Macbeth - Themes

Question 1

What are the themes in Macbeth?

Answer 1

Ambition and its power to corrupt
Guilt
The relationship between cruelty and masculinity
Appearances and Reality

Question 2

How is the theme ‘Ambition and its power to corrupt’ demonstrated?

Answer 2

• Macbeth isn’t naturally inclined to commit evil deeds, yet he deeply desires power.
• Lady Macbeth, pursues her goals with greater determination but she is less capable of withstanding her repercussions of her immoral acts.
• She urges on Macbeth to kill Duncan and to be strong afterwards, but she is eventually driven to distraction by the effect of Macbeth’s repeated bloodshed on her conscience
• Macbeth downfall is his own ambition.
  Both Macbeths fail to see how their ambition makes them cross moral lines and will lead to their downfall.
• Banquo’s morality prevents him from pursuing his goal at any cost.

Question 3

How is the theme ‘Guilt’ demonstrated?

Answer 3

• Macbeth’s guilt of his murders causes him to have hallucinations, and he commits more murders to cover his initial crimes.
• Lady Macbeth also hallucinates and her guilt drives her to insanity and finally suicide.
• Both characters suffer from torment because of their actions which suggests they aren’t entirely cold-blooded.
• On some level they know what they have done is wrong. It prevents the from enjoying the power they craved.

Question 4

How is the theme ‘The relationship between cruelty and masculinity’ demonstrated?

Answer 4

• Lady Macbeth manipulates her husband into questioning his manhood, so that he commits murder.
• Macbeth provokes the murderers he hires to kill Banquo by questioning their manhood.
• Whenever they talk about manhood, violence soon follows.
• While the male characters are just as violent and prone to evil as the woman, the aggression of the female characters is more striking because it goes against the expectations of how women should behave.

Question 5

How is the theme ‘Appearance and Reality demonstrated?

Answer 5

• Things are never quite what they seem.
• Use euphemisms to hide reality.
• Both Macbeths put on ‘masks’ to the people around them, while hating their evil plans to each other.
• Ghosts, visions and hallucinations occur regularly.
• The Witches mislead Macbeth or make suggestions which him to mislead himself.