Macbeth/Lady Macbeth and ambition Flashcards
Lady Macbeth on killing Duncan
“What cannot you and I perform upon
The unguarded Duncan?” (act 1 scene 7)
Translated: What will stop us from doing what we want to the unguarded Duncan?
Context/historical
The ambition contrasted with fear from Macbeth to kill Duncan is didactic as the meanings were written as a warning for anyone attempting anything with King James.
Context/within play
unguarded connotates weakness and vulnerability. The Macbeth’s consider themselves more powerful when the King is asleep and thus have more control. This proves their excessive ambition
Macbeth on his motivation to kill Duncan
“I have no spur
To prick the sides of my intent, but only
Vaulting ambition” (Act 1 scene 7)
Translated: I have no reason to spur myself to act on my desires other than ambition,
Context/within play
Macbeth expresses that the only thing driving this thought is his ambition fueled by the prophecy. however, this motivation contradicts his patriarchal loyalty to Duncan. Him killing Duncan proves the scale in which his ambition trumps his loyalty (fueled by Lady Macbeth).
Witches prophecy
First Witch: All hail, Macbeth! hail to thee, thane of Glamis!
Second Witch: All hail, Macbeth, hail to thee, thane of Cawdor!
Third Witch: All hail, Macbeth, thou shalt be king hereafter!
Context/within play
Questions Macbeth’s loyalty and gives hope in moving up social hierarchy. Originally fuels Macbeth’s excessive motivation prior to him writing to Lady Macbeth
Context/historical
Motivation was demised as it was seen as a way to go against the chain of beings. therefore Macbeth showing any sign of belief to prophecy forms the first context for a Jacobean audience to demise his character, compared to the disregard of the prophecy from Banquo showing nobility.
Lady Macbeth on Macbeth’s character
thou wouldst be great,
Art not without ambition, but without
The illness should attend it. (Act 1 scene 5)
translated: You want to be powerful, and you don’t lack ambition—but you don’t have the nastiness required to truly go for it.
Context/within play
Lady Macbeth plays on Macbeth’s masculinity again to try and guilt him into completing the prophecy. Furthermore, Lady Macbeth uses her influence that she has as the partner of Macbeth to fuel his ambition only to be checked by Lady Macbeth.
context/historical
A Jacobean audience is heavily possessed over women only to be associated with femininity. therefore, the dissent towards Lady Macbeth grows within the audience as her motivation is heavily influenced on the traits of ‘masculinity’ in the Elizabethan era.
Macbeth after he is announced Thane of Cawdor
(aside )Two truths are told
As happy prologues to the swelling act
Of th’imperial theme (Act 1 scene 3)
translated: [To himself] Two of the prophecies have come true, making it seem like this will end with my rise to the throne.
context/within the play
Macbeth’s ambition is based on the proximity of the succession of the prophecy becoming true. He associates the truth of him becoming the Thane of Cawdor, with the possibility that he will be king of Scotland.
Context/historical
associated with chain of beings and that his motivation to move up hierarchies is looked down upon by a Jacobean society that must remain content with their societal position
