Macbeth Hacked: Sample Introduction + Macbeth's Ambition

Macbeth Hacked: A Character Study of Macbeth

Studying Macbeth in high school and preparing for an essay?

Here is a section of revision notes I wrote about Macbeth's Ambition and Character.

What will you find on this article?

Key points

A few essential quotes

Sample introduction: Ambition

Macbeth's Ambition:

Summary: Make sure you touch on these 3 points if the essay question relates to Macbeth's character development! 
A good way to plan out your essay would be to write a paragraph on each point.

Macbeth's Character Development:

• Macbeth possesses a hamartia: his blind, unchecked ambition
• Hamartia- named by Aristotle in poetics = a tragic flaw possessed by any tragic hero
• Macbeth's ambition grows over the course of the play and shapes his decisions 
• Beginning of the play: 
• renowned soldier, Duncan is told of his good deeds --> not unblindly ambitious

• Influenced by witches and his wife
• Incapable of resisting his wife's argumentation on key points of contention.
• Example: Ambition epitomized in the killing of Duncan 
•  lead to commit grievous crimes to serve his attempt to become king. 
• Lady Macbeth's ambition

His demise:

• His blind ambition leads to his demise in the end
• Mention he is a tragic hero

Important Quotations to Include:
Just in case you have overlooked the obvious ones:

• Descriptions of Macbeth's initial character:
• If chance will have me kind, why, chance may crown me without my stir" ’ I have no spur to prick the sides of my intent, but only vaulting ambition, which o'erleaps itself and falls on the other."
• His character develops:
• "over-vaulting ambition." 
• Macbeth knows that his ambition is wrong and this physically manifests itself in the hallucination of a dagger that he sees before himself before killing Duncan. He exclaims, "Is this a dagger which I see before me, the handle toward my hand?" 
• Lady Macbeth and Macbeth's relationship 
• Lady Macbeth's role:
• when he writes her a letter in strictest confidence informing her about the prophesies, although there is a note of inferiority and intimidation, and a sense of duty in his comments: “This have I thought good to deliver thee, my dearest partner of greatness”. <-- Show's Macbeth's trust 
• Demise
• His soliloquy is cold and unfeeling:
• "tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow"

Example of an Introduction for Ambition:
In Macbeth by William Shakespeare, what role does Macbeth's ambition play throughout?

• Introductions should grab the reader's attention
• In an exam situation make sure you:
• Start strong
• State your thesis
• Mention body paragraph points

Ambition has the power to both create and destroy. Ambition is a beginning, an impetus for change. People inspired by ambition can accomplish great things. However, when tempted by their desires, people destroy themselves. These desires can simply be too much for any one person to overcome. In William Shakespeare’s dramatic tragedy, ‘Macbeth,’ the Nobleman Macbeth is overcome by his own desire. His eventual downfall and destruction was a product of his blind ambition-ultimately his hamartia. This is exemplified through the character development of Macbeth. In the beginning his ambition is not as prevalent, however, as the play progresses, external factors such as Lady Macbeth and the witches have a profound influence on this. Consequently, the regal ambitions of Macbeth began a tragic downward spiral from which the tragic hero could never recover. 

I hope you found this post helpful! :) If you have any questions feel free to comment them and I'll reply within a day.