theme of macbeth essay

William Shakespeare

• Literature Notes
• Major Themes
• Macbeth at a Glance
• Play Summary
• About Macbeth
• Character List
• Summary and Analysis
• Act I: Scene 1
• Act I: Scene 2
• Act I: Scene 3
• Act I: Scene 4
• Act I: Scene 5
• Act I: Scene 6
• Act I: Scene 7
• Act II: Scene 1
• Act II: Scene 2
• Act II: Scene 3
• Act II: Scene 4
• Act III: Scene 1
• Act III: Scene 2
• Act III: Scene 3
• Act III: Scene 4
• Act III: Scene 5
• Act III: Scene 6
• Act IV: Scene 1
• Act IV: Scene 2
• Act IV: Scene 3
• Act V: Scene 1
• Act V: Scene 2
• Act V: Scene 3
• Act V: Scene 4
• Act V: Scene 5
• Act V: Scene 6
• Act V: Scene 7
• Act V: Scene 8
• Act V: Scene 9
• Character Analysis
• Lady Macbeth
• Character Map
• William Shakespeare Biography
• Critical Essays
• Major Symbols and Motifs
• Macbeth on the Stage
• Famous Quotes
• Film Versions
• Full Glossary
• Essay Questions
• Practice Projects
• Cite this Literature Note

Critical Essays Major Themes

The Fall of Man

The ancient Greek notion of tragedy concerned the fall of a great man, such as a king, from a position of superiority to a position of humility on account of his ambitious pride, or hubris . To the Greeks, such arrogance in human behavior was punishable by terrible vengeance. The tragic hero was to be pitied in his fallen plight but not necessarily forgiven: Greek tragedy frequently has a bleak outcome. Christian drama, on the other hand, always offers a ray of hope; hence, Macbeth ends with the coronation of Malcolm , a new leader who exhibits all the correct virtues for a king.

Macbeth exhibits elements that reflect the greatest Christian tragedy of all: the Fall of Man. In the Genesis story, it is the weakness of Adam, persuaded by his wife (who has in turn been seduced by the devil) which leads him to the proud assumption that he can "play God." But both stories offer room for hope: Christ will come to save mankind precisely because mankind has made the wrong choice through his own free will. In Christian terms, although Macbeth has acted tyrannically, criminally, and sinfully, he is not entirely beyond redemption in heaven.

Fortune, Fate, and Free Will

Fortune is another word for chance. The ancient view of human affairs frequently referred to the "Wheel of Fortune," according to which human life was something of a lottery. One could rise to the top of the wheel and enjoy the benefits of superiority, but only for a while. With an unpredictable swing up or down, one could equally easily crash to the base of the wheel.

Fate, on the other hand, is fixed. In a fatalistic universe, the length and outcome of one's life (destiny) is predetermined by external forces. In Macbeth, the Witches represent this influence. The play makes an important distinction: Fate may dictate what will be, but how that destiny comes about is a matter of chance (and, in a Christian world such as Macbeth's) of man's own choice or free will.

Although Macbeth is told he will become king, he is not told how to achieve the position of king: that much is up to him. We cannot blame him for becoming king (it is his Destiny), but we can blame him for the way in which he chooses to get there (by his own free will).

Kingship and Natural Order

Macbeth is set in a society in which the notion of honor to one's word and loyalty to one's superiors is absolute. At the top of this hierarchy is the king, God's representative on Earth. Other relationships also depend on loyalty: comradeship in warfare, hospitality of host towards guest, and the loyalty between husband and wife. In this play, all these basic societal relationships are perverted or broken. Lady Macbeth's domination over her husband, Macbeth's treacherous act of regicide, and his destruction of comradely and family bonds, all go against the natural order of things.

The medieval and renaissance view of the world saw a relationship between order on earth, the so-called microcosm , and order on the larger scale of the universe, or macrocosm. Thus, when Lennox and the Old Man talk of the terrifying alteration in the natural order of the universe — tempests, earthquakes, darkness at noon, and so on — these are all reflections of the breakage of the natural order that Macbeth has brought about in his own microcosmic world.

Disruption of Nature

Violent disruptions in nature — tempests, earthquakes, darkness at noon, and so on — parallel the unnatural and disruptive death of the monarch Duncan.

The medieval and renaissance view of the world saw a relationship between order on earth, the so-called microcosm, and order on the larger scale of the universe, or macrocosm. Thus, when Lennox and the Old Man talk of the terrifying alteration in the natural order of the universe (nature), these are all reflections of the breakage of the natural order that Macbeth has brought about in his own microcosmic world (society).

Many critics see the parallel between Duncan's death and disorder in nature as an affirmation of the divine right theory of kingship. As we witness in the play, Macbeth's murder of Duncan and his continued tyranny extends the disorder of the entire country.

Gender Roles

Lady Macbeth is the focus of much of the exploration of gender roles in the play. As Lady Macbeth propels her husband toward committing Duncan's murder, she indicates that she must take on masculine characteristics. Her most famous speech — located in Act I, Scene 5 — addresses this issue.

Clearly, gender is out of its traditional order. This disruption of gender roles is also presented through Lady Macbeth's usurpation of the dominate role in the Macbeth's marriage; on many occasions, she rules her husband and dictates his actions.

Reason Versus Passion

During their debates over which course of action to take, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth use different persuasive strategies. Their differences can easily be seen as part of a thematic study of gender roles. However, in truth, the difference in ways Macbeth and Lady Macbeth rationalize their actions is essential to understanding the subtle nuances of the play as a whole.

Macbeth is very rational, contemplating the consequences and implications of his actions. He recognizes the political, ethical, and religious reason why he should not commit regicide. In addition to jeopardizing his afterlife, Macbeth notes that regicide is a violation of Duncan's "double trust" that stems from Macbeth's bonds as a kinsman and as a subject.

On the other hand, Lady Macbeth has a more passionate way of examining the pros and cons of killing Duncan. She is motivated by her feelings and uses emotional arguments to persuade her husband to commit the evil act.

Previous William Shakespeare Biography

Next Major Symbols and Motifs

Macbeth: Analysis and Themes

By Dr Oliver Tearle (Loughborough University)

Macbeth is, along with the character of Iago in Othello and his earlier portrayal of Richard III, William Shakespeare’s most powerful exploration and analysis of evil.

Although we can find precursors to Macbeth in the murderer-turned-conscience-stricken-men of Shakespeare’s earlier plays – notably the conspirator Brutus in Julius Caesar and Claudius in Hamlet – Macbeth provides us with a closer and more complex examination of how a brave man with everything going for him might be corrupted by ambition and goading into committing an act of murder.

It’s worth examining how Shakespeare creates such a powerful depiction of one man persuaded to do evil and then wracked by his conscience for doing so. What follows is a short analysis, but one which attempts to address some of the key – not to mention the most interesting – aspects of Macbeth . You can read our summary of  Macbeth  here .

The sources for Shakespeare’s Macbeth

Macbeth was a real Scottish king, although he was somewhat different from the ambitious, murderous creation of William Shakespeare. His wife was real too, but Lady Macbeth’s real name was Gruoch and Macbeth’s real name was Mac Bethad mac Findlaích.

The real Macbeth killed Duncan in battle in 1040 and Macbeth (or Mac Bethad) actually went on to rule for 17 years, until he was killed and Macbeth’s stepson, known as Lulach the Idiot, became king (though he only ruled for less than a year – then Malcolm, as Malcolm III, took the crown). Where did Shakespeare get the story from, then, and what did he change?

The plot of Shakespeare’s Macbeth is a combination of two stories: the story of Macbeth and the story of the murder of King Duffe by Donwald and his wife, which Shakespeare read about in Raphael Holinshed’s Chronicles . The Three Witches appear in Holinshed, but as ‘nymphs or fairies’, suggesting beautiful young women rather than old, ugly hags.

Holinshed’s King Duncan is a weak and feeble ruler, who has unfairly named his own son Prince of Cumberland (and thus heir to the throne), thwarting Macbeth’s own (just) claim to the throne, through his wife’s previous marriage and her son by her first husband.

In Holinshed, then, Macbeth has every reason to have a grievance against Duncan, rather than being motivated solely by ‘vaulting ambition’. When Duncan proclaims Malcolm his heir and Prince of Cumberland, Macbeth does not see it as a slight on him and his claim to the throne – for he appears to have no genuine claim. Instead, he sees it as the turning point: if he is to become King then he must take the crown by force.

What’s more, in Holinshed’s chronicle, Banquo actually helps Macbeth to murder Duncan. Shakespeare altered the character of Banquo because his King, James I of England (James VI of Scotland, of course) claimed descent from Banquo. This explains the scene in Macbeth with the mirrors displaying Banquo’s descendants – eventually culminating in King James himself. Banquo will certainly ‘get’ (i.e. beget) kings, all right.’

This is what led the critic William Empson to regard Shakespeare’s version of Macbeth as a ‘Just-So Story’, like ‘How the Elephant Got Its Trunk’: it explains how James came to be King, over half a millennium after the events of Macbeth .

The other story from Holinshed, detailing the murder of King Duffe, is much closer to the plot of Shakespeare’s play. In the tenth century, a century before the real Macbeth lived, Donwald, egged on by his wife, murders King Duffe (although in this version Donwald gets the servants to commit the murder rather than bearing the knife himself). Donwald and his wife get Duffe’s personal attendants drunk, and then to divert suspicion Donwalde blames them for their master’s murder, killing them in pretend rage.

Themes of Macbeth

Macbeth is a play that begins with the Weird Sisters discussing their future meeting, and ends with Macduff and the other survivors preparing to go and see Malcolm crowned King.

Even the soliloquies in Macbeth seem unusually focused on not just the contemplation of a future course of action (for that’s a common feature of many soliloquies in many other plays) but on the displacement of time that the play is preoccupied with: ‘If it were done, when ’tis done’, begins one of Macbeth’s most famous speeches, while he greets the news of Lady Macbeth with his celebrated meditation on ‘tomorrow’:

Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow, Creeps in this petty pace from day to day, To the last syllable of recorded time; And all our yesterdays have lighted fools The way to dusty death.

The first words Lady Macbeth speaks to her husband in the play show how her ambitions for her and her husband are already making her mind leap from the present into the future:

Thy letters have transported me beyond This ignorant present, and I feel now The future in the instant.

But the glue that keeps all of these future meditations in place, and acts as the main device in Macbeth linking present to future, is the role of prophecy.

It’s worth stopping to consider and analyse the role of prophecy in Macbeth . It’s true that the Witches are clearly meant to be supernatural, and their prophecies are supposedly founded on – well, on their witchcraft. One of the reasons Shakespeare may have been drawn to the story of Macbeth is that, as well as speaking to King James I’s Scottish blood, it also played to his interest in witchcraft, black magic, and the supernatural.

Indeed, the King even wrote a book about it, Daemonologie , which had been published in 1597, six years before he came to the English throne. But the clever thing about the prophecies is that we are left to decide how much what happens in the play was foretold in the Witches’ prophecy and how much was a result of the course of action Macbeth decided on, once he had knowledge of the prophecy.

We talk of ‘self-fulfilling prophecies’, and Macbeth as a piece of drama leaves us in some doubt as to the relationship between Fate and free agency. If Macbeth had never been told by the Witches that he would be Thane of Cawdor, he would still have been made Thane of Cawdor. But would he still have become King?

For Macbeth to become King, he needed to know that it was ordained that he would one day sit on the throne, so he could then murderously take it from the current incumbent. If Macbeth had not acted upon the prophecy, it may not have come true.

A similar ambiguity surrounding the role of fate and the role of individual agency governs the plot of Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex ; although Shakespeare’s tragic model was more Senecan than ancient Greek, Macbeth is perhaps the play in his oeuvre which comes the closest to following the model for a good tragedy set out in Aristotle’s Poetics .

Similarly, Banquo starts to take his prophecy seriously once he sees Macbeth’s coming true. Nevertheless, the idea that no man of woman born being able to harm Macbeth isn’t ever tested to the full: Macbeth may simply be unusually lucky in combat, and Macduff, regardless of his caesarean section, may just have proved lucky; at the same time, believing that having been ‘from his mother’s womb / Untimely ripped’ made him invincible against the tyrannical Macbeth may have given him the self-belief that he could bring the usurper down. The stories we tell ourselves about our own lives, and our destinies, shape what we do.

Ambition – or ‘vaulting ambition’ as Macbeth himself puts it – is another central theme of the play. Hearing the prophecy from the Witches convinces Macbeth that he could be King. Indeed, more than that, the prophecy suggests that he is meant to be King. Although Duncan has ‘honour’d [him] of late’, and Macbeth knows that to kill the king who had raised him to the title of Thane of Cawdor would be, among other things, an act of supreme ingratitude, Macbeth is driven to commit murder so he can seize the crown.

Everything that happens afterwards – his dispatching of the hired killers to murder Banquo, the attempted murder of Fleance, the killing of Macduff’s wife and children, and the final battle at Dunsinane – is a result of this one act, an act that was inspired by both Macbeth’s private ambition and his wife’s lust for power.

It’s worth remembering that Macbeth was almost certainly written shortly after the thwarting of the Gunpowder Plot in November 1605. (There are a number of local allusions to this recent attempt at politically and religiously motivated terrorism: the numerous instances of the word ‘equivocation’ in the play refer to the Jesuit Father Garnet, who knew of the Plot and consorted with the conspirators.)

The ‘moral’ of Macbeth , if we can run the risk of reducing the play to an ethical message in this way, is that to usurp the ruler of a kingdom is usually a Bad Idea, at least if the ruler is generally thought to be a good one and your motivation for wanting to kill and replace them is your own grasping ambition to be monarch yourself. Which brings us to the last major theme of Macbeth worth mentioning in this short analysis (before the analysis becomes somewhat less than short)…

It would be inaccurate to say Macbeth feels remorse for the murder of Duncan. Even Claudius, the ‘smiling villain’ of Hamlet who killed a king so he could take the throne for himself, expresses something approaching a pricking of conscience for murdering his own brother, acknowledging that he cannot very well appear penitent before God if he doesn’t relinquish everything he’s gained by his murderous deed.

But Macbeth’s guilt over the murders of Banquo and Duncan is less remorse than it is fear of being discovered, and one bad deed gives birth to another, each of which has to be carried out to make Macbeth and his wife ‘safe’, to use the word that recurs throughout the play (a dozen times, including ‘safely’, ‘safety’, and other variants).

Even when Banquo’s ghost appears to Macbeth at the banquet, and appears to him alone, suggesting it is a manifestation of his own guilty conscience, he is terrified that the ghost’s presence will betray his secret, rather than wracked with remorse for killing his friend. Angus’ wonderfully vivid image of Macbeth’s guilt (‘Now does he feel / His secret murders sticking on his hands’) reminds us that ‘hands’ and ‘eyes’ and other body parts are often somewhat disembodied in this play, as numerous critics have acknowledged.

From Macbeth’s bloody hand (‘Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood / Clean from my hand?’) to Lady Macbeth’s feverish somnambulistic hand-washing, to Macbeth’s early words in an aside, signalling his deadly ambition (‘The eye wink at the hand; yet let that be, / Which the eye fears, when it is done, to see’), eyes and hands are at odds in this play, as if the eye countenances the evil carried out by the hand, with the wielder of the dagger turning a blind eye.

But as Angus’ words and Lady Macbeth’s night-time mimed ablutions demonstrate, one cannot so easily remove one’s mind from the hand that does a terrible deed.

One final piece of Macbeth trivia…

Macbeth is supposed to be cursed. The idea of the ‘curse’ of  Macbeth  has a complicated origin, though it was certainly given a leg up in 1898 when the novelist and wit Max Beerbohm put about the idea that the play was unlucky.

That said, it has had its fair share of tragedies and disasters: in a 1942 production starring John Gielgud, four people involved in the production died, including two of the Witches and the man playing Duncan. If you say ‘Macbeth’ in a theatre, you are meant to walk three times in a circle anti-clockwise, then either spit or say a rude word.

In 1849,  Macbeth even   caused a riot in New York . The Astor Place Riot was caused by two rival actors arguing about whose portrayal of Macbeth  was better. American actor Edwin Forrest and English thespian William Charles Macready were both playing the role of Macbeth in different productions at different theatres on the same night, and a longstanding rivalry erupted.

Another notable nineteenth-century production of the play (featuring acting rivalry) involves the so-called ‘worst poet in the English language’, who once played Macbeth on stage – and refused to die at the end.

As we revealed in our selection of  interesting facts about Scottish poet William McGonagall , when McGonagall – who has a reputation for being the worst poet in English – played the role of Macbeth in a stage production, he was so annoyed at being upstaged by his co-star, who was playing Macduff, that when Macduff went to kill Macbeth at the end of the play, he found his foe mysteriously unvanquishable.

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6 thoughts on “Macbeth: Analysis and Themes”

Eqivocation: Shakespeare (whose father was a friend of William Catesby, the father of Robert Catesby, one of the leaders in the alleged Gunpowder Plot) may well have been drawing attention to his own loyalist credentials when he shows the Porter admitting ‘an equivator’ to Hell. On the other hand he may have been doing a bit of equivocating himself. It depends how you say the line “who committed treason enough for God’s sake” it can simply be an exclamation “for God’s sake!” or mean “he committed treason enough for God’s sake…” he was one of ‘God’s traitors’ as John Shakespeare almost certainly, and William very probably were.

To create a breach of time hundreds of years in each direction: The Scotland that the historical Macbeth occupied was a tough, violent place demanding that a monarch be capable of meeting all challenges. If a monarch could be bested, deposed, all the better for the kingdom. Duncan’s nobility, a soft virtue, requires Bellona’s bridegroom succeed on the battlefield, and he doesn’t realize how dangerous such a warrior can be, especially with an ambitious woman goading him on. Now rocket forward hundreds of years to see the philosophical realization predicted in the tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow speech Macbeth ruminates upon hearing of Lady Macbeth’s death. (N.B. She dies off stage like most of the deaths in the play which conform to Aristotle’s Poetics which holds that violence on stage “but teaches bloody instruction.”) What does life signify? Nothing. Macbeth’s speech anticipates the 20th C. philosophy of existentialism. We come from nothing and we go to nothing. Any performance of the Scottish play in which the Three Sisters are performed exceedingly well enters the dreamscape of all the audience. The play is bloody, yes, and eerie too, as it travels in time.

I will refrain from the kind of lofty comments already given on here and just say your last story made me snort out loud :D

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Introduction

Macbeth was written by William Shakespeare in either 1605 or 1606. Its full name is “The Tragedy of Macbeth”. It was first performed in around 1606.

Macbeth by William Shakespeare Summary

Lady Macbeth plans to get the chamberlains drunk to show them as culprits after murder. When everyone sleeps, they start acting upon their plan and Macbeth stabs Duncan with a knife and kills him. After that, Lady Macbeth stains the clothes and faces of chamberlains sitting outside the king’s chamber and puts the knives near them to show that they are the culprits.

Moreover, Lady Macbeth starts behaving abnormally because of the guilt of her crimes. Death of Macduff’s family increases her madness and she becomes ill. English army attacks and reaches towards Burnam’s wood and they plan that each soldier will carry a bush in front of him. It seems like the forest is moving towards Dunsinane and the Prophecy of witches becomes true.

Themes in Macbeth

Kingship vs. tyranny:, relationship between cruelty and masculinity:, fate vs. freewill:, reason vs. passion:.

Macbeth is very logical and clear-sighted. He knows that he is doing evil and the consequences of it. He feels guilty for breaking King Duncan’s trust but he is persuaded by his wife to do evil.

Macbeth Characters Analysis

Moreover, he also starts behaving abnormally because of the guilt of the sins committed by him but again the thirst for power makes him strong and he begins to act according to his evil plans.

Lady Macbeth:

She represents the relationship between femininity and violence in the play. Macbeth says that Lady Macbeth is a masculine soul residing in a female body which shows that females can also be cruel and ruthless.

The Three Witches:

Macbeth believes in their prophecies which lead him towards darkness and downfall.  However, their true identity is unclear. Although, they are servants of Hecate but the play does not tell us whether they are independent agents playing with human lives or the agents of fate.

King Duncan:

He is Banquo’s son who escapes the castle when murderers attempt to kill him. After that he does not appear in the play.

Macbeth Literary Analysis

More from william shakespeare.

by William Shakespeare

Macbeth themes.

The plot of Macbeth is set in motion ostensibly by the prophecy of the three witches. The prophecy fans the flames of ambition within Macbeth and Lady Macbeth , serving as the primary impetus for the couple to plot the death of Duncan--and subsequently Banquo. But one also wonders: Would Macbeth have committed such heinous crimes if not for the prophecy? What if he had ignored the witches’ statements? Such speculation, however interesting, ultimately appears futile, since the prophecy itself is self-fulfilling. The witches know Macbeth’s tragic flaw: given the irresistible temptation to become King, he will choose to commit murder even though he could simply discard their words. As it turns out, the prophecies are not only fated but fatal, as Macbeth's confidence in the witches leads him to fight a rash battle in the final act.

Guilt and Remorse

Some of the most famous and poetic lines from Macbeth are expressions of remorse. “Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood / Clean from my hand?” exclaims Macbeth after he stabs Duncan (II ii 58-59). Similarly, Lady Macbeth is plagued by a “spot” that she cannot remove from her hand: “Out, damned spot! Out, I say. . . What, will these hands ne’er be clean?” (V I 30-37). At first physical remainders of a regrettable crime, the royal blood leaves permanent marks on the psyche of the couple, forever staining them with guilt and remorse. The different ways in which the Macbeths cope with their crimes show how their characters develop: whereas Lady Macbeth is initially the one without scruples, urging Macbeth to take action, it is an overpowering sense of guilt and remorse that drives the Lady to her untimely death. Macbeth, on the other hand, seems to overcome the guilt that plagues him early on in the play.

Ghosts and Visions

Just as an overwhelming guilty conscience drives Lady Macbeth mad, so too does Macbeth’s “heat-oppressed” brain project the vision of a dagger before he murders Duncan (II i 39). In what concerns ghosts and visions, the relation of the natural to the supernatural in Macbeth is unclear. The three apparitions that the witches summon, for example, are usually taken to be “real”—even if only as supernatural occurrences. But the matter is less clear when it comes to Banquo’ ghost. Macbeth is the only one who sees the ghost in a crowded room; is this yet another projection of his feverish mind? Or is it really, so to speak, a supernatural occurrence? Such ambiguities contribute to the eerie mood and sense of uncanniness that pervade the play, from the very opening scene with the three bearded witches.

The Natural/Supernatural

If the witches’ prophecy is understood to be imposing a supernatural order on the natural order of things, the natural order can also be understood as responding with tempestuous signs. Following Duncan’s death, Lennox describes the “unruly” night in some detail. Similarly, Ross notes that “the heavens, as troubled with man’s act, / Threatens his bloody stage” (II iv 5-6). In the same scene, the Old Man and Ross both agree that they saw horses eat each other. Even the events leading to the conclusion of the play can be understood as a negotiation of the natural and supernatural. Whereas Macbeth believes that he will live the “lease of nature”—since Birnam Wood cannot possible come to Dunsinane Hill—the forest is literally uprooted by the English army in accordance with the prophecy. The dichotomy between the natural and the supernatural forms a backdrop that suggests the epic proportions of the struggle over the Scottish crown.

Dichotomy and Equivocation

“Fair is foul, and foul is fair / Hover through the fog and filthy air” (I i 10-11). The first scene of the first act ends with these words of the witches, which Macbeth echoes in his first line: “So foul and fair a day I have not seen” (I iii 36). In a similar fashion, many scenes conclude with lines of dichotomy or equivocation: “Hear it not, Duncan; for it is a knell / That summons thee to heaven or hell” (II i64); “God’s benison go with you, and with those/ That would make good of bad, and friends of foes” (II iv 41-42). Such lines evoke an air of deep uncertainty: while polarities are reversed and established values are overturned, it is entirely unclear as to whether the dichotomous clarity of “heaven or hell” trumps the equivocatory fogginess of “fair is foul, and foul is fair.” Thus, for Macbeth, this translates into an uncertainty as to whether the prophecies are believable. It seems that Birnam Wood will either come to Dunsinane Hill (a supernatural event) or it will not (a natural event); but the actual even turns out to be neither here nor there, as the Wood figuratively comes to Dunsinane.

Ambition and Temptation

Ambition and temptation both play a key factor in Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s decision to kill Duncan. Macbeth possesses enough self-awareness to realize the dangers of overzealous ambition: “I have no spur / To prick the sides of my intent, but only / Vaulting ambition which o’erleaps itself / And falls on th’other” (25-28). And yet, the temptation to carry out the witches' prophecy is ultimately too strong for Macbeth to curb his ambition. In Lady Macbeth’s lexicon, incidentally, “hope” is also another word for “ambition” and perhaps “temptation.” As Macbeth expresses his doubts about killing Duncan, she demands: “Was the hope drunk / Wherein you dressed yourself” (35-36)? Ironically, Lady Macbeth must herself rely on intoxicants to “make [her] bold” before executing her ambitious and murderous plans (II ii 1). Once the intoxication wears off, Lady Macbeth finds that she is unable to cope with the consequences of her own "hope." Ultimately, ambition and temptation prove fatal for both the Macbeths.

Salvation and Damnation

As a morality tale of sorts, Macbeth has as its near contemporary Christopher Marlowe’s Dr. Faustus . Like Dr. Faustus, Macbeth recognizes the damning consequences of his crime:

. . . Besides, this Duncan Hath borne his faculties so meek, hath been So clear in his great office, that his virtues Will plead like angels, trumpet-tongued against The deep damnation of his taking-off.” (I vii 16-20)

And yet Macbeth carries out the crime, thus precipitating his own descent into hell. Later in the play, appropriately, Macduff calls Macbeth by the name of “hell-hound” (V x 3). Indeed, the story of Macbeth is that of a man who acquiesces in his damnation—in part because he cannot utter words that may attenuate his crime. As Duncan’s guards pray “God bless us” on their deathbed, Macbeth cannot say one “Amen” (II ii 26-27). His fate is thus sealed entirely by his own hands.

Macbeth Questions and Answers

The Question and Answer section for Macbeth is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.

Of what importance are the bleeding Sergeant and Ross? Why does Shakespeare introduce two messengers?

There are two pieces of information here, hence the two messengers. The bleeding sergeant is meant to inform Duncan, and the audience, of Macbeth's valor in battle. Ross is meant to inform about the Thane of Cawdor being a traitor. Both pieces of...

The third which says that Banquo's sons shall be kings, Thou shalt get kings, though thou be none. So all hail, Macbeth and Banquo!

Macbeth Act 1 Scene 3 questions

What is significant about the first words that Macbeth speaks in the play?

A motif or recurring idea in the play is equivocation. There is the balance of the dark and the light, the good and the bad. Macbeth's first line reflects this. It...

Study Guide for Macbeth

Macbeth study guide contains a biography of William Shakespeare, literature essays, a complete e-text, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.

• About Macbeth
• Macbeth Summary
• Macbeth Video
• Character List

Essays for Macbeth

Macbeth essays are academic essays for citation. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of Macbeth by William Shakespeare.

• Serpentine Imagery in Shakespeare's Macbeth
• Macbeth's Evolution
• Jumping the Life to Come
• Deceptive Appearances in Macbeth
• Unity in Shakespeare's Tragedies

Lesson Plan for Macbeth

• About the Author
• Study Objectives
• Common Core Standards
• Introduction to Macbeth
• Relationship to Other Books
• Bringing in Technology
• Notes to the Teacher
• Related Links
• Macbeth Bibliography

E-Text of Macbeth

Macbeth e-text contains the full text of Macbeth by William Shakespeare.

• Persons Represented
• Act I, Scene I
• Act I, Scene II
• Act I, Scene III
• Act I, Scene IV

Wikipedia Entries for Macbeth

• Introduction

THEMES: AMBITION.

  Themes are the fundamental and often universal ideas explored in a literary work. Explore the theme of ambition in Macbeth

What causes Macbeth to kill the king?

As he begins to doubt himself, and his decision to murder Duncan, Macbeth wonders what his motivation is:

‘I have no spur To prick the sides of my intent but only Vaulting ambition which o’erleaps itself And falls on th’other’ — Act I, scene 7

Because he is using language taken from horse riding to make his point (spur, prick the sides) the word vaulting makes sense. Horses jump over obstacles and Macbeth’s ambition will propel him to clear the obstacle of Duncan. However, the word also has other suggestions, which Macbeth realises. Ambition is something of a problem – it may help the rider clear an obstacle, but it may also make the rider go down. Macbeth cannot finish his thought, as he is interrupted (he would probably have said ‘side’). So the image which hangs in the air is of ambition, either rising or falling or both.

Although Macbeth recognises the motivation given to him by his ambition to be king, the worry of falling still gives him doubts. This has been predicted already, by his wife. Having received the letter which describes the encounter with the Witches, Lady Macbeth fears her husband’s character is not murderous enough to take the opportunity. ‘Thou would’st be great’, she says, meaning that Macbeth desires the throne:

‘Art not without ambition, but without The illness should attend it’ — Act I, scene 5

So for Lady Macbeth, ambition is not enough. ‘Illness’ – that is, wickedness – must accompany it, if the ambition is to be realised. It is this ‘illness’ which Macbeth finds himself lacking in as he prepares to murder Duncan.

This leads us to wonder: what causes Macbeth to kill the king? His ambition comes only from the prophecy of the Witches. He does not dream of the throne until he is told that such a dream will come true. But when that ambition is set, he is still unsure whether to murder:

‘If chance will have me king, why chance may crown me Without my stir’ — Act I, scene 3

Macbeth realises he does not have to do anything to take the throne. So the murderousness does not come straight from the promises of the Witches, but from somewhere else.

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

Is it already in his character or does something influence him?

OTHER RESOURCES YOU MIGHT LIKE

Get to know the characters we meet in  Macbeth

Delve deeper into the language used in Shakespeare’s  Macbeth

Context & themes

Everything you need to know about the context of  Macbeth , as well as key themes in the play

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Macbeth Key Theme: Ambition ( AQA GCSE English Literature )

Revision note.

English Senior Content Creator

Ambition in Macbeth

Although it is important to stress that Shakespeare explores many other themes in Macbeth, and that you should aim to revise those other themes in some detail, it can be argued that, at heart, Macbeth as a play is an exploration of ambition and its consequences. On this page you will find a summary of how Shakespeare explores ambition in Macbeth, and also tips on how to answer an exam question on the theme of ambition.

How does Shakespeare present ambition in Macbeth? When we talk about “ambition” in Macbeth, we are not talking about a desire to do something or determination to succeed towards a set goal. Instead, we should understand ambition in the play as a negative character trait: not just a desire to achieve something, but an unnatural desire to achieve something at any cost.  Indeed, Shakespeare has Macbeth speak the lines “vaulting ambition, which o’erleaps itself” in Act I, Scene VII. “Vaulting” means jumping over, suggesting that Macbeth, in order to achieve his ambition (to become king), knows that he must overcome an obstacle that stands in his way. This obstacle is King Duncan, and the only way to remove this obstacle is to murder him. To murder a king was a shocking, unnatural act in Jacobean  England (for more on Jacobean society and its beliefs, see our Macbeth: Context page), but Macbeth is prepared to commit regicide  to realise his ambition. Ultimately, the cost he will pay for his ambition is his own life.

Below you will find a summary of the ways in which Shakespeare explores the theme of ambition in Macbeth. For more detailed revision notes on ambition, please see the Macbeth: Themes page.

Ambition is Macbeth’s fatal character flaw, his hamartia:

In tragedy , a tragic hero  must have a tragic flaw

In Macbeth, as in most tragedy, the tragic hero’s hamartia is the cause of their own downfall:

Macbeth’s ambition to gain, and retain, the throne leads to him committing more and more evil acts

Other characters seek revenge for these acts of murder

Macbeth’s own conscience also begins to terrorise him

Ultimately, a combination of his own mental disintegration and avenging heroes sees him killed by the hand of Macduff

At heart, Shakespeare is presenting a morality play to the audience:

Allow yourself to be consumed by ambition, or hubris , and prepare to suffer dire consequences

It can also be seen as a warning against those who seek to undermine – or overthrow – the rule of a rightful king:

Shakespeare may also be suggesting that those unaccustomed and undeserving of power will be destroyed by it

Shakespeare is suggesting that kings are legitimate rulers, but tyrants  are not

Answering an exam question on ambition in Macbeth

In order to get top marks for your essay, it is very important that you know the format and requirements of the exam paper, and the nature of the exam question. It is also vital that you know how to plan an answer in the Shakespeare exam, and are aware of what you need to include to get the highest grade. In this section you will find:

an overview of the exam

a plan for a question on ambition

an ambition essay model paragraph

Overview of the Shakespeare Exam

Your Shakespeare question would be part of Section A of Paper 1 of your GCSE

The essay is worth 34 marks: 30 for the quality of your essay, and 4 for the level of your spelling, punctuation and grammar

In your question paper, you will find an extract from the text of Macbeth and only one question

You must answer the question that is set and refer to the extract, but also the rest of the play

This is challenging because the exam is what’s called “closed-book”, meaning that you will not have access to a copy of the text (other than the printed extract) in your exam

Therefore, in order to refer to the play as a whole, it is important to:

revise the plot of the play 

revise some selected quotations from different parts of the play

For a much more detailed guide on answering the Macbeth question, please see our revision notes on How to Answer the Shakespeare Essay Question .

Plan for a question on ambition in Macbeth

Below you will find a template for a plan for the following exemplar question on ambition. It is always worthwhile spending a good deal of time planning an answer at GCSE, with examiners repeatedly reporting that the highest marks are awarded to those students who have clearly set aside time to plan their essays. For more information on planning a response, and approaching the Shakespeare question in general, see our comprehensive revision notes here .

Exemplar question

‘Macbeth’s ambition proves to be his downfall’

Starting with this moment in the play, explore how far you agree with this view.

Write about:

How Shakespeare presents Macbeth’s ambition in this extract

How far Shakespeare presents Macbeth’s ambition as the reason for his downfall in the play as a whole

AO4 [4 marks]

Act I, Scene VII

Macbeth is contemplating whether or not to go through with the plan to murder King Duncan

   If it were done when 'tis done, then 'twere well

   It were done quickly: if the assassination

   Could trammel up the consequence, and catch

   With his surcease success; that but this blow

   Might be the be-all and the end-all here,

   But here, upon this bank and shoal of time,

   We'd jump the life to come. But in these cases

   We still have judgment here; that we but teach

   Bloody instructions, which, being taught, return

   To plague the inventor: this even-handed justice

   Commends the ingredients of our poison'd chalice

   To our own lips. He's here in double trust;

   First, as I am his kinsman and his subject,

   Strong both against the deed; then, as his host,

   Who should against his murderer shut the door,

   Not bear the knife myself. Besides, this Duncan

   Hath borne his faculties so meek, hath been

   So clear in his great office, that his virtues

   Will plead like angels, trumpet-tongued, against

   The deep damnation of his taking-off;

   And pity, like a naked new-born babe,

   Striding the blast, or heaven's cherubim, horsed

   Upon the sightless couriers of the air,

   Shall blow the horrid deed in every eye,

   That tears shall drown the wind. I have no spur

   To prick the sides of my intent, but only

   Vaulting ambition, which o'erleaps itself

   And falls on the other.

Ambition in Macbeth Essay Model Paragraph

Despite the fact that Macbeth is clearly aware of the dire religious consequences of regicide, his ambition means he proceeds with the murder of King Duncan anyway, indicating that his ambition overrides all other sensibilities. In this scene, Shakespeare uses the semantic fields of religion throughout Macbeth’s soliloquy: he refers to “Heaven”, “cherubin” and “angels”, as well as “damnation”. Ostensibly, this language is being used because Macbeth is discussing King Duncan’s prospective life after death. However, it could also be argued that this language betrays Macbeth’s own acknowledgement that committing the planned act of regicide (a mortal sin in the Jacobean era) will instead send him to eternal “damnation”. Indeed, later on in the play, Shakespeare has Macbeth speak the lines: “That summons thee to Heaven, or to Hell”, again, on the face of it referring to Duncan’s passage to the afterlife, but in reality speaking about his own fate. Indeed, both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth use the language of Heaven and Hell throughout Act I and the beginning of Act II, suggesting that they are both – on a subconscious level at least – mortally concerned for their future should they commit the sacrilegious act of murdering a sitting monarch. It can be argued that the regicide of King Duncan is the catalyst for Macbeth’s ultimate downfall. In terms of tragedy, this is the inciting incident, after which a tragic hero’s fate is sealed. Therefore, the language that Shakespeare has Macbeth use prior to the murder is very illuminating. Before the murder, Macbeth admits in this soliloquy that – despite the acknowledgement of his own eternal punishment – that it is “only vaulting ambition” which is tempting him to overthrow the king. This is indeed Macbeth himself identifying that his ambition is the “only” reason that he himself identifies to commit the murder, and by extension, it is his ambition that sets the wheels in motion for his ultimate demise.

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Author: Nick Redgrove

Nick is a graduate of the University of Cambridge and King’s College London. He started his career in journalism and publishing, working as an editor on a political magazine and a number of books, before training as an English teacher. After nearly 10 years working in London schools, where he held leadership positions in English departments and within a Sixth Form, he moved on to become an examiner and education consultant. With more than a decade of experience as a tutor, Nick specialises in English, but has also taught Politics, Classical Civilisation and Religious Studies.

Macbeth Essays

There are loads of ways you can approach writing an essay, but the two i favour are detailed below., the key thing to remember is that an essay should focus on the three aos:, ao1: plot and character development; ao2: language and technique; ao3: context, strategy 1 : extract / rest of play, the first strategy basically splits the essay into 3 paragraphs., the first paragraph focuses on the extract, the second focuses on the rest of the play, the third focuses on context. essentially, it's one ao per paragraph, for a really neatly organised essay., strategy 2 : a structured essay with an argument, this strategy allows you to get a much higher marks as it's structured to form an argument about the whole text. although you might think that's harder - and it's probably going to score more highly - i'd argue that it's actually easier to master. mainly because you do most of the work before the day of the exam., to see some examples of these, click on the links below:, lady macbeth as a powerful woman, macbeth as a heroic character, the key to this style is remembering this: you're going to get a question about a theme, and the extract will definitely relate to the theme., the strategy here is planning out your essays before the exam, knowing that the extract will fit into them somehow., below are some structured essays i've put together., macbeth and gender.

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In medieval times, it was believed that the health of a country was directly related to the goodness and moral legitimacy of its king. If the King was good and just, then the nation would have good harvests and good weather. If there was political order, then there would be natural order. Macbeth shows this connection between the political and natural world: when Macbeth disrupts the social and political order by murdering Duncan and usurping the throne, nature goes haywire. Incredible storms rage, the earth tremors, animals go insane and eat each other. The unnatural events of the physical world emphasize the horror of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth's acts, and mirrors the warping of their souls by ambition.

Also note the way that different characters talk about nature in the play. Duncan and Malcolm use nature metaphors when they speak of kingship—they see themselves as gardeners and want to make their realm grow and flower. In contrast, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth either try to hide from nature (wishing the stars would disappear) or to use nature to hide their cruel designs (being the serpent hiding beneath the innocent flower). The implication is that Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, once they've given themselves to the extreme selfishness of ambition, have themselves become unnatural.

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The theme of kingship in ‘Macbeth’

Firstly visit the following helpful link to refresh your memory of key contextual factors around kingship in Shakespeare’s time:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/higher/english/macbeth/background/revision/1/

Kingship may well rear its head in the Macbeth question on Tuesday. If this occurs don’t panic, simply read over these helpful notes before your exam:

It could be good to start your essay with  an introduction including some context as a basis for your essay (and the basis of the whole play) based on the political climate of the time.

This is just a guide as to what you COULD say in your essay – please use these ideas to further your own. Point One: the ideal king: •Act One ‘valiant cousin’ =  premodifying adjective used by Duncan in act 1 scene two to elevate his soldiers, he treats both Macbeth ans Banquo as equals, he does not discriminate between those deserving of his praise.  ‘worthy’ = praises his men/ gratitude – rewards Macbeth’s bravery; he is a benevolent and fair king, the epitome of key virtues associated with a well liked monarch. Duncan also admits his own misplaced judgement in the Thane of Cawdor – he is human. Macbeth is emotionally conflicted in a long soliloquy in act 1 scene 7 as he deliberates whether to complete the act of regicide: ‘We will proceed no further in this business./He hath honored me of late’…’Duncan Hath borne his faculties so meek, hath been So clear in his great office, that his virtues Will plead like angels, trumpet-tongued’. Here he believes his death is against god’s will, against the divide right of kings and the chain of being. If ‘angels’ will ‘plead’ (a verb of desperation for someone deeply invested in that which they seek to save) then Duncan must be highly valuable as a monarch.

In act 1 scene 6 Duncan is a greatful guest and compliments Lady Macbeth’s abilities to host:’our honored hostess!’ And later ‘Give me your hand. Conduct me to mine host. We love him highly’. His language is highly emotive and complimentary. He treats all of his subjects irrespective of gender with care and tenderness. Act Five – another form of favourable kingship at the close of the play as order is restored: Malcom portrays many similar qualities to his father – rewarding and praising friends for loyalty and bravery – he unites the country (see final speech) could also refer to Malcom’s testing of Macduff’s loyalty – interesting for discussion of what being a good king is.

Shakespeare’s intentions in displaying correct kingship? To create a contrast that accentuates the wickedness of The Macbeth’s acts, as well as the horror of a tyrannical king. Praise to King James – draws attention to the more flattering qualities of kingship, while behaviour of Macbeth and subsequent consequences are a warning…

When Macbeth is crowned in act 2 a change in his language reflects his new position as a king- hints of what kind of king he will be: • Use of the royal “we” – superiority. • Strong verse rhythm – confidence and power. • Banquo’s change in language – “your highness”, “my good lord.” • Imperatives and interrogation. • Dramatic irony and deceitful nature – ‘our bloody cousins’ (purposefully lays blame on Duncan’s innocent sons for his own self preservation) • Macbeth’s public confidence is immediately contrasted with his self-doubt and insecurity left alone on stage as he knows the fullness of the crime he has committed. Macbeth’s transformation in to a tyrant and subsequent demise demonstrates the repercussions of a corrupt ruler/ a usurper.

Hiring murders to kill his friend – transformed from great warrior to weak.

Corruption of his mind – “full of scorpions”/haunted by guilt and fear. Scotland is suffering under his rule, “a country afraid to know itself”- loss of identity violent sorrow is common place. A corrupt king makes a country ill. His soldiers have no love for him, “those he commands, move only in revolt.’ Act 5, scene 2. Many desert him near the end of the battle – direct contrast to the battle at the beginning of the play.

In summary:

Macbeth unlawfully seizes the throne by murdering Duncan. He demonstrates the traits that go against the divine right and God, as he takes counsel from the three witches. In this way, kingship in “Macbeth” is shown as something that is divinely appointed by contrasting the way Macbeth takes over the throne and the other kingly figures in the play such as Duncan and Macduff.

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Secondary English teacher in Herts. View all posts by gcseenglishwithmisshuttlestone

2 thoughts on “The theme of kingship in ‘Macbeth’”

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