Themes of Macbeth: Ambition Mr Salles
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- Опубликовано: 24 июл 2024
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Learn how to analyse ambition in Shakespeare’s Macbeth. Understand how Macbeth uses Lady Macbeth, and plays on her psychological weakness.
Understand that Banquo is also ambitious and not at all the innocent character he is normally portrayed as.
See what the witches’ motives are in influencing Macbeth. Astonishingly, these have everything to do with love, and nothing to do with evil!
Learn how to link all this to Shakespeare’s viewpoint about the patriarchal society he criticises for his contemporary audience.
AMBITION OF MACBETH FROM THIS VIDEO------
throughout the play, Shakespeare explores the theme of ambition through various characters and the effect it produces on the play as well as their inevitable actions.
the extract opens with Lady Macbeth's soliloquy and the theme of ambition constantly revolves around her; she is reading Macbeth's letter that he has sent to her. lady Macbeth immediately agrees to the idea of murdering Duncan. these reflex actions mirror her 'vaulting' ambition as she strikes thoroughly. in Shakespeare's era people were part of a patrician society were women were believed to lack identity and power and were seen as weak. this is mirrored in Lady Macbeth's soliloquy when immediately after reading the letter she asks the spirits to 'unsex' her, connoting that her femininity is an idol of weakness and she must use masculinity to commit such deed.
however, ambition is also portrayed in the most vital character in the play- Macbeth. before Macbeth murders Duncan in his soliloquy he relates himself as "I have no spur to prick the sides of ambition..." this connotes as how he sees ambition like a horse that must be tamed before it "vaults". he deeply questions himself before he kills Duncan due to his knowledge which reminds him that there "deep condemnation" on earth, and "judgment" after death. he further goes onto say "...but only vaulting ambition which o'erlaps itself as it falls" the use of biblical reference refers to the Christian faith when Adam and Eve were ordered to "fall" from the garden of Eden owing to the fact that they disobeyed gods command by eating from the 'Tree of Knowledge, Good and Evil' the forceful biblical language reminds Macbeth that the cruel act of murder opposes against gods command.
however this does not stop Macbeth from his deed, he immediately sends a letter to his 'partner' about the news. this, in fact, is a simple psychological game that his mind plays on him he does not have the 'spur' himself so by discoursing with his wife and luring her into the prophecy she may create a plan and fulfil his 'spur'.
following this ambition is also seen in more noble characters in the play that one might disagree with- Banquo. when Macbeth and Banquo are in discourse with the witches upon the heath Banquo demands them to 'speak to' him and advise him about the 'royal hope'. this hints at his ambition as this is what he yearns for. before Macbeth and Banquo even meet the witches Banquo relates to Macbeth that last night "he dreamt of three weird sisters". this explicitly hints at his ambition and could also further hint that his ambition could be the strongest in the play.
this way we can see how Shakespeare explores ambition through the noble character in order to allude that ambition is not something Shakespeare was not critical about in fact one could argue that Shakespear may approve Banquos ideological ambition because simply he does not kill anyone.
overall we can see how Shakespeare successfully presents and explores the theme of ambition in his tragedy 'Macbeth' due to the fact that it is unchecked by any concept of morality.
Thank you so much for posting this to help other viewers
thx
what a guy
bro did u get a nine
I have my English literature mock tomorrow and your answer is helping me out a lot! Thank you!
im shook, im doing english hw about ambition and right when i was about to do it, i see a notification about this vid wth
I am in year 10 and am sitting my Paper 1 on Wednesday of this week. I know that if I get a grade 7 or above it will be because of you. The ideas and concepts I have learnt from Year 9 up until now compares nothing to what I have learnt from your videos. I have been watching them for 6 months now and I went from a grade 5 to a 6. They are honestly mind blowing and for that I say thank you. You are the BEST source for English revision and you have made me 1000x more confident. I really cannot thank you enough Mr Salles, I am truly grateful.
Thank you very much. Good luck on Wednesday
Wow! I haven't heard even half of these ideas/interpretations before. Thank you for increasing my knowledge of the play!
I didn't even realize those points about Banquo. I had an exam on ambition the next day and this helped so much! Thank you so much, Mr Salles!
you are like Sherlock Holmes but you analyse Shakespeare in such a way that it all just becomes clear and comprehendible !!
William would give you a pat on the back if he was here .
Thanks a lot ! Great in depth ideas that can help me with my exam on Tuesday ! Let’s hope it’s one of the themes of your videos
The ToastedPlum last year's exam was on ambition so I don't thunk this theme will come up this year
Gursaiv Kaur ahh thanks for the info !
great video, helped me loads with my English lit revision thanks :)
Wow! Just wow that was amazing thanks a lot mate 😁
Hi, how would you use these quotations in an essay about quotations? How would you start the paragraphs off? Thanks!
could you do Macbeth quotes to learn?
can you do an analysis on each character one video for one character
this is amazing!
here getting ready for mocks next month :)
what act does banquos quotes come from please and thanks?
Thanks amazing video sir!
Can u just tell ask that “which poem will come in our test”please
Why are you saying that Banquo dreamt about the witches before they met them, the quote you used is before Duncan's murder and after they meet them in act 1 scene 3?
But he dreamt the night before and the king is killed is the same day the king is killed
Hi Sir, I just came across your channel and I’m glad I did. Your videos are totally amazing. I was wondering if you could do videos on ‘Robert Frost Poems’ specified in the CIE AS English Literature exams. My exams are in a month and I’m so nervous as there’s not many resources available on the internet. It would be extremely extremely helpful if you could make videos on that, please. It’s my humble request. Thank you in advance.
This is a very charming and flattering request, but I am not teaching these poems! However, pick one poem, ask me some questions about it, and I will make you a specific video next week if I know the poem.
Mr Salles Teaches English
Thank you so much Sir.
The poem I’m really struggling with is ‘The Cow In Apple Time’. It would be amazing if you could help me with that, please . Thank you again. Have a nice day ahead.
Collins Montez Not so fast, you haven’t done your work yet! Ask me some questions about the poem, to do with your interpretations and struggles, and then I’ll make the video.
Mr Salles Teaches English Well, it would be extremely helpful if you could do a line by line analysis (the poem is very short) as I’m not able to understand the content itself. Please.
Mr Salles Teaches English hello, are you there ?
😊Thanks😊
I wrote this about why the witches chose Macbeth and Banquo to deliver prophecies to, and tried to link it to the theme of ambition. However, I am not sure if it actually makes sense or is a good, convincing argument. Btw, sorry it is so long, I just have a lot of ideas!
In the very beginning of the play in Act 1 Scene 1, we are shown the witches plotting to meet Macbeth. Then, in Act 1 Scene 3, they deliver prophecies to him: "Hail thee Macbeth, thane of Cawdor, thou shalt be king hereafter." The specific choice of Macbeth as their target suggests that they are aware of his pre-existing internal ambition. This knowledge enables them to easily manipulate him, exploiting his yearning for power. Such manipulation would be plausible to a Jacobean society, particularly King James, who believed in the supernatural power of witches.
Macbeth has a dark side characterized by "vaulting ambition" and "bloody execution," which balances out his good side as "Brave Macbeth," a "valiant" and "worthy gentleman." Shakespeare emphasizes his susceptibility to sway towards darkness, as his acts of heroism are always accompanied by a juxtaposition, portraying his relentless aggression. This makes him an easy target for the witches to be swayed into becoming a tyrannical ruler, consequently catalysing his descent.
However, the witches also deliver prophecies to Banquo: "thou shalt get kings though thou shalt be none" and "greater than Macbeth, but lesser than." Throughout the play, Banquo is shown to be an inherently moral and loyal character, a complete foil to Macbeth. Shakespeare may have created Banquo's character this way to flatter King James, who was a real-life descendant of Banquo. Therefore, Shakespeare subtly insinuates that King James is just as flawless.
This raises the question of why the witches would bother taunting someone they know will remain true and unwavering. If they can see Macbeth's unbridled ambition leading to a downfall, why can't they see the lack of violent and "vaulting" ambition in Banquo? Surely there is no point in taunting a character they know will stay loyal throughout. This questions the witches' ability to determine fate and the nature of Banquo and Macbeth, implying that the witches may not be as powerful as once thought.
Perhaps, Shakespeare is subtly suggesting that the witches are not the sole cause of Macbeth's downfall but rather acting as a catalyst to his choice to murder King Duncan. If they are not as powerful as believed, they may not have had such an influence on Macbeth, causing him to undergo a substantial transformation. Macbeth's actions, therefore, are a result of his own violent ambition, not solely the work of the witches.
Alternatively, the witches' manipulation of Macbeth through the prophecies given to Banquo serves to amplify Macbeth's already burgeoning ambition. The knowledge that Banquo's descendants may inherit the throne acts as a catalyst for Macbeth's growing obsession with maintaining his power. The prospect of his kingship being usurped ignites a desperate desire within Macbeth to eliminate any potential threats, including Banquo himself.
As Macbeth becomes consumed by his ambition, the witches' calculated move to involve Banquo becomes a pivotal turning point. Macbeth's initial ambition to become king transforms into an insatiable hunger to secure his position and ensure a lasting legacy. The witches, with their foresight and understanding of human nature, exploit this ambition to fuel Macbeth's descent into madness and tyranny. They trigger Macbeth's jealousy and fear of losing power, manipulating his ambitions to drive him to increasingly drastic actions.
Macbeth's ambition is undeniably present within him, but it is the witches' clever and deliberate manipulation of his internal drive that acts as the catalyst for the chaos and destruction that unfolds. Without their prophecies, it is unlikely that Macbeth, who initially stood as a noble hero defending his king, would have undergone such a drastic transformation into a regicidal tyrant. This notion is further amplified when we compare Banquo, who receives similar prophecies but remains unaffected and does not descend into the same tragic downfall. This suggests that Macbeth's increasing ambition and violent tendencies are partly a result of his own nature.
Their prophecies act as a constant reminder of his ambition and the potential obstacles standing in his way. This relentless pursuit of power not only leads to the murder of Banquo but also sets Macbeth on a destructive path where he will stop at nothing.
I think I could also link this to the fact that Macbeth specifically CHOOSES evil, he could just have left it alone and become king without harming anyone (according to witches prophecies) but he uses his freewill to kill Duncan. Therefore Macbeth's 'out of control' ambition is his own fault, not the witches, as he chooses to murder Duncan, setting off chain of events leading to his downfall.
Also, would this link to a supernatural/witches essay, or an ambition essay?
Hello Eva, it is a very good argument which is beyond what I would expect of a 16 year old. There is one 'ize' verb ending, which is usually a sign that something is copied or written with ChatGPT. However, it feels much less clunky than ChatGPT, and more fluent. So, if you did write it, yes, it would easily fit a question on the supernatural, or indeed on Banquo. If It is your work I'd love to publish it on my Substack!
@@MrSallesTeachesEnglish hi mr salles, thank you for the feedback. i actually did write it myself, and with the 'ize' endings i type quickly without considering spelling and then go back and edit the errors word flags up. word never flagged them up as grammar errors so it never even crossed my mind to check i guess! i would honestly be honoured to let you publish it on substack (although double check, i dont think i got the hail macbeth quote word for word after re reading it)
also btw, ive watched your video on chat gpt, and have asked it to write essays in the past and they honestly always come out worded basic-ly, and never use quotations! i do find it helpful for ideas on impressive sounding words to add to essays, and story prompts for eng lang practice
thanks you! :)
hi, i was just wondering with the last point what the aspect of ambition is? im struggling to grasp the idea of ambition in this point. Thank you
is it the witches ambition to get Macbeth to love them ?
The witches are ambitious at this point as they strive to gain respect, and also possibly authority over Macbeth. They do this by giving him correct prophecies, and therefore gaining trust from Macbeth - Hecate ("our masters" as described by the witches) criticises their greed for influence at this point. This could be interpreted as ambition to overcome patriarchy within society, as the witches (women) are most likely not respected within society, as perception of women in society was solely based on appearance, perhaps a lack of respect due to an ugly appearance ("yet their beards...") drove these women to evil and dark practices in search of power - highlighting an underlying theme of ambition.Good luck in your exams :)
thank you so much. i love the alternative approaches to ambition within the video aswell. cant wait to write about them in my exam!
Brona Richardson same! Fingers crossed for a question on supernatural/evil/witches/ambition !
'Spur' Macbeth has got the desire but what he is missing is his ambition. Use of ' fall' in the biblical sense of sinning as Adam and Eve did, he is going to endanger his soul. M is exploiting LM's desire for greatness.Macbeth as a woman she can only get greatness from him. L M will be my spur, so Macbeth wants her to come with a plan, luring her in. Banqueo is also ambitious . He thinks about 'Royal hope' that M receives. Battle against Norway was just that morning. His prophecy is actually the most ambitious of all. Neants to know what good things are coming his way. Banquo has been talking to his son Fleance. He has dreamt of the three
Sisters. Shakespeare promotes B's kind of ambition simply because he doesn't murder anyone. M says Look stick with me you'll get honours says Macbeth if you stick with me.B doesn't tell all the Thames. Keeps all that the witches say a secret. Witches are also ambitious. Condemnation of sexist society. Witches want Macbeth's attention. They are ugly and unloved. They lure him into their power and influence through their prophecies.j
Hi Mr. Salles, can you make a video on the poems “Kraken” and “Afternoon with Irish cows”. Thank you so much!
Mythrayee Kannan Sorry, I don’t teach them
Mr Salles Thanks for replying, but I really need help with these poems. Thank you!
@@arjtej123 so what
hes not going to research, analyse and produce a video for 1 person that he will not teach in class to his students
Awesome video! Loved the analysis for the witches(>~< )
i have my macbeth exam tomorrow😬
What was the question mine is tomorrow
Got my exam tomorrow😬
Daniel Kennedy same! I’m kinda nervous.... you’ll do great
@@atyourcervix3822 what set u in??
Daniel Kennedy I’m in set 1 wbu?
Daniel Kennedy oh I’m sorry I only just saw this 🙂 How do you think you did?