Macbeth Essays On Ambition

Shakespeare’s use of the noun “babes” emphasise Macbeth’s malevolence as it connotes innocence and purity which completely juxtaposes Macbeth’s violence.

This would be seen as completely unimaginable to the 16th century audience who believed that men should follow the Chivalric Code of Honour which states that a man should not even fight a foe who is weaker than him but Macbeth ruthlessly murders a defenceless family, “spurred” but his ambition.

You have also identified a range of literary devices and have talked about the contemporary audience (context). To improve, you could start with a more clear point (thesis statement). Throughout the play, Shakespeare portrays Macbeth as ambitious to a certain extent ...

(mention that he is ambitious but his ambition is hindered by fear).

However, he is terrified by the idea as it makes his hairs stand on end and his heart pound, suggesting that he doesn’t want to act on his ambition.

This is reiterated by the use of euphemism “horrid image” as he avoids using a more explicit word, indicating how he is not completely controlled by his ambition yet.Macbeth’s lack of willingness to carry out the murder is also stated by Lady Macbeth when she says in her soliloquy in Act 1 Scene 5, “Art not without ambition, but without the illness should attend it”.She acknowledges that Macbeth does have ambition but indicates that he doesn’t have the ruthlessness to act on it. Shakespeare's ''Macbeth'' is full of ambitious characters doing great and evil deeds.This lesson offers essay topic questions for your students to better consider ambition's role in this tragic play.Your other two paragraphs were excellent and thorough; however you need to have a clearer topic sentence / thesis statement that summarises each paragraph. Also, try to avoid contractions in order to maintain a formal tone. A person's ambition can be spurred by their desire to do good things in the world or simply their desire to obtain power.Shakespeare's Macbeth epitomizes the definition of ambition.Later in the play, Macbeth’s ambition is clearly presented as his fatal flaw which ultimately leads to his downfall from the “worthy gentleman” to “hell-hound”.In Act 3 Scene 2, Macbeth is now king after murdering Duncan and is fearing for his position for power, “We have scorch’d the snake, not kill’d it.” Macbeth still fears that he could lose his power, highlighted by Shakespeare’s use of the metaphor “snake” which connotes threat and danger, especially because of the witches’ prophecy to Banquo that his descendants will become kings.