Theme- Ambition

Question 1

characters

Answer 1

Macbeth
- His ambition is awakened by the witches’ prophecy and fuelled by Lady Macbeth. He transforms from hero to villain.
- Power is both his goal and his downfall.

Lady Macbeth
- Even more ambitious than Macbeth at first. Challenges traditional gender roles to pursue power.
- Guilt consumes her once the ambition is realized.

The Witches
- Plant the seed of ambition by manipulating Macbeth with prophecies.
- Represent temptation and fate’s influence on ambition.

Banquo
- Also receives a prophecy but doesn’t act on it. Represents controlled ambition and integrity. foil to Macbeth as he doesn’t act on it. also turns to god for help.

Macduff
- Opposes Macbeth’s tyrannical ambition. A symbol of justice and restoration.

Question 2

Quotations and analysis

Answer 2

“If chance will have me king, why, chance may crown me, / Without my stir.”
- Macbeth (Act 1, Scene 3)
Analysis: At first, Macbeth contemplates passive ambition, willing to let fate act. This moment contrasts with his later aggression.

“Thou wouldst be great; / Art not without ambition, but without / The illness should attend it.”
- Lady Macbeth (Act 1, Scene 5)
Analysis: Lady Macbeth says Macbeth has ambition but lacks ruthlessness. She sees power as something to be seized at all costs.

“I have no spur to prick the sides of my intent, but only / Vaulting ambition.”
- Macbeth (Act 1, Scene 7)
Analysis: Macbeth admits that ambition is his only reason for murder—a dangerous motive with no moral foundation.

“To be thus is nothing, but to be safely thus.”
- Macbeth (Act 3, Scene 1)
Analysis: Macbeth’s ambition does not end with the crown. He becomes paranoid and power-hungry, showing how ambition spirals.

“I am in blood / Stepp’d in so far that, should I wade no more, / Returning were as tedious as go o’er.”
- Macbeth (Act 3, Scene 4)
Analysis: Macbeth realizes he’s committed too many crimes to turn back. Ambition has trapped him in a cycle of violence.

Question 3

summary

Answer 3

Shakespeare portrays ambition as a double-edged sword—it can inspire greatness or lead to chaos and destruction.

Unchecked ambition (Macbeth & Lady Macbeth) leads to moral decay, guilt, and madness.

Macbeth’s thirst for power isolates him, turns him into a tyrant, and ultimately destroys him.

The witches act as a catalyst, but the tragedy lies in Macbeth’s free will—he chooses ambition over conscience.

In contrast, Banquo and Macduff show that ambition can be balanced with honour.