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The theme of ambition in macbeth essay
Lady macbeth full analysis
Macbeth themes ambition
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More handpicked essays just for you.
The theme of ambition in macbeth essay
Lady macbeth full analysis
Macbeth themes ambition
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
At the beginning of the play, three witch sisters told him that he would become Thane of Cawdor and the King of Scotland. Right after they told him about the prophecies, Macbeth was told that he did in fact become Thane of Cawdor. Since that prophecy came true, he began to wonder if the prophecy about him becoming King would come true. When Lady Macbeth found out about the prophecies, Lady Macbeth convinced and influenced Macbeth to kill the King so that the prophecy could come true. Macbeth was reluctant to kill the king, but that reluctance was soon overcome by the sheer determination for power that grew inside of him.
Macbeth currently holds the title "Thane of Cawdor," a high military position granted by the king. Soon after, Lady Macbeth discovers her husband's prophecy, stating that Macbeth will eventually become king. The Thane of Cawdor position is no longer enough and Lady Macbeth is prepared to do anything to expedite the prophecy: “Come, you spirits that tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here.” (Shakespeare, 1.5 40-41). Lady Macbeth believes that her gender may hinder her in the pursuit of power, and is fully willing to exploit her own gender identity, rejecting the societal expectations of femininity, in an effort to assist Macbeth in his journey to become King.
Macbeth a brave and loyal thane to a murderous and evil king. As we all know that the main reason that macbeth became evil was because of the three witches and the prophecy that they told macbeth. They told him that he would first become thane of cawdor and then he would become the king of poland. At first macbeth was happy because he became thane of cawdor formerly he was the thane of glamis but then he had thoughts of killing king duncan who was the current king of poland so he could become the king of poland
When Macbeth became Thane of Cawdor, his wife, Lady Macbeth, was very delighted to hear of such news. Hearing that the witches went to visit Macbeth. The witches saw Macbeth as King they used every thing to thrust him into power. Lady Macbeth certainly had the upper hand over her weak husband she found it easy to manipulate him into murder and then getting him to think it was his idea.
In play Macbeth, Shakespeare reveals that an individual’s great desire for power will lead him/her to perform consequential deeds that will scar his/her conscience and change the outcome of his/her life eternally. Macbeth is informed by three witches that he is going to become king and this initiates Macbeth’s thought of becoming powerful. Macbeth doesn’t act on his thoughts until he tells his wife, Lady Macbeth, that he could become king. Lady Macbeth is extremely power hungry and does all she can to convince Macbeth to be just as desirable as her. Together, they come up with a plan to murder King Duncan, so that Macbeth can become king like the witches foretold.
Hail gentle women servants of the king Macbeth. “are you not terrified of what’s been happening in the castle since the death of king Duncan”. The owl has hooted long into the night and storms and lightning shroud the castle. Nature is angry and all is not well. I believe that evil stalks the castle, and that Macbeth and lady Macbeth are full of guilt and the blood of others.
After reading the letter from her husband, Lady Macbeth's thoughts immediately turn to murder. She knows her husband and that he is “too full o' th' milk of human kindness” This imagery is meant to show how she views him as a child who still needs to be nurtured and guided. This highlights the the fact that Lady Macbeth holds power over him, which divulges the dominant figure in the relationship and how it's opposite of the typical male dominant figures in relationships during the Renaissance. The word “milk” also symbolizes what kind of man Macbeth was before everything took place.
Macbeth only becomes Thane of Cawdor, because of a traitor, but he himself later becomes a traitor. In the beginning it was easy for Macbeth to fight for his king and to honor the name of the man who ruled his land, but once he finds out his future, his entire mindset changes. Macbeth fights and wins a battle in favor for Scotland and king Duncan. A few hours after the battle, the Weird Sisters tell Macbeth what his future looks like. He becomes obsessed with the idea of becoming king and one can sense his thirst for power.
At the start of Act 1 Scene 5 Lady Macbeth receives the letter of the witches from Macbeth "These weird sisters saluted me and referred me to the coming on of time, Hail king that shalt be." detailing what was said to him about his prophecy in becoming king. This was important because it shows that Lady Macbeth is willing to evoke the magic to fully imbue her, this was seen as evil to the Jacobean audience at the time. Lady Macbeths reaction is in complete contrast with Macbeths in how she embraces the witches and shows early signs of her influence and use of imperatives "Thus thou must do if thou have it" to show she takes charge "never shall
As the prophecy consumes his mind, Macbeth writes a letter describing to Lady Macbeth what he had been told by the witches. This is the start of Lady Macbeth’s plot to gain power. She is determined to see Macbeth become king. The prophecies get them both thinking about their next course of action, but they both have different approaches to fulfilling the prophecy. Macbeth initially was hesitant about murdering King Duncan and had his doubts and moral qualms.
At the beginning of William Shakespeare’s ‘Macbeth’ the protagonist Macbeth is described as ‘brave’, ‘noble’ and ‘honourable’, however Lady Macbeth’s and Macbeths desire for power consumes them. Macbeth’s ambition overrides his conscience and transformed his greatest strength into his greatest weakness. Macbeth’s inability to resist temptations that led him to be greedy for power, Macbeth’s easily manipulative nature which allowed his mind to be swayed, Macbeth having no self control and his excessive pride was what allowed him to renew his previously honourable and celebrated title into one of an evil ‘tyrant’. Macbeth is led by the prophecies of the witches after they foretell he will become the Thane of Cawdor. Not only the witches, but also his wife easily manipulate Macbeth as she attacks his manhood in order to provoke him to act on his desires.
Lady Macbeth's anxiety of power is shown in Act 1 when she is reading a letter from her husband talking about the prophecy of the three witches, about him becoming king. Lady Macbeth's mind, is now full of meaness thoughts, therefore she starts planing the murder of Scotland king, Duncan. Lady Macbeth realizes that
I wanted to make letters from Macbeth and Lady Macbeth to reveal many things about each character. I tried my best to follow the text but also add my twist on it. For the first letter I wanted Lady Macbeth to seem evil, like she is in the text. But even more malevolent. When I read the text I get that she is very evil and thinks in an wicked way.
Hail to thee, thane of Cawdor!...that shalt be king hereafter (Act 1, Scene 3).” The play Macbeth starts off with the three witches telling Macbeth and Banquo that Macbeth will become the Thane of Cawdor and then he will become king. Soon after, Macbeth learns that King Duncan has named him as the Thane of Cawdor. With this, Macbeth begins to believe that the witches’ prophecies must be true and is determined to become king. He says, “Let not light see my black and deep desires (Act 1, Scene 4),” implying that he has the inner desire to now become king.
They tell him that he will soon be named Thane of Cawdor, and will eventually become king. Macbeth does not believe this prophecy, until King Duncan names him the Thane of Cawdor. Macbeth writes a letter to his wife, Lady Macbeth, telling her about his encounter with the witches. It is in reading this letter that Lady Macbeth begin to think up a plan to murder the king. When Lady Macbeth presents her plan to Macbeth, he reacts reluctantly.