Macbeth - Ambition Flashcards
‘I have no spur to..
..prick the sides of my intent, but only vaulting ambition’
Macbeth - Act 1 Scene 7
Analysis on “I have no spur to prick the sides of my intent, but only vaulting ambition”
Macbeth expresses that his ambition is the sole reason he is considering killing King Duncan
revealing his desire for power and the lengths he is willing to go for it
unchecked ambition can lead to self-destruction
‘All hail Macbeth, thou..
..shalt be king hereafter!’
Witches - Act 1 Scene 1
Analysis on “All hail, Macbeth, thou shalt be king hereafter!”
This prophecy from the witches fuels Macbeth’s ambition, planting the seed of being a future king in his mind
‘Stars hide your firs, let..
..not see my black and deep desires’
Analysis on “Stars, hide your fires, let not light see my black and deep desires”
Macbeth - Act 1 Scene 5
his soliloquy reveals his ambition, where he asks the stars to hide his dark intentions from the world, showing his awareness of the immorality of his desires
‘Look like the..
..innocent flower, but be the serpent under’t’
Lady Macbeth - Act 1 Scene 7
Analysis on “Look like the innocent flower, but be the serpent under’t”
advises Macbeth to appear innocent while plotting murder
highlighting her manipulative and ambition-driven nature
Beginning: Witches prophecies
“All hail Macbeth, that shalt be king hereafter,” plant the seed of ambition in Macbeth’s mind
Target Macbeth as they know his ambition is his fatal flaw
What does the phrase ‘vaulting ambition’ suggest?
powerful potentially destructive force that pushes him to take risks
foreshadows his downfall and the tragic events that unfold in the play
Beginning: Macbeth’s initial hesitation
acknowledging his ambition but also fearing the consequences and his own nature, which he believes is too gentle for such acts
Quote that shows Macbeth is initially not comfortable with the thought of killing the king?
‘horrid image doth unfix my hair and make my seated heart knock at my ribs’
What does Macbeth’s ambition cause at the beginning, which then continues throughout the play?
inner conflict
Quote showing Macbeth’s inner conflict at the beginning of the play
‘This supernatural soliciting cannot be ill, cannot be good’
Beginning: Lady Macbeth’s influence
recognizes Macbeth’s ambition but also his hesitancy, believing he lacks the ruthlessness to pursue his desires
Quote showing Lady Macbeth does not believe that Macbeth has the ruthlessness to pursue his desires
“Yet do I fear thy nature; / It is too full o’ th’ milk of human kindness’’
Beginning: Lady Macbeth manipulating Macbeth
sees his ambition as a way to achieve greatness and actively pushes him to take action
What does Lady Macbeth’s use of ‘if’ and ‘when’ show?
Lady Macbeth’s use of “if” and “when” when discussing Duncan’s murder shows her willingness to make his ambition a reality
Quote showing Lady Macbeth’s manipulation
‘I dare do all that may become a man; who dares do more is none’
Lady Macbeth’s ambition
primarily rooted in her desire for power and the status it would bring her
Why does Lady Macbeth manipulate Macbeth?
manipulates Macbeth, urging him to embrace his ambition and commit murder, essentially using him to achieve her own goals
What is Lady Macbeth’s ambition portrayed as?
strong, ruthless, willing to sacrifice morality for her own desires
not hesitant to commit heinous acts in order to achieve her goals
How is Lady Macbeth’s ambition self destructive?
leads to her downfall, becomes consumed by guilt and madness after the murder
How is Lady Macbeth’s ambition destructive for Macbeth?
drives him down a path of tyranny and ultimately to his death
