surmise.”
Macbeth realises that his path to the crown will require violence, but he shows that he is uncomfortable with the evil thoughts that are slowly filling his head as a result of it
“If chance will have me, king, why, chance may crown me without my stir.”
He believes in destiny and that prophecy will create a situation for him to become king without trying. “relying on fate.”
“To be thus is nothing, but to be safely thus.”
Macbeth finds it meaningless to be king, and murdering Duncan hasn’t brought anything but paranoia and anxiety.
“We still have judgement here… This evenhanded justice commends the ingredients of our poisoned chalice to our own lips.”
Demonstrates that there are consequences and implications for his actions.
