AMBITION Flashcards
Key ideas of ambition
Ambition is the hamartia of both LM and M. Their relentless pursuit of desires fuelled by an insatiable ambition becomes the catalyst for their tragic downfall
•Ambition deceives individuals that they can transcend social,political, and divine constraints. However, this deceptive allure collides with harsh realities of existence and destiny set out for them
•ambition is the driving force behind tragedy in the play. Macbeth is constructed as a tragic hero who undergoes a fall from grace because of his ambition
Shakespeares intentions with Ambition
Ambition is a central theme to underpin the play, revealing its morally corossive and blinding influence on individuals who are driven by egocentric aspirations.
•Shakespeare shows through ambition the inherent flaws of human nature and how ambition with the wrong mind can lead to harsh pursuit of power
•he aims to teach audience that God is omnipotent and always wins, while cautioning them of the seductive allure of sinful tempations- lead to life with devil
MACBETH:AMBITION:’Vaulting Ambition which overleaps itself and falls on the other’
Personification:M personifies his ambition, portraying it as a having a potency comparable to a human force that can exert influence and corrupt human innocent mind
•’fall’ indicates he is aware that ambition is his hamartia which will lead to his decline
•Or, M is victim trapped by his own ambition, showing his understanding of its fatal consequences
Metaphor: ‘vaulting ambition’ parallel between him and jockey-both can’t control this untameable,animalistic force
•M believes he is able to harness some control over his ambition through metaphor, and able to transcend societal,political,divine limitations on him
MACBETH AMBITION:’with tarquins ravishing strides, towards his design’
•CONTEXT:M ambitiously strives to emulate Tarquin-Roman tyrant who raped his wife so he can embody what it means to be bloodthirsty leader
•Macbeths ambition is further fuelled by the lingering emasculation he experiences by LM
•Power becomes synonymous with brutality, and this combined with ambition propels him towards relentless pursuit of tyrannical power
•’design’ connotes intentional creation,mirroring Macbeths intentional crafting of his desired position as King through ambitious pursuits
LADY MACBETH AMBITION: ‘make thick my blood,stop up the access and passage to remorse’
•Imperative:’make thick my blood’ illustrates how she commands for emotional restraint and a callous indifference
•Recognising that her aspirations for tyranny require a detachment from femininity, LM seeks to rid herself of these elements to pave the way for ruthless ambitions
•Femme Fatale: This is a seductive and manipulative woman who can lure men into danger or sin- LM is as she is not only manipulative but rejects her womanhood and motherhood- a typical trope of a femme fatale
‘A little water Clears us of this deed’ Lady Macbeth Ambition
Litotes: LM’s omnipotent ambitions blind her to the profound mental turmoil Macbeth is experiencing.
•Her callousness, becomes apparent as she employs Litotes such as ‘a little’ not only to trivialise the act of murder but to emasculate M, encouraging him further along his murderous path
•Euphemism: employs euphemism to characterise regicide as a mere ‘deed’
•Highlights a paradoxical aspect of her character- despite her ambitions to shed feminine traits, she struggles to articulate the gravity of the heinous act
•Ironic and foreshadows Act 5, ‘All the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand’
BANQUO:AMBITION
‘Royalty of nature’ said by Macbeth
Imagery on ‘royalty’:conjures an image of divine ordination(king chosen by God)
•This signalling Macbeths acknowledgement of Banquos moral stature and respectability akin to one chosen by God
•Foil:BANQUO serves as a foil to Macbeth, epitomising an ideal balance between ambition and respectability
•As Macbeth descends from being ‘worthy’ to ‘hell-hound’ he contrasts with Banquos ability to retain ambition and piety.
BANQUO:AMBITION:’He hath wisdom that doth guide his valour act in safety’
7 deadly sins: Macbeth epitomises sin of envy. He desires for Banquos capacity for courage in controlling ambition and abstaining from succumbing to those ‘deep desires’
•Diction+Connotation: Diction of term ‘guide’ connotes leadership,revealing Macbeths attempt to direct his ambition
•However,Macbeth succumbs to its influence and is vulnerable. In stark contrast, Banquo has self-guidance, steering clear of temptations of sin
•The uncertain portrayal of Banquo is antithesis to Macbeths bloodthirsty depiction-
Macduff:AMBITION:’I have no words my voice is in my sword
•Violent metaphor: Macduff contends that the restoration of Scotlands natural order needs physical violence- his ambition Is to rightfully restore Scotland-Macduffs patriotic role in Macbeth
•Needs a similar force to rectify the natural order that has been disrupted-Macduff killing Macbeth
•Macduff is the archetype of the avenging hero,motivated by revenge.Nobility of his intentions shine through
•Short Sentence: reflects short amount of time Scotland will continue suffering
• By slewing Macbeth Scotland can be rightly governed and flourish under divine ordain
