Theme - Ambition

Question 1

Quote for the theme of Ambition in Act 1

Answer 1

• “Unsex me here”
• “Stars hide your fires, let no light see my black and deep desires”
• “Vaulting ambition”
• “[dash] the brains out had I so sworn”

Question 2

Analyse - “Unsex me here”

Answer 2

Shows how she needs male qualities to carry out this ambitious task of killing king Duncan

Question 3

Analyse - “Vaulting ambition which o’er leaps itself and falls on the other” (2)

Answer 3

• Metaphor

* “Vaulting” (verb) compares how his ambition is like a horse leaping over an obstacle

Question 4

Analyse - “Stars hide your fires let no light see my black and deep desires” (2)

Answer 4

• “deep” (adjective) implies how bad his ambition is foreshadowing that what he is going to do is fatal
• “Black” (adjective) connotes with evilness further foreshadowing builds up tension

Question 5

Quote + analysis for the theme of Ambition in Act 3 (3)

Answer 5

• “the seed of Banquo kings”
• Due to his beliefs in the witches he believes Banquo’s descendants will become King - he wants to change that
• “seed” noun is like a metaphor that Macbeth thinks that he does not kill the seed it will grow into a big tree of kings

Question 6

Quote + analysis for the theme of Ambition in Act 5 (3)

Answer 6

• “To dew the sovereign flower and drown the weeds”
• Macduff plotting against Macbeth - metaphor
• “weeds” (noun) implies how Macbeth is unwanted